Mary Kate Wilcox

from September 2015

Gender Norms

Junior Mary Kate Wilcox watches her three love birds as they play on her arm at her home. (Photo by Lily Coit)

Bird’s-Eye View

Junior Mary Kate Wilcox’s fascination and dedication to birds allows her to understand and help the environment. BY LILY COIT REPORTER

Abright orange computer case covered from corner to corner understanding different birds and their importance to the Earth. Wilcox in stickers of varying bird species decorates junior Mary Kate went to Kansas State University, Benedictine College, Colorado with the Wilcox’s laptop case. She smiles as she points to her own Young Birders Association and Oklahoma to attend the annual American Sharpie drawn creation of one of her favorite birds, a Carolina Ornithologist’s Union and Cooper Ornithological Society meeting. Wren, contributing to the collage. In Oklahoma, professors, graduate students, and researchers

But it’s what’s behind her computer screen that stands out more to presented their findings regarding birds everywhere. Many of their Wilcox. A quote from American Ornithologist Roger Terry fills her entire findings focused on declining populations of birds such as Dicksissells computer screen. “In a world that seems so very puzzling, is it any wonder and their habitat loss from the takeover of farmland. birds have such appeal? Birds are, perhaps the most eloquent expression “I love birds and I’ve always wanted to do something. I’ve always of reality.” That “reality” for Wilcox is not just one of wonder and awe for wanted to make a change, and this is a place where I can really make a these “eloquent” creatures but the reality of our environment, nature, and positive benefit,” Wilcox said. the world around her. Describing birds as “good indicators of environmental health,”

Twirling her dainty, silver bird shaped earrings on each of her ears, Wilcox believes that people all over the world should understand the state Wilcox gazes at her gallery of endless photos of various birds she has of their environment and birds are the key to that understanding. Wilcox seen in years past. Excitement illuminates her face as she clicks past each claims that you don’t have to be an expert birder to make a difference, photo, admiring each bird. The spark that started her interest for birds it’s merely the simple act of appreciating them and what they offer to the began when she participated in Science Olympiad in sixth grade and planet. discovered the ornithology category. “This is something I feel not many people are doing and it’s such a Yet Wilcox said it wasn’t until eighth big deal,” Wilcox said. grade that she considered it a true Wilcox’s mother, English teacher Melissa Wilcox believes that her passion. She eventually got four birds of daughter’s excitement and dedication towards these animals will take her her own, all love birds. places. “When I was little I wanted to do “I think she’s exploring what she wants to do in the world. I think something to help the environment she’s exploring that path of what she wants to pursue,” Melissa said. and birds seemed to be that With full confidence, Wilcox believes that this will blossom into a thing,” Wilcox said. career. After studying either biology or ecology, she hopes in her future Wilcox followed career to be hands-on with the birds but also do the behind the scenes this passion this work such as analyzing and collecting data because she believes that is summer as she equally as important to help these animals. traveled all The act of just walking around a park on a Saturday morning viewing across the local birds fills Wilcox with a joy she can’t find anywhere else. Wilcox United States, explains how she often thinks to herself, “What if I woke up in the morning and I didn’t hear the birds singing or if I didn’t see the little cardinal that I see every morning?” For Wilcox, this is a passion that exceeds anything else. It is a passion that guides her towards understanding the bigger picture of the world.