Keel-billed Toucan

Luke Seitz’s birding career took off when a brilliant male Scarlet Tanager graced his Connecticut yard when he was only six years old. Birds then became an all-encompassing focus and he hasn’t looked back since. Luke graduated from Cornell University in 2016 with a degree in philosophy, although much of his time there was spent painting birds and working at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.  

Luke’s interest in Neotropical birding started at age 14 with a week-long stint in northwest Ecuador. Since then, he hasn’t been capable of staying home for very long. He has spent substantial time exploring the nooks and crannies of the Andes and Amazon, enjoying brilliant hummingbirds and tanagers but also the subtleties of tyrannulets and ovenbirds. More recently, Luke has continued expanding his interest in global birding with expeditions to Australia, China, Southeast Asia, and Ethiopia, although South America will always hold a special place in his heart.

One of Luke’s strongest bird-related interests is illustration. He started doodling at a young age, which gradually progressed into more detailed scientific artwork. Especially enthralling is the challenge of sketching birds in the field. His illustrations have been used in many publications including “Birding” and “Birder’s Guide” magazines, and as logos for the World Series of Birding and eBird’s Global Big Day initiative. He also drew the birds that grace our tour document binders when we send out tour materials. Luke currently serves as a member on the Maine Bird Records Committee. In addition to birds, he has a keen interest in gymnastics, dry riesling, and the music of Bruce Springsteen.

Updated: June 2022

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