Giovanni Pietro Olina

Giovanni Pietro Olina (1585 - circa 1645) was an Italian naturalist, lawyer, and theologian best known for his writings on the capture and maintenance of songbirds in the rare work Uccelliera, overo, Discorso della natura, e proprieta di diversi uccelli (1622) which was written (or ghost-written) at the behest of, and with the support of Cassiano dal Pozzo who worked under Pope Urbano VIII.

Cassiano used this book Uccelliera first published in 1622 as proof of his expertise to join the Accademia dei Lincei.

It is thought that Cassiano did not want to add himself as a co-author along with Olina due to fears that his motives might be misunderstood and be used to target him during the Inquisition.

Olina also described Italian traditions including the use of hanging horizontal vases (Fiaminghi) for starlings to nest in.

A study of some paintings of the supposed "Elba canary" have however subsequently been ascribed to the Corsican race of the citril finch.