Juan Lembeye

Who was Juan Lembeye?

Juan Lembeye, was a Spanish naturalist.

Lembeye was the author of Aves de la Isla de Cuba, the only book of bird illustrations to be published in Cuba. Born in Galicia, Lembeye lived in Cuba from the 1830s to the 1860s, and became interested in birds while he was there. The majority of the 38 drawings in Lembeye's book were copied from the royal octavo plates of John James Audubon; in some cases, he even copied the plants depicted in the background. Bee Hummingbird was described in his book first time, Mellisuga helenae Gundlach

Lembeye discovered Cuban Solitaire and Yellow-headed Warbler, and is commemorated in the specific name of Cuban Gnatcatcher, Polioptila lembeyei. His colleagues included Juan Gundlach and Victor López Seoane.