Wes Homoya was born and raised in central Indiana, and as such is a firm believer in practicing Hoosier hospitality -living graciously with each other and this planet we all call home. This ethic was instilled in him by his parents: Barb, a nature-loving nurse who taught him compassion for little things like salamanders, and Michael, a renowned botanist and author who exemplified not only why it's important to know the names of the flora and fauna around you, but why we must share this knowledge with others. Eventually, this desire to learn led to studying ecology and ornithology at Purdue University under the esteemed Dr. Barny Dunning. Various employments since have allowed him to live, work, and bird in wild places throughout Australasia, Southeast Asia (including a year in Hong Kong), Central and South America (inc. the Galápagos Islands), the Caribbean (including an Indiana Audubon Society tour in Cuba), and Europe (inc. anti-poaching efforts with a bird conservation NGO in Cyprus). Currently, Wes resides in Indy and spends his days crafting guided nature experiences and conducting avian surveys throughout the Midwest, throwing kegs around and foraging wild ingredients for his brother's libations at Ash & Elm Cider, and being an ambassador for birds and conservation in any way he can, whether through leading international birding adventures with Natural Selections Tours, advocating for groups like Bird Safe Indy, or getting folks pumped up about birds n booze at his popular event series Feathers & Fermentation.