Wildlife ecology and conservation major and bird bander Maggie Guinther can vividly describe what it feels like to hold a bird. Warblers are very soft. Robins are known for pooping all over everything. Her first bird banded was a dark-eyed Junco. But it’s not just about species characteristics. Birds, like people, are highly individual. They might feel some type of way about being handled or be super chill. No matter how they’re reacting, Guinther approaches her task at hand with joy, compassion, and a sense of purpose. In Guinther’s own words, she shares how she began her work last summer and where it led the graduating senior.