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ADV - Webinar - Sparrows: Identifying & Appreciating the Underappreciated
Webinar - Sparrows: Identifying & Appreciating the Underappreciated website
OnlineZoom, MN 0
While working on her master's thesis in Arkansas in 2017, Alyssa was blessed with a boom winter for LeConte's Sparrow. This is a stunning but secretive species that is declining precipitously due to loss of prairie habitat. Alyssa's passion for identifying these under-appreciated songbirds grew immensely that year. Today, she is thrilled to share some pointers on how to find and identify 20 Minnesotan residents of Family Passerellidae.
Alyssa DeRubeis lives and grew up in Golden Valley, Minnesota in the 90's, where wildlife in suburban oak groves and swamps kept her entertained as a child. In 2013, Alyssa obtained a Bachelor’s in wildlife ecology from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. For her Master of Science degree in 2019, she studied nesting and non-breeding birds in remnant and restored tallgrass prairies at the University of Arkansas. Alyssa has worked in far-flung places like Alaska, Alberta, Texas, and Quebec. You can find her conducting bird surveys, nest-searching, bird banding, and leading birding tours.
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Course Dates:
Meeting from 6:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. on:
- Monday, March 30, 2026
Instructor Information
Kacey is an Extension Educator with Minnesota Master Naturalist. Originally from the Chicago area, she began her Naturalist path in 2007 as a teen wildlife rehabilitation and animal rescue volunteer. From there, she pursued degrees in Wildlife Ecology and Biology at UW-Stevens Point. She has worked as an environmental educator at the Forest Preserve Districts of DuPage and Lake counties in Chicagoland, the Saint Louis Zoo, and Brookfield Zoo. She has also volunteered at museums, including the Milwaukee Public Museum and the Field Museum in Chicago. After receiving her Master's in Biological Teaching from Miami University in Ohio, she transitioned to program and curriculum management at Riveredge Nature Center in Saukville, WI, and at Evanston Ecology Center. With 10 years of experience in program coordination and over 15 years in the environmental field, Kacey is passionate about connecting people to the natural world around them. She particularly likes the less-loved taxa such as amphibians and reptiles, fungi, and non-dino fossils.
Sponsor Information
Minnesota Master Naturalist
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