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Brian James Walton (1951-2007)
The Santa Cruz Predatory Bird Research Group regrets to announce the passing of our mentor, colleague and friend, Brian Walton. Brian died unexpectedly on June 15 2007, and he will be sorely missed. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Brian James Walton Memorial Fund. The fund is managed by the Bank of America; donations should be mailed to 849 Almar Avenue, Suite C, Box 332, Santa Cruz, CA 95060. Click here for more information.
Brian received his bachelor of science degree from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo in 1973 and his Masters degree in biological sciences from San Jose State University in 1978. He is a research specialist with the University of California Division of Natural Sciences and Coordinator of the SCPBRG at Long Marine Lab. He has been active in California birds of prey management since 1971 when he studied prairie falcons as a field biologist for the California Department of Fish and Game.
Brian Walton became coordinator of the Santa Cruz Predatory Bird Research Group in 1977. He has since worked closely with biologists, managers and directors of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, California Department of Fish and Game, U.S. Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and state and national parks to craft strategies for the recovery of threatened and endangered raptors.
Highlights of Brian Walton’s experience, achievements, and expertise include:
- Lecturer, UC Santa Cruz Extension courses on birds of prey natural history.
- Trainer, California Department of Fish and Game Wardens.
- Presenter, natural history talks to civic organizations and conservation groups for more than twenty years.
- Founding coordinator, the Santa Cruz Predatory Bird Research Group.
- Manager of captive breeding lab operations where peregrine falcons, aplomado falcons, bald eagles, Harris’s hawks and elf owls were hatched and/or cared for prior to release.
- Manager of region-wide field operations for threatened and endangered bird population recovery work.
- Supervisor of up to 50 field and laboratory biologists per year conducting captive breeding, releases, and nest manipulations.
- Member, California Bald Eagle Working Team.
- Member, California Peregrine Falcon Working Team.
- Member, California Condor Recovery Team.
- Chair, Raptor Research Foundation, Tom Cade Award Committee.
- Research Associate, Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology.
- Consultant to BioSystems Analysis, Inc. on raptor studies.
- Member of the board of directors and former vice president, The Peregrine Fund, Boise, Idaho.
