Beth Pattinson

I'm Beth Pattinson. My mom and grandparents were born in Glasgow, Scotland and they moved to the U.S. in 1949. My Dad's side is German and English and he was born in Detroit, MI. I was born in Ann Arbor, MI long ago. I have since lived in Texas, Colorado, and Wyoming. There is a tiny piece of my heart left in the mountains of Colorado, but the rest of it belongs to Alaska! I came to Alaska in 2000 just to visit and I never left. I worked for the Kodiak Refuge for seven years before moving to Anchorage in 2007. I love our State along with the critters and people that reside here!

I started working for the Migratory Bird Management Permit Office in 2007. I manage permits and work with the public on a wide range of legal issues for birds protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act along with eagles under the Bald and Golden Eagle Act. If you want to do something with a bird, you probably have to start with me. I issue permits to scientists, taxidermists, airports, and facilities like Bird Treatment and Learning Center here in Anchorage. They, along with a few others stretched across our state, teach conservation education programs with live birds and eagles. I make sure the people taking care of them have enough experience, the facilities are clean and humane, and that the birds are healthy and happy as they can be in captivity. Did you know that raven and crows are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act? They are!  Did you know there are almost 1100 species of birds, including bald eagles and golden eagles, protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act? It's true, they are!