Mike Valentino

Bird Conservation Intern

Mike Valentino holds a bird in hand (photo: Mike Valentino)Mike grew up in Syracuse, New York, and has had a variety of experiences working with birds — most recently as a licensed apprentice falconer for an abatement company in Southern California. His curiosity and passion for raptors, however, began at a young age volunteering and eventually working with the Syracuse Zoo as a “bird-keeper.”

Mike is currently pursuing an MS in Conservation Biology at Antioch University New England, and hopes to work as an environmental consultant and GIS professional. In his free time, he enjoys hiking mountains and rock climbing.

During his internship with the Harris Center, Mike will be assisting with a variety of bird research initiatives, including the installation and monitoring of American Kestrel nest boxes, Northern Goshawk monitoring, and Broad-winged Hawk monitoring. He will also be creating a suitability model map for Northern Goshawks using GIS.