Jacob Kotz

Growing up in Tucson near the base of the Catalina Mountains provided Jacob with all the ingredients needed to fall in love with natural spaces and the animals that inhabit them. As soon as he could drive, he would spend innumerable weekend days and afternoons after school exploring Sabino Canyon and Mt. Lemmon with his closest friends. After graduating from the University of Arizona, Jacob moved to Austin, Texas for a few years where he enjoyed city life, live music, recording his own original music, and exploring the swimming holes along the green belt. 

One day during a visit back in Tucson, in the backyard of his childhood home, his birding journey began. Armed with a pair of his late father's binoculars, he witnessed the first flights of some adolescent Gila Woodpeckers from their nest in an old saguaro. From that moment on he was hooked on birding. For several years, Jacob, his wonderful partner Anya, and their dog named Poodle (who is not a Poodle, but don’t tell her that) lived out of an old van exploring the national forests and parks of the American West, identifying unfamiliar bird species on countless hikes. They spent a large portion of their years on the road in the Northwest where they learned to forage edible mushrooms and berries and identify a great deal of the flora and fauna. During that time Jacob developed a deep interest in the natural history of the region. The green spaces, rivers, and lakes kept them coming back, but they would always return to Tucson to see family and enjoy the mild winters. 

While the Northwest is still very special to Jacob, he recently moved back to Tucson after a visit where he fell in love with the town and the Sonoran Desert all over again. The people, the food, the mountains, and of course the birds called him home to build a life where it all started. In his free time Jacob still enjoys playing music, catching a local band, bird watching, hiking, climbing, and camping. He joined WINGS in March 2025, and is excited to help people with their dream birding vacations!