Robyn Bailey

I manage the research, education, and communication initiatives for NestWatch, the Cornell Lab’s citizen-science project focused on nesting birds. The Cornell Lab has been monitoring nesting birds’ reproductive success since the 1960s, and this long-term database is the nation’s richest source of information on avian reproductive biology. A large focal area of the project is nest boxes, and how best to provide them and support the birds which use them.

Through NestWatch, my research and writing focus on small things we can all do to help birds every day. I am interested in nesting as the basic mechanism by which birds can sustain their populations. My interests also include habitat management, historical data, and mentoring students.

My inspiration comes from helping others find an emotional and intellectual connection to nature. I find baby birds to be a very relatable way to do that. I also find the aesthetics and engineering of nests and eggs to be astonishing.