Kate Slankard was an avian biologist with the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (KDFWR) in Frankfort, KY from 2007-2024. She worked with raptors, songbirds, and nightjars, focusing on Species of Greatest Conservation Need, listed in Kentucky’s State Wildlife Action Plan. She is now an independent researcher. Her research interests include habitat management, contaminants, conflict management, and rare species in decline.