Hilary Allen

Avian Ecologist

As an avian ecologist for Point Blue Conservation Science, my work is focused on training banding and nest searching (“gridding”) interns out at the Palomarin Field Station, as well as working on various landbird projects throughout Marin. In the fall and winter I also split my time working with the Rangeland Monitoring Network assisting in data management, and surveying for Ridgway’s Rails with the San Francisco Bay Program.

I grew up in northern California where I spent my childhood exploring foggy forests and beaches alongside my sisters and from the back of my horse. It was these experiences that nurtured my fascination with the natural world and drove me to pursue a career in ecology. After receiving my degree in Environmental Studies from UC Santa Cruz, I spent a couple of years bouncing between agroecology jobs in California and fishing boats and cannery work in Alaska. In 2014 I joined Point Blue as a nest searching intern at the Palomarin Field Station where I discovered the magic of Wrentits. Watching these charismatic little birds reminds me of the important role that intimate interactions with nature can play in connecting people to conservation efforts, and it continues to fuel my passion for teaching and sharing natural history with scientists and non-scientists alike.

When I am not out in the field marinating in poison oak or combing through data at the Palomarin Field Station, you can find me at home in Bolinas wandering the neighborhood, fields, and beaches with my dog and horse.

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