John Nelson Hobbs (1923 – October 31, 1990) was a British-Australian career police officer and amateur ornithologist, best known for his involvement with the Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union.

Hobbs was born in London, England in 1923.^[1] During World War II, he served as a gunner on tankers in the Atlantic Ocean.^[2] After the war, he joined the Metropolitan Police Force in London.^[2] In 1952, Hobbs emigrated to Australia and joined the NSW Police Force.^[1]

Hobbs served as a New South Wales police officer until 1980, based in a succession of country towns, including Dareton, Finley, Buronga, Katoomba, Kyogle, Nowra, and Narrandera.^[3] During this period, he developed an amateur interest in ornithology and made detailed studies of local birdlife, including the article "The birds of south-west New South Wales."^[4] Hobbs' interest in ornithology also extended into his law enforcement career; he diligently prosecuted illegal bird trappers and shooters in the districts where he was serving.^[3] Fellow ornithologist A.K. Morris later described Hobbs during this period as "a large blond police officer with a Kentish accent, bright blue eyes and a wry sense of humour."^[3]

In 1980, Hobbs retired to Dareton in the south-west of the state, where he studied reed-warblers and small passerines.^[3] He served on the Records Appraisal Committee of the Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union (RAOU) from 1975 to 1989,^[2] as well as contributing prolifically to the RAOU's Nest Record Scheme.^[3] Hobbs published his ornithological research in Australian Birds, The Australian Bird Watcher, British Birds, Corella and Emu.^[1]

In October 1990, while on a birding trip to Central Australia with James Allen Keast and others, Hobbs suffered a heart attack.^[3] He died on 31 October 1990, near Dareton, New South Wales.^[1] He was survived by his wife Shirley and four sons: Peter, Michael, Bruce, and Gregory.^[1] Hobbs is commemorated by the J.N. Hobbs Memorial Medal, awarded annually from 1995 for major contributions to amateur ornithology.^[5] The medal was initially awarded by the New South Wales branch of the Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union (now BirdLife Australia), before being upgraded to a national award four years later.^[5]

• List of ornithologists