James A. Kushlan is a writer, biologist, educator, and conservationist. His professional positions included director of Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, senior science advisor U.S. Geological Survey, research associate at the Smithsonian Institution, professor at the University of Mississippi and Texas A&M-Commerce, and wildlife biologist with the U.S. National Park Service.
He has had 15 books published, most recently: Recovering Caribbean Nature; Everglades National Park; Seeking the American Tropics: South Florida’s Early Naturalists; Dry Tortugas National Park; Biscayne National Park; and Attracting Birds to South Florida Gardens. He edited the journals Waterbirds and Florida Field Naturalist, and was founding editor of The Journal of Heron Biology and Conservation. He also has written over 270 technical papers and articles.
He is recognized as a biologist, ornithologist, and naturalist having served as president of the American Ornithologists’ Union (now American Ornithological Society) and Waterbird Society. He is the founder and past chair of HeronConservation (the IUCN Heron Specialist Group), the North American Waterbird Conservation Initiative and Waterbird Conservation for the Americas, Bahamas Environment Fund, and Bird Conservation Alliance. He also served as chair of the Zoo Miami Foundation and president of Biscayne Nature Center.
He has served on numerous professional and civic boards and committees. Currently he is a board director of the Everglades Foundation, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, and Archbold Biological Station and on advisory committees to BirdLife International and University of Miami College of Arts and Sciences. Other previous board service includes American Bird Conservancy, American Ornithologists’ Union, Biscayne Nature Center, Friends of the Everglades, Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, HistoryMiami Museum, John Cabot University, North American Bird Conservation Initiative, Waterbird Society, Wetlands International, and Zoo Miami Foundation.
He holds a PhD from the University of Miami and has been awarded two honorary doctorates and the life-time achievement award in conservation from the Waterbird Society. He lives in Coconut Grove, Florida, and Annapolis, Maryland.
Professional Biography
Curriculum Vitae
Photographs
