A Popular and Sought-After Presenter...
Kristen Martyn offers a wide variety of interesting and informative presentations. To date Kristen has given over 70 in person and live virtual presentations. She uses a mix of colourful photographs, anecdotes, scientific information and personal experiences to speak about the backyard bird feeding hobby, habitat gardening, birding and ecotourism and being an entrepreneur. Her presentations are humorous, educational and enjoyable.
Kristen’s wide range of stock and customizable presentations are suitable for a wide variety of audiences including garden clubs, naturalist groups, special interest groups and keynotes presentations for larger events. She is also an ideal candidate for TV segments, radio interviews, podcasts, online appearances, corporate events, festivals, community events, birding events, garden shows and more!
Kristen has been featured on CBC Radio, the OLN documentary Alien Invaders and Breakfast Television (CityTV).
Full Day/Half Day Workshops
Kristen has led a variety of natural history focused workshops. Kristen’s fun and informative workshops include both “in class” and in the field portions where participants learn naturalist skills to practice their application in the field. Kristen’s most popular workshop is Birding for Beginners which introduces participants to the hobby of bird watching (birding).
ZOOM/Online Presentations
Kristen has given numerous live online presentations. She is comfortable presenting on numerous platforms including Zoom, Google Meet, Facebook and RingCentral. Presenting online has allowed Kristen to reach a wider audience while connecting people with nature virtually.
BOOKING INQUIRIES
To book Kristen for a media appearance or to speak at your event please complete the form on the link below. Thank-you!
Please note Kristen will be taking a brief leave of absence from speaking returning in late 2023.
Presentation Topics
Some of Kristen’s most popular natural history presentations include (see descriptions below):
- 20 Things You Didn’t Know About Your Backyard Birds
- Bird Feeding 101
- Cardinals: Shy Sweethearts
- Gardening for the Birds
- Gardening for the Future
- Hummingbirds: Nature’s Miracles
- Nesting Neighbours
- Orioles: Birds with a Sweet Tooth
- Powerful Pollinators
- Preparing Your Yard for Spring
- Preparing Your Yard for Winter
- Woodpeckers: Nature’s Carpenters
Natural History Presentations
20 Things You Didn’t Know About Backyard Birds
A backyard in Ontario may be home to as many as 20-30 species of birds during the year. Our backyard birds provide us with hours of entertainment as we watch them go about their daily lives; however there is still lots of learn about our feathered friends. In this presentation we dive in for a closer look at the interesting lives of our backyards birds and examine broader issues that affect the lives of our feathered friends.. This presentation features wonderful photos and is a must hear for anyone who enjoys watching and feeding their backyard birds.
Bird Feeding 101
Bird feeding has become our number one form of interaction with wildlife. By some estimates, more than half the households in North America put out food for wild birds at least occasionally. Such popularity is easy to understand. Would you like to join in on the excitement of one of North America’s most popular hobbies – backyard bird feeding? Do you already feed the birds, but need help attracting a greater variety of birds to your feeders? This presentation is packed full of birds photos, and is a must hear for anyone who is currently feeding birds or is interested in making their outdoor space wildlife friendly.
Cardinals: Shy Sweethearts
Cardinals are the celebrities of the backyard bird world. The number one bird that people want to attract to their bird feeders are cardinals and it’s not difficult to see why. These shy birds bring a pop of colourful and personality to a backyard year round. Cardinals are dedicated mates, devoted parents and are a joy to observe. Join Kristen as she explore the life history of these beautiful birds and explore how to attract these cardinals to your backyard. This presentation is a must hear for anyone who enjoys cardinals or wishes to attract them into their yard.
Gardening for the Birds
Creating a refuge in your own backyard will improve the lives of birds and other wildlife and it is a fun and rewarding activity for your family, too. Join Kristen as she explores how you can create a garden for the birds and other wildlife to enjoy. In this presentation Kristen will focus on the four key elements of attracting wildlife as well as the use of specific types of plants (with emphasis on native plants). This presentation is packed full of photos of local backyard birds and wildlife, and is a must hear for anyone who enjoys gardening and is always looking for ways to bring wildlife into their yard.
Gardening For the Future
We are entering into a new age of gardening. One where our yards and gardens are one of our closest links to the natural world and provide vital habitat for birds and wildlife. This presentation focuses on how to create functional gardens that attract more birds and wildlife and support local ecosystems by enhancing biodiversity. Join Kristen, as she explores several key topics in wildlife gardening including the use of native plants, garden styles and attracting birds and wildlife. Throughout this presentation Kristen will touch on experiences from her wildlife gardening journey.
Hummingbirds: Nature's Miracle
Against all odds hummingbirds are truly nature’s miracle! The Ruby-throated Hummingbird is one of the smallest birds in the world, and yet it is a champion acrobat and long-distance flyer. In this presentation Kristen focuses on hummingbird feeding and foraging, nesting behaviour, migration and profiles the natural history of our local Ruby-throated Hummingbirds. This presentation looks at the fascinating lives of hummingbirds and provides helpful tips for attracting them to your yard.
Nesting Neighbours
Enticing birds to nest in your yard through proper habitat and safe nesting boxes is great for your birds and a fun and rewarding activity for your family. This presentation discusses various bird species and how they nest, functional bird houses, choosing the right placement in your yard, improving your yard’s nesting appeals, keeping predators at bay and observing your bird family. This presentation is packed full of photos of local backyard birds, and is ideal for anyone who wants to be a landlord for the birds.
Orioles: Birds With a Sweet Tooth
Orioles are members of the blackbird family yet they are one of the most sought after backyard birds to attract. Orioles have a fascinating natural history and one of the most interesting diets of our backyard birds. In this presentation Kristen looks at the life history of orioles (including feeding, foraging, nesting behaviour and migration) attracting orioles and profiles Ontario’s two oriole species. This presentation is packed full of oriole photos, and is a must hear for anyone who enjoys orioles or wishes to attract them into their yard.
Powerful Pollinators
You’re probably familiar with some of the pollinators, such as bees and butterflies. However, you may be surprised to learn the identity of some of the other pollinators. Join us as we take a closer at the pollinators including the different groups of pollinators and how you can support them with everything they need in your yard. Spoiler alert- pollinators need more than flower nectar. This presentation is packed full of interesting facts and pollinator photos and is ideal for anyone wanting to learn more about this fascinating group of animals!
Preparing Your Yard for Spring
Spring brings with it a host of beautiful seasonal birds and wildlife including hummingbirds, orioles, grosbeaks, butterflies and pollinators. It’s easy to attract these beautiful creatures and watch as they visit your yard throughout the spring and summer months. Kristen provides helpful tips to help you prepare your yard to welcome and encourage these interesting visitors. In this presentation, Kristen concentrates on how you can prepare your yard for the birds during the spring and summer months using food, water and several other key features. This presentation is packed full of photos of local backyard birds, and is a must hear for anyone who feeds the birds or would like to learn more about the birds in their area.
Preparing Your Yard for Winter
Now is the time to create a backyard winter refuge for the birds and for you! Many of the birds in our backyards stay all year round, including during the winter months, including American Goldfinches, Northern Cardinals and many different woodpeckers. Many more species travel south from Northern Canada and spend the winters in our backyards in Southern Ontario, including Common Redpolls, Dark-eyed Juncos and Pine Siskins. In this presentation Kristen focuses on how you can prepare your yard for the birds during the winter months using food, water and several other key features. This presentation is packed full of photos of local backyard birds, and is a must hear for anyone who feeds the birds or would like to learn more about the birds in their area.
Woodpeckers: Nature's Carpenters
Woodpeckers are one of nature’s most adaptive and interesting wild birds. It’s no surprise that people are always looking to attract these unique birds into their backyards. Woodpeckers are content to live in amongst the trees and have adapted to this lifestyle in some very unique ways. They are a relatively easy bird to attract into your yard with the right foods. In this presentation Kristen examines woodpecker feeding and foraging, nesting behaviours, migration and profiles some interesting Ontario woodpeckers. This presentation is ideal for anyone who feeds woodpeckers or wishes to attract them into their yard and of course features some excellent photos of woodpeckers!