Geoff Moon

Geoffrey James Harwood Moon (2 April 1915 – 13 March 2009) was a New Zealand naturalist, ornithologist, conservationist, veterinary surgeon and photographer.

He was the author and photographer of many books on New Zealand birds and landscape.

Moon was the patron of the Wingspan Birds of Prey Trust and the Photographic Society of New Zealand.

He was also a Waitakere arts laureate, a distinguished life member of the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society of New Zealand, an honorary fellow of the Photographic Society of New Zealand and an associate of the Royal Photographic Society of Great Britain.

Moon was born in China where his English parents were living while his father worked in a managerial position for Shell Oil.

The family moved back to England for his education where he qualified as a veterinary surgeon at the Royal Veterinary College.

Moon came to New Zealand in 1947 as the New Zealand Government was recruiting veterinary surgeons.

Originally he worked and practised in Warkworth and surrounding area, where he lived with his family.

In later years, he lived in Titirangi.

Moon was an honorary life member of the New Zealand Veterinary Association.

In the 1994 Queen's Birthday Honours, he was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire, for services to the veterinary profession and photography.

Moon died on 13 March 2009 at the age of 93.

Moon's book The Reed Field Guide to New Zealand Birds was called an "[e]xcellent colour reference book" by The Rough Guide to New Zealand.

The book is also recommended by Fodor's See It New Zealand.

Elizabeth B. Booz, Ben Simmons and Andrew Hempstead call Moon "New Zealand's best bird photographer"