WOMEN IN SEABIRD SCIENCE
Anna Vallery
she/her
Biological Science Technician (Avian Biologist)
US Fish and Wildlife Service
Discipline
Conservation, Population Dynamics, Project Management, Tools and techniques
Regional Focus
Pacific Remote Islands; Hawaiian Islands; Northwest Hawaiian Islands
Years Active
6-10 years
Species Focus
Albatrosses (Diomedeidae), Frigatebirds (Fregatidae), Gulls and Terns (Laridae), Pelecans (Pelecanidae), Tropicbirds (Phaethontidae), Petrels and Shearwaters (Procellariidae)
Tell us about your work with seabirds.
I manage the banding permit and associated data for the USFWS Pacific Remote Islands and Monuments as well as work on a number of projects related to the research and conservation of the bird species that rely on these islands, most of which are seabirds. I also manage a project that is developing a machine-learning tool to speed up monitoring efforts that use drones and other imagery to count colonial waterbirds.
What advice would you offer to individuals aspiring to pursue a career as seabird scientists?
Be open to different types of opportunities than the exact types of positions you're imagining. There are many jobs related to seabird research and conservation that are critical, but aren't necessarily in the field or working directly with birds. These jobs can provide valuable experience for not only pushing your career in this field forward, but for helping protect these incredible species! Also, this is a competitive field and being mentally prepared for a lot of rejection is key for success. Just because you don't get the position or grant you're hoping for doesn't mean you won't get the next one (which may be an even better fit in the long run).
Anna wearing a blue shirt, brown shorts, and blue baseball cap, along with a backpack and other field gear, walking along the beach of Kamole (Laysan) Island. Above her are many juvenile Great Frigatebirds. You can see a Black-footed Albatross chick in the bottom corner, blue ocean water in the background, and a fellow biologist in the distance.
Email:
Website:
Twitter:
@annavalbirdgal
Instagram:
@annavalbirdgal