Natasza began her birding journey before she even knew what birding was. She is an avian researcher, sound recordist, and scientific illustrator. She holds a Master of Science in Biological Sciences from Florida State University, where her thesis focused on avian habitat associations.
As a researcher, Natasza has worked in a wide range of environments, including pine and deciduous forests, coastal dunes, intertidal salt marshes, freshwater wetlands, and desert habitats. Her experience includes studying Northern Mockingbird vocalizations in New York; cryptic wintering grassland species in New Mexico; grassland birds and waterfowl in Colorado; and shorebirds and seabirds in South Carolina and the Florida Panhandle.
As an avid sound recordist, some of Natasza’s recordings are featured on the Merlin ID app. In 2024, she discovered a previously undocumented hybrid—identified by sound—between an Inca Dove and a Common Ground-Dove. Birding by ear is her intuitive, go-to approach, and she enjoys teaching others how to identify birds by both sound and sight. She especially loves the excitement of migration birding and the challenge of finding and chasing rarities.
As an illustrator and writer, she was the American Birding Association’s Bird of the Year artist, creating the cover illustration for the January 2024 issue of Birding magazine, featuring the Golden-winged Warbler. She is also a regular contributor to Birding, where she enjoys sharing her latest birding experiences.
Natasza strives to understand each birder’s goals and guides with patience and care. She enjoys working with birders of all experience levels, and her enthusiasm for a great day in the field is truly infectious.
