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Jake Mohlmann

Jake Mohlmann holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Parks and Recreation Management from The Pennsylvania State University, where he was instrumental in forming the university’s first official Student Bird Club.

Raised in rural northeast Pennsylvania, Jake is a lifelong birdwatcher and conservationist. He has worked for New York City’s Museum of Natural History and for Pittsburgh’s Carnegie Museum of Science, and made significant contributions to the field work for the most recent edition of the Pennsylvania Breeding Bird Atlas. But a summer in Portal, Arizona, convinced Jake that the Southwest was where he needed to be.

After graduating in 2005, Jake, assured of an hourly job with the University of Arizona, packed up his car and hit the road for Tucson. Since then he has worked on projects involving Burrowing Owls at the Salton Sea and counted secretive marsh birds in the lower Colorado River basin. He also spent a summer leading tours on St. Paul Island, isolated in the middle of the Bering Sea, and has worked on the identification and monitoring of endangered species in South Texas.  He has recently spent much time in the Mojave Desert working with the highly endangered Mojave Desert Tortoise and Golden Eagle.

It was on St. Paul that Jake lived a birder’s dream, with the first Western Hemisphere record of Northern Boobook—subject of a subsequent cover photo and article in North American Birds in 2007.

Jake and his college friend John Yerger are the founders of Adventure Birding, for which Jake led tours to destinations from Alaska to southern Mexico while specializing in southeastern Arizona. His voluminous knowledge of ornithology and natural history is enhanced by attention to detail and meticulous planning, along with a genuine gift for sharing and interpreting observations afield.

Still taken with the American Southwest, Jake also enjoys traveling in, and leading tours around, South America.

Upcoming Tours with Jake

Testimonials for Jake

Jake is an exceptional guide. He has an uncanny ability to find birds by eye and ear, like a magician pulling a rabbit out of a hat. More often than not, he’d find what he was looking for within minutes of arriving at a site. Plus, he’s got a great personality, is always smiling, and is a good conversationalist when you’re riding shotgun in the van. He made sure everyone got eyes on the birds we were seeking and got the scope on it right away so everyone could get a better look. A phenomenal birder and a great guy!

- Rick R. on Texas: The Rio Grande Valley in Winter

Jake really knows the birds, their behavior, their habitat and where to find them. He is outstanding, and patient, making sure everyone gets to have a good look at each and every bird. Jake knows birds through long personal experience, and helps us begin to do the same. Jake also knows a lot about the unique geology of the places we traveled, and helped us to appreciate it.

- Maureen L. on Arizona and Utah

Jake is the most wonderful, terrific, and fantastic bird guide. As always, he made sure we were all comfortable, safe, and seeing the birds we wanted. Jake makes seeing birds fun.

- Peggy C. on Texas: The Rio Grande Valley in Winter

Jake has all the attributes of an excellent leader. His bird finding skills are exceptional. He remains on top of all his responsibilities (the smooth functioning of transportation, accommodations, meals and so on). He manages to, quite effortlessly, stay attuned to the highly differing personalities, needs and expectations of all the clients. He is tireless in his role, endlessly positive and has a wonderful sense of humour. I felt very privileged to have been part of his tour.

- Harry S. on Argentina: The South

Oh wow! What wonderful pair of tour leaders! Jake and Mario made the tour outstanding. They had a great rapport with each other and their collaboration made the tour flow smoothly and made “getting on the bird” quick with great looks. 

Mario’s language skills and relationship with the local guides were indispensable for the tour. His birding skills and knowledge were superb, and I very much enjoyed his personality and humor. Mario makes me want to take the Argentina: The North tour. 

Jake is a World Class birding guide. He was so very passionate about making sure everyone got good looks at the bird, and would spend a great deal of effort to educate us on the bird’s identification and life history. His guiding has made me a better birder. Jake is a joy to spend time with in the field, in the bus, and at the diner table. He is intelligent, generous, outgoing, humorous and the best you could ask for in a tour guide. I very much look forward to taking more trips with Jake. 

- Bridget D. on Argentina: The South