Lyman Belding

Who was Lyman Belding?

Lyman Belding was a prominent American ornithologist.

He was born to Joshua Belding and Rosetta Belding née Cooley on 12 June 1829 at West Farms, Massachusetts, but later moved to Kingston, Wyoming Valley, Pennsylvania when he was about 7 years old and finally California. He spent many years on whaling ships, but became fascinated by birds after acquiring his first bird book in 1876.

By then he retired in Stockton, California and became a foremost authority on the avifauna of California and Baja California. He died on the 22 November 1917 and is buried in Rural Cemetery in Stockton, California.

Belding's Yellowthroat was named by Robert Ridgway in his honour.