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Gavin Bieber

Gavin Bieber was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He developed a very early interest in birds, fish, amphibians and reptiles and has steadily pursued these interests while growing up in British Columbia, Virginia Beach, Great Britain and Denmark. Gavin graduated from the University of Victoria with a degree in Biology and a minor in Environmental Studies. He studied for a year at the University of Southern Mississippi where he collaborated with their Migratory Bird Study Group. While still in university he taught waterfowl, shorebird and passerine identification workshops for the Victoria Natural History Society and led field trips for the university’s ornithology classes. Since graduating, Gavin has worked as a field assistant on a variety of ornithological research projects including studies of the wintering ecology of Henslow’s Sparrow, the breeding biology of the Interior Least Tern, the stopover ecology of Swainson’s Thrush and Gray Catbird and a population fitness study of auklets. In addition he conducted point counts for the National Park Service in Arizona and New Mexico and assisted in setting up a riparian bird survey for the University of Arizona. From 2002 onwards he has maintained a long-term interest in the avifauna of the Pribilof Islands, AK, spending a cumulative two years living on Saint Paul Island. He has also traveled extensively through much of Western Europe, parts of Africa and South America, Thailand, the Philippines, New Guinea and Australia. Gavin enjoys sharing his knowledge and enthusiasm of the natural world with others, and welcomes the chance to share his love of the natural world with new people.

Moving to Tucson in 2000 he become involved in the environmental community, serving as a board member for the Tucson Audubon Society, and on the Arizona Bird Committee from 2007-2010. He currently lives in Vienna, Austria, with his wife Celina, his son Roland, and a loveable Labradoodle. 

Upcoming Tours with Gavin

Testimonials for Gavin

This was a fantastic trip. The countryside is stunning and diverse. The birds bright and colorful, exotic and unusual. The frogmouths were something to behold. We must have spent an hour or more watching Golden Bowerbird mating dances. O'Reilly's really lives up to its hype and you too can have a Crimson Rosella sit on top on your head like Gavin's picture under the individual leader's description. I thoroughly enjoyed a whole day at the Great Barrier Reef, the long walks deep into the forest, the watch for a platypus sighting, the thrill of finally seeing the Cassowary, and luck of seeing the supposedly extremely shy Stripe Possum not being shy at all. At the end of the trip, you didn't want it to end. You were spoiled, you wanted Gavin and Susan to give you one more fantastic day of birding. 

- Tanya H. on Australia: Queensland and New South Wales

Gavin was an excellent leader. We had some weather challenges but he worked around these very effectively. He is clearly very knowledgeable but treated tour participants with respect, good humor and great patience. All in all, a great experience.

- Anne M. on Australia: Southwestern Australia & Northern Queensland

We have birded with Gavin in the past and it is one of the reason we went on this tour. He not only is excellent at finding and identifying birds but other animals as well. Gavin also is very good at gauging his audience and setting the pace to accommodate them. We were fortunate to locate a number of species we did not expect to see. Gavin always does a great job of finding excellent restaurants and local establishments to make the tour truly unique.

- Terry M. on Florida: The South, the Keys and the Dry Tortugas

Gavin is an outstanding leader. Birding with him is a continuous learning experience. He's constantly talking about birds, their relationships and environmental requirements, etc., plus local history, geology, agriculture, and so much more. There is never a dull moment when traveling with Gavin.

- Jim W on Panama: Spring at the Canopy Tower

This was an excellent trip, relatively relaxed because of staying mostly just in two places, and the birding and guides were outstanding. Gavin was well organized, excellent at keeping us informed about what to expect on the schedule, and extremely knowledgeable on a number of natural history subjects, especially birds of course. He was an excellent bird spotter and provided great directions to get on the bird. He had lots of interesting and amusing tidbits to share, on various subjects. We have been on a number of birding tours but I would have to say that Gavin was the best leader that we have ever had. I really enjoyed him. 

- Wille D. on Panama: Spring at the Canopy Tower