Natalia Garcia

I discovered my passion for birds as an undergrad at the University of Buenos Aires, where an internship at the Argentinian Museum of Natural Science sparked deep questions about avian biology and evolution that shaped me into a data-driven scientist. I received my Ph.D. focusing on song and plumage variation in buntings and grosbeaks, blending molecular approaches with fieldwork to explore bird behavior, evolution, and systematics. After my Ph.D., I came to the Cornell Lab to compare genomes of nearly identical Empidonax flycatcher species, identifying genes potentially related to vocal differences. I then worked as a researcher for Argentina’s CONICET before returning to Cornell as a postdoctoral associate on the Birds of the World (BOW) project. My current research focuses on transforming BOW’s vast life history information from text into machine-readable datasets. I’m working to make this incredible resource more accessible and user-friendly for research and conservation by creating downloadable datasets that empower partners to drive conservation action. With rapidly declining bird populations, this effort to accelerate the pace of ornithological science feels both timely and essential.