Alvaro Jaramillo is a biologist, author, and a birding guide. Alvaro was born in Chile but began birding in Toronto, Canada, where he lived as a youth. He was trained in ecology and evolution with a particular interest in bird behavior. An expert on the birds of California and North America, he is the author of two books: The Birds of Chile and the ABA Field Guides to the Birds of California. A contributor to numerous field guides and popular publications, including the "Identify Yourself" column in Bird Watcher's Digest. Recently, he received the Eisenmann Medal of the Linnean Society of New York, established to honor those who excel in ornithology and encourage the amateur. Alvaro runs a birding and nature tour company, Alvaro’s Adventures, where the focus is to have fun, learn a thing or two and just enjoy birds and nature. Alvaro lives with his family in Half Moon Bay, California.