Rudyerd Boulton

Wolfrid Rudyerd Boulton (April 5, 1901 – January 24, 1983) was an American ornithologist who worked extensively in Africa. Boulton held positions at the American Museum of Natural History and the Carnegie Museum of Natural History and traveled widely on expeditions to Africa. With his first wife, ethnomusicologist Laura Boulton, he made the first recordings of African tropical bird calls. Boulton was recruited into the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) during the Second World War because of his knowledge of Africa and his experience in foreign travel. He was responsible for monitoring the supply of uranium ore from the Belgian Congo for the Manhattan Project. Boulton transferred to the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in 1947 and resigned in 1958.

Boulton moved to Southern Rhodesia in 1959 with his third wife and established the Atlantica Foundation, a charitable organization to encourage the study of African birds. Atlantica's connection with the CIA was never established, although Boulton was interviewed by Rhodesia's Central Intelligence Organisation over his links to the organization. Atlantica lost much of its funding following Rhodesia's Unilateral Declaration of Independence in 1965 and Boulton closed the foundation in 1978. He died in Zimbabwe (Rhodesia).

Early life and career W. Rudyerd Boulton was born in Beaver, Pennsylvania, on April 5, 1901. His first name is given variously as Wolfrid and Wilfred but was generally not used, being known as "W. Rudyerd Boulton", "Rudyerd Boulton" or "Rud". He attended Amherst College and then the University of Pittsburgh, from which he graduated with Bachelor of Science degree in 1924. Immediately after graduation Boulton was made research assistant at the American Museum of Natural History's ornithology department. He was a participant of Arthur Stannard Vernay's 1925 expedition to Angola and in the same year married the ethnomusicologist Laura Boulton (née Crayton). In 1931 Boulton was appointed assistant curator at the Field Museum of Natural History and, the same year, accompanied Ralph Pulitzer on his expedition to Angola.

OSS/CIA career Boulton was recruited into the Office of Strategic Services, which was then the US intelligence agency, in 1942 due to his knowledge of Africa and overseas experience. He was appointed divisional deputy for Africa in the Secret Intelligence Branch.