John Grant grew up in Ireland, moved to Australia for postgraduate research in zoology, and has lived there for the past 35 years. He teaches tertiary field programs on ecology and conservation in Australia and Indonesia. His research interests are ecology and behaviour of birds, particularly those in Australia's Wet Tropics and Gulf Country regions. His other interests include painting wildlife, mainly birds, community-based nature conservation, bushwalking, reading and singing. He has published a number of scientific papers and popular articles. His home of many years is the Atherton Tablelands of north Queensland.