Nebraskaland

60 Nebraskaland • August-Spetember 2026 Mixed Bag Self-nicknamed the "Birdnerd," Jason St. Sauver has inspired countless young learners with his knowledge on environmental and outdoor science. He is the senior education manager at Spring Creek Prairie Audubon Center in Denton, and his educational programs invite people of all ages to develop personal connections with nature. Jason remembers being an outdoor kid who loved tunneling in the snow and hunting and fishing in South Dakota. He credits his grandmother for introducing him to birding. She kept a bird feeder outside her kitchen w i n d ow a n d g ave h i m h i s f i rs t "Golden Field Guide." Although he could recognize common birds already, one day he asked his grandmother to help him identify a bird he couldn't name. At her urging to "use your book!", Jason identified the dark-eyed junco by himself — the "spark bird" that hooked him on birding. Jason's father, an avid sportsman, a l s o h e l p e d s h a p e h i s s o n 's understanding of outdoor ethics. His father often brought Jason to sportsman club meetings, and at one memorable session, the speaker, from the South Dakota Game and Parks Association, shared a series of photos to help hunters identify the many ducks that move through the pothole region of South Dakota and Minnesota. As Jason remembers, he was "totally the know-it-all-kid" who identified every bird. By age 12, Jason had become an avid birder — someone who was increasingly interested in identifying and listing bird species. Jason always liked lists. Even as a young boy, he listed things that interested him in close detail, such as Matchbox car race records and radio's Top 40 songs. And he didn't just list songs — he also sang them and recalls "performing" with the help of his mother's electric skillet cord that he used as a microphone. By high school, Jason's interests focused on music and theater, which led to a brief stint in New York City. Jason double majored in zoology and music theater. Afterward, he worked for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Massachusetts banding and surveying water and forest birds. One day, a local bird expert — who specialized in identifying birds by their song — asked Jason if he knew he was singing back to the birds. In short time, Jason came to realize his new work in conservation helped link his interests in science and music. His music training became a unique asset in birding. Today, Jason leads birding hikes a n d t r a i n s S p r i n g C r e e k s t a f f, volunteers and guests to identify birds by song. He is a proud Nebraska birder who has listed bird sightings in every county in the state, a very "nerdy" thing to do. Julie Thomas is a University of Nebraska-Lincoln professor emerita and a Nebraska Master Naturalist. To celebrate our history of conservation storytelling, Nebraskaland will feature experts who have made a difference for Nebraska's wildlife and wild places. Without their work, Nebraskaland writers would have fewer stories to tell. The 'Birdnerd' Jason St. Sauver By Julie Thomas

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