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Ethan Kistler

Ethan Kistler hails from Ohio and began birding at the age of 10 when he literally woke up one morning and decided that he wanted to become a birder. Since then he’s worked field jobs from Ohio to Alaska, traveled to over 50 countries, and led birding trips throughout North America, Europe, and Africa (where he lived for 7 years). When not leading tours, he’s chasing rarities, off on spontaneous birding jaunts, and reviewing data as one of eBird’s data reviewers for much of the African continent. He currently sits on the board as a director-at-large for the Ohio Ornithological Society. Ethan’s main focus now is guiding and filling in gaps between tours with ornithology-related field work. Ethan has recently written the ABA's Field Guide to Birds of Ohio, published in 2019.

Upcoming Tours with Ethan

Testimonials for Ethan

Ethan worked tirelessly to find target birds and point out any others to support birders of all skill levels. He kept us informed of what to expect, helped us see and ID the birds. He also provided background on migration behaviors and habits of various species that broadened our understanding of the lives of these birds. Ethan is extremely knowledgeable and amazingly skilled at finding and IDing birds both visually and by sound. His skills brought us closer to more species than we would ourselves and greatly enriched our awareness of the birds and environment around us. It was a pleasure.

- Richard A. on Spring Migration in the Midwest

Ethan worked around the clock to maximize our chances to see our many target birds. He is superb at quickly getting us on the birds. His knowledge of South African birds is nonparallel.

- Gina S. on South Africa: The East

The tour was great and Ethan was a fantastic guide. The scenery and birds were both awesome! This tour takes you through a variety of landscapes that amaze at every turn.

- Amanda B. on Morocco in Spring

I was so impressed at how well Ethan managed personalities, different skill levels...And of course, how knowledgeable about the birds and the area in general he is, and how patient, kind and how understandable his explanation of field marks and habitat clues.

- Carol L. on Northwest Ohio: Spring Migration

Ethan did a great job finding us birds under challenging weather conditions, and his knowledge of the local area was encyclopedic. He was always optimistic and professional. He was also a safe driver!

- Participant on Northwest Ohio: Spring Migration