Kevin Calhoon is in charge of every animal that isn’t fish at the aquarium-birds, penguins, otters, butterflies, reptiles, you name it. His first passion, however, is birds. During our interview aboard the Blue Moon Sandhill Crane and Bald Eagle Cruise, Calhoon-who would often interrupt himself to point out an immature bald eagle on the left or a cormorant on the right-shared about his nearly 30-year birding career, the birding culture and his exotic travels all around the world.
STATS
NAME: KEVIN CALHOONAGE: 52OFFICIAL TITLE: ASSISTANT CURATOR OF FORESTS AT THE TENNESSEE AQUARIUMHOMETOWN: COLUMBUS, OHIOBIRDING EXPERIENCE: 29 YEARS, 22 YEARS WITH AQUARIUM
How did you get into birding?
I was a biology and history major at Houghton College in Western New York. I wanted to work with animals, and I wanted to use my biology degree. So I graduated and started looking at zoos, and the first zoo I applied to [Riverbanks Zoo in Columbia, South Carolina] o!ered me a job. I was interested in reptiles and amphibians, but all they had was a bird job. I really needed a job, so I took it, and it didn’t take me long before I realized that I really like birds.
What is your favorite part of your job?
My job is really varied. I help supervise everything that’s not fish: butterflies, reptiles, amphibians, plants and birds. One day I’ll be working with birds, the next day I’ll be working with otters, the next day I’ll be working with penguins or butterflies. So I have a lot of diversity, and I like that.
Where is your favorite birding spot?
My backyard is pretty good-Lookout Mountain. I love Arizona, Texas, California, New Mexico. I’ve birded all over the world, but I really like Arizona and southern Texas.
Where is the most exotic place you’ve traveled to see birds?
Antarctica. I led a trip there for the Aquarium back in 2009. You can’t get more exotic than Antarctica.
What is your favorite memory from your entire career?
There are so many memories it’s hard to pick a favorite. I’ve been to Australia, I’ve been to New Mexico, I’ve been all over South America and I’ve been to Central America. I was birding in Scotland this last summer. But I really enjoyed Australia: seeing Emu’s, all the di!erent cockatoos … that was a high point.
What is your favorite bird in Tennessee?
I like songbirds. My specialty is neotropical migrant songbirds. They spend their winters down in the tropics from Mexico down to Northern South America. Then they migrate up here in the spring and summer time to breed. Then they migrate back down there. A good example is a Scarlet Tanager.
Can you tell me about the local birding culture?
Birding is a huge culture now. It’s very mobile. People try to see as many birds as they can; it’s a type of collecting. It’s all different types of people. Some of my friends are retired or housewives, and I have a lot of doctor and lawyer friends. [They’re] all different ages and walks of life; people you would never hang out with if you weren’t interested in birds. There’s been a birding culture in Chattanooga for a long time. I would say that the culture in Chattanooga is one of the oldest in Tennessee. It’s always been very strong. The Hiwassee area is very special.
Why do you continue to go birding?
It gets in your blood. You see amazing things. I’ve been out in Minnesota and seen the Northern Lights; I’ve seen wolverines run across the road, I’ve seen mountain lions. Most birders like to see everything, and birds get you out there to see.