Zaps are notes of awareness and pleas for action that appear in the corresponding print edition of Bird Observer. Here they are from the current issue.
February 1, 2026
2 MIN READ
Zaps
John Kricher Is Bird Observer’s New Cover Art Editor
John Kricher is no stranger to Bird Observer, having been involved with the journal for nearly 40 years. Readers may recognize him most recently from his column “John’s World of Birds,” which has appeared since 2022. Previously, from 1987 to 2008, John contributed many articles and book reviews, often one per issue. He served on the advisory board or board of directors from 1990 to 1996 and was feature and field note editor from 1992 to 1996. For the past several years, he has worked behind the scenes as a peer reviewer. I am delighted to bring him front and center as our cover art editor.
And here is John to introduce himself in his own words:
John Kricher is a professor emeritus of biology at Wheaton College, Norton, Massachusetts, where he taught Biology, Ecology, Evolution, Ornithology, and many other courses and seminars during his 48-year career. John earned his bachelor of arts degree in 1966 at Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and his PhD degree in 1970 at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey. John began birdwatching at the age of five in his backyard in suburban Philadelphia. His spark bird was Dark-eyed Junco. Thanks to his local bird club, he was awarded a scholarship to the Audubon Camp at Hog Island, Maine, in June 1962, missing his high school graduation to attend the camp. The brilliant instruction, field experiences, and natural history focus at Hog Island solidified John’s determination to have a career in ecology and ornithology.
John has authored books on North American ecology, Neotropical ecology, the Galápagos Islands, and bird behavior as well as contributed numerous articles to journals and magazines. He is past president of the Nuttall Ornithological Club, the Association of Field Ornithologists, and the Wilson Ornithological Society and has served on the boards of New Jersey Audubon Society, Manomet (where he was elected a lifetime trustee), the American Birding Association, and Bird Observer. His awards include the Alexander F. Skutch Medal in 2022 for excellence in Neotropical ornithology. He has birded in all 50 states and on all seven continents.
Marsha C. Salett