Josiah Lavender, Avian Expert

Lavender Birding Tours | Guiding people to new birds, new habitats, and new depths of knowledge of bird conservation, biology, and natural history.

Hiring a local bird guide in the Albuquerque area is one of the best ways to experience the region’s remarkable avian diversity. From the Rio Grande bosque and desert canyons to nearby mountain foothills, the landscape offers an incredible range of habitats teeming with birdlife year-round. A skilled guide can help you identify subtle field marks, locate hard-to-find species, and share insight into seasonal movements and habitat ecology making each outing both educational and memorable.

Josiah Lavender is a passionate birder and guide based in Albuquerque, New Mexico who leads his business, Lavender Birding Tours. He grew up in Watkinsville, Georgia, where he developed a deep love of birds from a young age, keeping lists and delving into bird ecology as a teenager.

After earning his bachelor’s degree in ecology in May 2023 at the University of Georgia, he moved to Albuquerque to begin a Ph.D. in avian ecology and evolution at the University of New Mexico. Through Lavender Birding Tours, Josiah offers guided outings aimed at birders of all levels in New Mexico (and previously Georgia). His trips are designed not just to tick off species, but also to deepen appreciation for bird natural history—how species interact with their habitats and the conservation challenges they face. In the Albuquerque area, typical on-foot trips cover locations like the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, the Rio Grande Nature Center, and nearby canyon trails, with clients often spotting 35-50 species in a single outing.

Visit Josiah's website here: LAVENDER BIRDING TOURS