Quinn McMahon is a lifelong birder and avian field ecologist specializing in the bird communities and habitats of the Pacific Northwest. Raised in the Puget Sound area, he began birding sometime between the ages of five and ten after his father gave him a small book on North American raptors. That early gift set him on a path that would lead through years of mentorship, formal study, and fieldwork across the Pacific Northwest and the Sierra Nevada. Quinn’s greatest joy is sharing knowledge about birds, their behavior, and the mysteries that continue to captivate scientists and birders alike.
Quinn’s professional career began in 2014 with a study of breeding behavior in Merlins within urban habitats. That work sharpened his ability to notice subtle field marks and behavioral cues. He later joined the Institute for Bird Populations, where he solidified his ear-based identification skills and spent five summers training and leading survey crews in the remote wilderness of the Cascades, Olympics, and Sierra Nevada. During the off-season, he continued to refine his skills by birding regularly and by verifying audio recordings of bird songs for IBP. He also worked as a biologist on commercial fishing vessels in the Bering Sea, where he developed a deep appreciation for the extreme lives and remarkable diversity of pelagic birds.
Quinn discovered a passion for teaching bird identification through this work and is always happy to share tips, techniques, and his memorable mnemonic interpretations of regional songbirds. As a guide, his goal is to create an enriching experience tailored to each birder’s interests. Whether you have specific targets, long-term goals, or simply want to explore and learn, Quinn welcomes that information and uses it to craft a fulfilling outing. His enthusiasm is infectious, and he delights in helping others tap into the endless excitement that birding can offer.
