Bryan Holliday

Bryan comes from Illinois, where he was visited by an American Robin at the age of four.  This remarkable encounter began his lifelong interest in birds, which led him to study at the University of Illinois, where he earned his B.S. in Ecology and assisted on various avian research projects in the grasslands, forests, and swamps of southern Illinois.  Following his calling to teach, Bryan worked as an environmental education instructor for nine years in Texas and Michigan, teaching 5th and 6th graders science in the outdoors.  After moving to Arizona, he earned his Master’s degree in Secondary Education at Northern Arizona University, and taught middle school science and math in the classroom for ten years in Arizona and back in his hometown of Rockford, Illinois.

During his 19 years of teaching, Bryan always made time to travel and explore the regions where he was living, building up his life list of birds. His love for birding evolved into a strong passion to photograph the birds and the landscapes in which they live, realizing he learns more about the birds by patiently observing them through the lens.Bryan now runs his own bird photography tours around North America, with a keen interest in the Arctic and polar regions.

Bryan’s photographs have been published in various books and magazines, including National Geographic, Birding, Audubon, and Bird Watcher’s Digest, along with his award-winning image of a red-winged blackbird taking First Prize in National Wildlife Magazine. He is very proud of these achievements, but the one award he holds that will be hard to beat is winning the Prettiest Feet in The Sixth-Grade contest when he was 12. When you see Bryan around the ship, feel free to ask him about The Robin or his feet!