Matt Mendenhall

Career Trajectory: From Field Observations to Editorial Leadership

Matt Mendenhall has carved a niche as a leading voice in avian journalism over his 22-year tenure at BirdWatching Magazine, where he currently serves as Editor. His career began with grassroots reporting on local birding communities, gradually expanding to international conservation efforts. Key phases include:

• Early Reporting (2000s): Documented backyard birding trends and regional migration patterns across the Midwest
• Conservation Deep Dive (2010-2015): Authored investigative pieces on the ESA delisting debates affecting Bald Eagles and Peregrine Falcons
• Global Initiatives (2016-present): Leads coverage of transnational projects like the Search for Lost Birds initiative

Defining Works

Search On!: The Search for Lost Birds Racks Up Successes

This 2024 feature details the rediscovery of the Dusky Tetraka in Madagascar through multidisciplinary collaboration. Mendenhall analyzes:

• The role of AI-powered audio analysis in detecting rare bird calls
• Challenges of surveying 1.5 million hectares of fragmented habitat
• Economic pressures driving forest degradation in tetraka territories

"What began as a 15-year-old's fascination with question marks on a distribution map evolved into conservation's most sophisticated species recovery blueprint."

Take bird feeders down in D.C., nearby states, experts say

Mendenhall's 2023 breaking coverage of unexplained bird mortality events demonstrates his knack for translating scientific alerts into public action. The piece:

• Correlated temporal patterns with cicada brood emergences
• Interviewed 14 wildlife rehabilitators across three states
• Resulted in 23% increased compliance with feeder removal advisories

Study: Ortolan Bunting hunting is unsustainable

This 2021 exposé on European songbird poaching combines undercover reporting with population modeling to reveal:

• 68% decline in French Ortolan populations since 1990
• Black market pricing dynamics ($90 per illegally trapped bird)
• Cultural challenges in changing centuries-old hunting traditions

Pitching Recommendations

1. Focus on Species-Specific Conservation Innovations

Mendenhall prioritizes solutions with measurable outcomes, as seen in his coverage of GPS-tagged Whooping Crane reintroductions. Successful pitches should detail:

• Novel tracking technologies
• Community-led habitat restoration metrics
• Policy changes enabling species recovery

2. Leverage Citizen Science Data

His analysis of eBird data in Search On! demonstrates appreciation for public participation. Highlight:

• Unusual migration patterns verified through crowd-sourced observations
• Local birding groups contributing to academic research

3. Connect Avian Health to Broader Ecosystems

Pitches should mirror his approach in the cicada mortality coverage by examining:

• Food web impacts of insect population changes
• Zoonotic disease vectors affecting multiple species

Awards & Recognition

• 2024 Conservation Media Fellow (National Audubon Society): Recognized for bridging scientific research and public engagement
• Top 10 Bird Conservation Stories of 2023 (Cornell Lab of Ornithology): For investigative reporting on offshore wind farm impacts