Jack Smith
Outstanding Speaker Series
March 20, 2027
Carlisle Reservation
3:00 pm-5:00 pm
Dr. Kaeli Swift
"Something to Crow About"
Corvids are everywhere: they are found on nearly every continent, and many species thrive in human dominated environments. They have influenced art and literature throughout history, and whether they inspire love or hate, they have certainly impacted the hearts and minds of the humans who share their space. But being common isn’t enough to earn this level of connection. So, what is it about corvids that positions them to take such a prominent role in culture and story-telling traditions? And how does that relationship impact the birds themselves? Join Dr. Kaeli Swift as she explores the unique features of corvids that make them so appealing to watch and study, answers why they do (some of!) the things they do, and how human attention towards these birds has shaped their own ecology and culture.
Sponsored by the Lorain County Metro Parks
About the Jack Smith
Outstanding Speaker Series
The Black River Audubon Society was founded in 1958 through the influence of Jack Smith. This annual event honors his lasting contributions to the organization. Each year, a nationally recognized speaker headlines the program. A social hour with refreshments will follow the program. This event open to the public and free to members of Black River Audubon.
Previous Outstanding Speakers
April 27, 2013 – Al Batt, Stories by Al Batt, Naturally (birding humor)
April 5, 2014 – Jim McCormac, Wild Ohio
March 21, 2015 – Joy Kiser, America’s Other Audubon: Genevieve Estelle Jones
April 11, 2015 – Dave Horn, A Forty Year Survey of Birds in Northwestern Hocking, County, Ohio
April 9, 2016 – Paul J. Baicich, The Dozen Most Important You Can Do for Bird Conservation
April 1, 2017 – Brian Fox, Adventures with Audubon
April 25, 2017 – Dr. Bernie Master, Special Event in collaboration with Firelands Audubon
November 18, 2017 – Sharon “Birdchick” Stiteler, Today’s Office (entertaining birding tales)
November 10, 2018 – Julie Zickefoose, Baby Birds, Combined Outstanding Speaker with BRAS 60th Anniversary Celebration
2020- Event Cancelled
2021- Event Cancelled
April 23, 2022 – Jamie Cunningham, The Secret Life of Warblers & Jim McCormac, Conservation Photography: Connecting the Masses with Nature
March 25, 2023 — Scott Weidensaul, A World on the Wing: The Global Odyssey of Migratory Birds
March 23, 2024— Jen Brumfeld, The Presence (and Presents) of Birds — a lifetime of chasing wings
March 29, 2025— Steve Shunk, How Woodpeckers Can Save the World
March 28, 2026— William Rapai, The Kirtland’s Warbler: From the brink of extinction to a new model for endangered species conservation
March 20, 2027— Dr. Kaeli Swift, Something to Crow About
Tickets
Tickets are available March 1, 2027
There is no cost for members, but due to limited seating, you must get a ticket.
The cost for non-members is $10.
About Dr. Kaeli Swift:
Dr. Swift earned her PhD in avian behavioral ecology from the University of Washington. While there, she studied American crows, with a special emphasis on behaviors around death. She is currently a research scientist at the University of Washington, where her work has taken her to the remote Pacific island of Tinian. For the past five years, she has lived and worked on Tinian where she studies rare forest birds. You can read her popular science articles on her blog, corvidresearch.blog. You can also find her on Instagram and TikTok at the @corvidresearch handle. Video, audio, and print reports of her research have been featured by: National Geographic, PBS, the New York Times, The Atlantic, and the Ologies podcast.