Fred Shaw Mayer

Frederick William Shaw Mayer MBE (26 September 1899 – 1 September 1989), also well known as "Masta Pisin" or the "Bird Man" in New Guinea, was an Australian ornithologist, aviculturist and zoological collector. He is notable for his work in New Guinea, especially with birds-of-paradise.

Early years Mayer was educated in Sydney at Homebush Primary School, Petersham High School and Sydney Grammar School. After leaving school Mayer had abortive career starts as a surveyor and in the building industry. Then he decided to follow his childhood interest in wildlife and became a zoological collector for museums and zoos.

The wildlife collector Mayer became very skilled at caring for live mammals and birds as well as preparing their skins. His abilities as a collector and preparator were recognised early in his life. After an initial self-funded collecting expedition to South-East Asia, Mayer collected extensively through the 1920s in South-East Asia and New Guinea, concentrating on New Guinea almost exclusively from the 1930s onward. A principal client of his was Walter Rothschild, for whom he supplied specimens for the Rothschild Zoological Museum at Tring in Hertfordshire, England. Other clients included John Spedan Lewis and Jean Delacour. for his work in establishing the Nondugl and Baiyer River sanctuaries, as well as for the breeding of birds-of-paradise. He was also made the first honorary life member of the Papua New Guinea Bird Society. He retired to Australia, living for many more years in Nambour, Queensland, where he died 25 days before his 90th birthday. He is commemorated in the names of several New Guinea animals, including the: Ribbon-tailed astrapia (Astrapia mayeri) Pygmy ringtail possum (Pseudochirulus mayeri) Shaw Mayer's brush mouse (Pogonomelomys mayeri) Shaw Mayer's water rat (Hydromys shawmayeri)