GATLINBURG – Let professional birding guide Keith Watson take you under his wing as he presents “Birds of the Smokies” at Science at Sugarlands, Discover Life in America’s (DLiA) virtual Smokies-themed speaker series.

This Friday, July 16, listen to Watson, a former biologist with the National Park Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, share about the fascinating bird species reported in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

With over 35 years of national birding experience, Watson has worked to advance bird conservation through the development of an Avian Conservation Implementation Plan for each national park unit in the South East region.

“We are so excited to have Keith as a presenter for one of our Science at Sugarlands events,” begins Todd Witcher, executive director of DLiA. “He has traveled globally studying our avian friends, and his extensive knowledge of our Smokies bird fauna is fascinating to listen to.”

Science at Sugarlands talks will be held on Zoom, increasing its accessibility to interested participants worldwide. DLiA will be hosting presentations on the third Friday of each month from July to October from 1-3 p.m. EST.

Other topics and dates are as follows:

• August 20 – Water bears of the Smokies, presented by Paul Bartels, Warren Wilson College

• September 17 – Elk of the Smokies, presented by Joseph Yarkovich, GSMNP

• October 15 – The Smokies Herbarium, presented by Janie Bitner, volunteer in the GSMNP Natural History Collection

All talks are free. To register to receive a Zoom link and find more information visit dlia.org/sas/.