Career He was president of the British Ornithologists" Union from 1948 to 1955. His father was the naturalist J. Arthur Thomson.
Achievements He was awarded in 1953 a knighthood, in 1957 the BTO"s Bernard Tucker Medal, in 1959 the BOU"s Godman-Salvin Medal, and in 1962 the Royal Society"s Buchanan Meda