Few people have shaped modern ornithology like Dr. John Fitzpatrick, the longtime Director of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and one of the visionaries behind eBird and Merlin. In this conversation, Scott Harris sits down with Fitz to explore the global transformation of birding—from field notebooks and film cameras to the data-driven citizen-science revolution that connects millions of observers worldwide.
From his early research on tropical flycatchers to decades of conservation work with the Florida Scrub-Jay, Fitzpatrick’s career has been defined by curiosity, mentorship, and an unshakable belief that birds can unite people across cultures and continents.
Tune in as they discuss:
- How eBird became the world’s largest wildlife database
- The origin and future of the Merlin Bird ID app
- Lessons from a lifetime studying endangered species
- Why curiosity remains the beating heart of conservation science
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