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WINGS Tour Leaders – Mandy Talpas

Mandy Talpas

Image of Mandy Talpas

As a tremendous lover of birds and wildlife Mandy Talpas has dedicated her life to avian conservation. From the time she was a young girl in northeastern Pennsylvania, she collected natural history observations in her backyard, volunteered at a wildlife rehabilitation and education center, and rescued many unwanted pet parrots. Mandy earned a Bachelor’s of Science in Environmental Studies from East Stroudsburg University and began conducting countless environmental education programs as a Naturalist, a Lead Conservation Educator at an AZA accredited zoo, and a Bird Banding and Education Specialist at the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center and Hawk Mountain Sanctuary. She continued to broaden her scientific studies and field skills with the Ornithology Lab at Villanova University pursuing graduate school. Her passion for parrots led her to the remote forests of Manu, Peru, where she worked to save endangered macaws, as well as studying tropical ecology in Costa Rica, Mexico, Belize and Guatemala. Mandy is grateful to have made Hawaii her permanent home. She has conducted biological assessments on Kauai and Oahu, worked as an avian field technician, assisting endangered forest bird conservation efforts with Oahu Elepaio and continues to volunteer with local non-profits working to save Hawaii’s endangered forest birds and seabirds across the islands. Mandy has led hiking, history, nature, sightseeing, food, nature and birding tours for other companies for years and is thrilled to have started her own business leading birding tours full time in Hawaii with seasonal birding trips abroad. She is eager to share her knowledge and enthusiasm of Hawaii’s culture, history, wildlife, and most especially, its unique and fascinating birds.

Tours

Updated: May 2020