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Brian C. Latta
Brian earned his bachelor of science degree in natural resource management with emphasis on wildlife at the University of Maryland. He has been a member of the SCPBRG field team since 1989 and lead field biologist since 1993.
As lead field biologist Brian is responsible for the supervision of SCPBRG field biologists and their performance under state and federal permits all over California. He is a proficient rock climber, an expert raptor trapper and bander, computer database manager, and an expert at handling all raptors from burrowing owls to eagles including the attachment of radio-telemetry devices.
Highlights of Brian Latta’s experience and expertise follow:
- Lead biologist on multi-agency effort to remove golden eagles from Channel Islands to protect island foxes.
- Trainer, student interns, professionals and visiting researchers--field research techniques.
- Field biologist, California peregrine falcon recovery and monitoring effort.
- Field biologist, California Channel Islands peregrine falcon winter diet assessment.
- Field biologist, Altamont Wind Resource Area golden eagle study.
- Field biologist, Russian-American Altai falcon survey, Gorno-Altajskaya, Russia.
- Field researcher, field techniques trainer, and co-manager, Padre Island, Texas peregrine falcon study.
- Biological technician, northern aplomado falcon survey and habitat evaluation in South Texas.
- Raptor breeding assistant, Predatory Bird Research Group.
- Research assistant, northern spotted owl prey study.
- Biological technician, northern spotted owl monitoring and inventory.
- Biological technician, biological censuses of deer, elk, trout and northern spotted owls for the Medford office of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management.
Brian has also served as a hack site attendant for peregrine falcons, Harris’ hawks and aplomado falcons. He is proficient with trapping techniques for predatory birds, mounting various models of telemetry transmitters, and radio-telemetry tracking.
