John Acorn


John Acorn is a Canadian naturalist. He is a lecturer at the University of Alberta, a research associate at the Royal [Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology], and a research associate at the E.H. Strickland Entomology Museum. He is also a local Edmonton celebrity, combining folk music with educational lyrics about the natural world.

Television series

John Acorn became publicly known for his television series Acorn, the Nature Nut. 88 episodes were produced, each focusing on a different aspect of the natural world, and which featured folk songs, whimsical descriptions like Flying Neon Toothpicks in the Grass, and characters like Skibibad Windfield. He was also the host of Twits and Pishers a series about birdwatching that ran for two seasons on the Discovery Channel.
Acorn also appears in recorded displays at the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology.

Publications

  • Birds of Alberta
  • Birds of Coastal British Columbia
  • Birds of the Pacific Northwest Coast
  • Bugs of Alberta
  • Bugs of British Columbia
  • Bugs of Northern California
  • Bugs of Ontario
  • Bugs of Washington and Oregon
  • Butterflies of Alberta
  • Butterflies of British Columbia
  • Compact Guide to Alberta Birds
  • Damselflies of Alberta: Flying Neon Toothpicks in the Grass
  • Deep Alberta: Fossil Facts and Dinosaur Digs
  • Ladybugs of Alberta: Finding the Spots and Connecting the Dots
  • Tiger Beetles of Alberta: Killers on the Clay, Stalkers on the Sand

Awards