Talking science at the Kellogg Bird Sanctuary with Ezra Montero

Ezra Montero joined the W.K. Kellogg Biological Station this summer as the 2022 visitor experience intern for the Kellogg Bird Sanctuary. He is going into his fourth year of environmental plant biology, a degree he hopes he can translate into jobs with places like parks services and nature centers. 

Alongside his internship, Ezra took the ecology lab course here at KBS, but most of his time was spent on his internship at the Sanctuary. He helped with office work and cashiering, all while helping design and run the Sanctuary’s educational programs. 

When asked why his work at KBS is important, Ezra explained, “Science education is a critical, often-overlooked aspect of science. Science education is often viewed as a backup option, the kind of thing that researchers fall back on as a second choice. I believe good science education is critical, especially in a world so filled with scientific misinformation.”

Ezra decided to work at KBS when he saw the Bird Sanctuary list a summer activity that featured frog education led by a naturalist—and he was utterly determined to be that naturalist.

Teaching and being taught

One of the most important thing Ezra learned at KBS is that young children are far more intelligent than one might expect. He realized this through his involvement with Wild Wednesdays, a biweekly summer event that children can attend at the Sanctuary to learn about different plants and animals. 

When Ezra wasn’t in class or working at the Bird Sanctuary, he enjoyed painting in his apartment or sitting in his favorite place at KBS, the small cement structure directly behind the windmill at Windmill Island. There are upwards of 16 turtles that bask right there, and it’s a perfect spot to sit quietly and watch the pond. One of Ezra’s other favorite KBS experiences has been going into the swamp with waders for his ecology lab.

According to Ezra, how to describe a KBS summer in a word? Therapeutic.

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Ezra Montero was the 2022 W.K. Kellogg Bird Sanctuary visitor experience intern. He was interviewed by Alex Sills, the 2022 KBS external communications intern.
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