Anna Connington
Picture Description: Anna holding an adult male Swainson's Hawk (Buteo swainsoni, Spanish: Busardo chapulinero), both her favorite bird and her spark bird.
*bird handled under proper federal and local permits with appropriate training
About
Anna is a a mixed media, wildlife, and science illustrator. Beginning during her undergraduate degree, she has enjoyed volunteering and working with wildlife through songbird banding, nest monitoring, and more. Her passion for wildlife drives much of her creative process and has empowered her to focus on art as a tool for public education and outreach,
She has completed a Bachelor's of Science degree in Biology (Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Emphasis) at Boise State University. Currently, she is a candidate for a Masters in Science of Raptor Biology at Boise State University studying the relationship between birds and wind energy facilities in southern Spain.
Learn more about me in my CV below.
Experience
JAN 2023 - JAN 2025
Lab Technician
USGS Forest Rangeland and Ecosystem Science Center
Boise, Idaho, USA
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Mentored new lab technicians and trained them in specific lab protocol and practices
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Sample tissue and bone on > 800 bird & bat carcasses of > 100 species
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Experience working in BSL2 setting
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Identified thousands of carcasses to species, ages, and sexes
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Collected and managed large datasets in Excel and Access
JUL - OCT 2023 and 2025
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Collaborated with Spanish organization, Fundacion Migres, to collect migratory count and banding data
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Performed carcass detection trials
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Trained peers in animal handling both in English and Spanish
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Banded, aged, and sexed native songbirds/raptors and handled over 200 Black Kites for standardized reference photographs
AUG - DEC 2021
Peregrine Fund Intern
Peregrine Fund's Global Raptor Impact Network
Boise, Idaho, USA
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Performed meticulous and repetitive tasks to collect data and species counts from camera trap footage
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Identified a variety of southwestern avian and mammalian species from sometimes poor-quality photographs
Education
AUG 2024 - PRESENT
Candidate Master of Science in Raptor Biology
Boise State University
AUG 2020 - DEC 2023
Bachelor of Science in Biology (Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Emphasis)
Boise State University
Publications
Connington, A.L. et al. 2024. Expanded dataset of measurements to be used in evaluating consequences for flight control and stability induced by attachment of bio-logging devices to birds and bats: U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/P13SIMMI.
Graphical Abstract in Thomason E. C. et al. 2023. Illegal shooting is now a leading cause of death of birds along power lines in the western USA. iScience, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2023.107274.
Figure 3 in Katzner, T.E. et al. 2024, Lead poisoning of raptors: state of the science and cross-discipline mitigation options for a global problem. Biol Rev, 99:1672-1699, https://doi.org/10.1111/brv.13087.
Illustrations in Chapters 1 & 2 in Kane, T.R. et al. 2021. Honey Bee Medicine for the Veterinary Practitioner. Wiley.
Author and Illustrator of Connington, A.L. 2022. Wilma on the Wing (A. Connington, Illus.)