I grew up in a working class suburb of Chicago and loved birds for as long as I can remember. I loved my neighborhood pigeons and sparrows, learned to whistle to my backyard cardinal, and was thrilled the one time I spied a Blue Jay when we were visiting Wisconsin. All I talked about or thought about was birds. Before I even started elementary school, I memorized the entire encyclopedia article about them.

None of my relatives and none of my friends’ parents had gone to college. I was lucky to be given a scholarship so I could be the first in my family to go, but even then I really didn’t understand all the opportunities that the University of Illinois offered. I majored in education because the only women I knew who had ever gone to college were my teachers. It never occurred to me that I could take classes in the science of birds, much less major in it.

It wasn’t until after I was married that I received as a Christmas gift binoculars and a field guide. Instantly I was hooked. I became an avid birder, and quickly became involved in our local and state Audubon chapters and a member of the Lab of Ornithology. I took ornithology courses and joined the scientific organizations that professional ornithologists belong to. As a teacher, I worked in units about birds with every class, and started writing about birds for a local newspaper. Now I’ve written award-winning books about birds and am the editor of BirdScope. I never dreamed about doing all that as a little girl!

I wish I’d understood all the things college had to offer while I was still college-aged. Everyone at the university seemed so smart that I was afraid to expose my ignorance by asking questions. It wasn’t until I started going on birding field trips that my excitement and interest helped me overcome my fear of looking stupid. The most important things I’ve learned since I was a child are to never be scared of asking questions, and to pay close attention to the natural world. When I went back to a high school reunion, several people asked me if I still loved birds. Back when I was in high school, I’d been embarrassed to be so in love with something no one else seemed to care about, but as it turns out, the other kids thought it was really cool for a girl to be so interested in something like that.

Even without majoring in ornithology, I've had a much richer life thanks to birds. Studying and simply enjoying them is endlessly rewarding to my mind, heart, spirit, and soul.

Laura Erickson, Science Editor Cornell Lab of Ornithology