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Executive Director | Research Director | Education Director
Gregory Kaltenecker
Executive Director

Greg Kaltenecker received his B.S. in 1989 and his M.S. in Raptor Biology in 1997, both from Boise State University. He co-founded the Idaho Bird Observatory in 1993 with his major professor, Dr. Marc Bechard. The Idaho Bird Observatory was created when Kaltenecker and colleagues discovered that the Boise Ridge is a significant raptor migration concentration point and landbird stopover site. They decided that a long-term study of bird migration was in order, and created a unique research program intimately connected to Boise State University to accomplish this goal. One of Greg’s objectives was to provide an exciting and real-life research and training opportunity for Boise State students while conducting long-term research.

Greg’s research passion is bird migration, and his lifelong pursuit is to educate the public about birds, science, and conservation. He believes that a strong public community presence is critical to being an effective scientist and the easiest way to accomplish conservation is through active public engagement.

In his spare time, Greg can be found enjoying the public lands of Idaho while fishing, hunting, and hiking. He is quite the brewing connoisseur and enjoys tasting the fruits of his labor. In the last few years, Greg has been infected with the saltwater fly fishing bug, not an easy task living in Idaho. Nonetheless, Greg, Deniz, and their daughter, Ayla, vacation to the salt as much as possible to pursue this passion.