Professor J. Bruce Falls (1923-2024)

Professor Falls did his post-secondary education at the University of Toronto and then joined the Department of Zoology as faculty member in 1954, where he was a valued colleague and mentor. His research encompassed a range of ecological questions, including his 36-year study of small mammal population dynamics in Algonquin Park, and the breeding behavior of birds. As part of his extensive work, he pioneered the use of the playback of bird song recordings to study their territories and behavior. Professor Falls mentored 36 PhD and MSc students (and numerous undergraduates) researching topics in ornithology, mammalogy, and herpetology prior to his retirement in 1989. Professor Falls was a leader in numerous conservation leadership activities beyond the academic setting, serving as one of the cofounders of the Nature Conservancy of Canada and President of what is now Ontario Nature. His significant research and leadership in conservation were recognized by the Governor General with Professor Falls being awarded the Order of Canada.

Bruce will be missed by family, friends, and colleagues.

• Globe & Mail: Conservation biologist J. Bruce Falls studied the hidden rhythms of the natural world
• Birds Canada: Bruce Falls, an enduring conservation legacy
• National Observer: Prominent conservationist was ‘true force of nature’
• Nature Conservancy of Canada pays tribute to key builder