Learn More About Your Guide

My name is Aidan Rominger, and I have been fascinated by the natural world for as long as I can remember. Based in Indianapolis, Indiana, I am a wildlife biologist, ornithologist, musician, educator, and tour guide whose work centers around birds, habitat conservation, and connecting people to nature. What began as an early passion for birding has grown into a professional career spanning research, conservation, education, photography, and guided field experiences across much of North America!

I began birding at the young age of 9 and have since developed over a decade of hands-on field experience across a wide range of ecosystems, with Indiana remaining my home base. I am widely recognized for my early accomplishments in the field, including setting the record as the youngest person to observe over 300 bird species in Indiana within a single year. My birding has also led to the discovery and documentation of several notable records, including Texas’s first Smooth-billed Ani, as well as rare Indiana species discoveries such as Scissor-tailed Flycatcher and Pine Grosbeak. These experiences have helped shape my field skills and led to my bird photography being featured in national birding publications, including the American Birding Association’s Birding magazine.

I earned a Bachelor of Science in Wildlife Biology from Purdue University, where I was hired as a breeding bird surveyor working across Indiana’s hardwood forests. During this time, I contributed field data on priority species such as Cerulean Warbler and Worm-eating Warbler, supporting broader conservation and research efforts. Over the course of my survey work, I recorded four species previously undocumented within the survey framework. Since then, my work has taken me from Midwestern wetlands to the coastal ecosystems of South Carolina and beyond, blending field research with public education and guided experiences.

I currently work as a Naturalist at the Eagle Creek Ornithology Center and as a Habitat Manager at Eagle Creek Park, where I design and lead educational programs for school groups, volunteers, and the general public. My work includes hands-on conservation initiatives such as a wetland restoration project funded through a grant from the Amos Butler Audubon Society, aimed at improving habitat quality and restoring species that were previously extirpated from the park.

Fieldwork and guiding have been central to my career. I have over five years of professional tour guiding experience, having led birding tours and field programs for organizations including Indiana Audubon, Amos Butler Audubon, the Indiana Dunes Birding Festival, and The Biggest Week in American Birding. I have also led guided birding, kayaking, hiking, biking, and boat-based wildlife tours for audiences ranging from beginners to advanced birders, including my time as a naturalist and tour guide at Kiawah Island Golf Resort. During that role, I documented species previously unrecorded on the island and taught reptile and coastal ecology programs using live animals and immersive, field-based interpretation.

Beyond guiding and research, I am deeply invested in science communication and education. I have presented at birding groups and conferences both nationally and internationally, been interviewed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s eBird program, and collaborate on digital projects such as The Junco Complex, a growing public database documenting plumage variation among Dark-eyed Junco subspecies. I also share field experiences and educational content through my birding adventure videos on YouTube, using storytelling to make bird identification, behavior, and ecology accessible to a wide audience.

My guiding style emphasizes careful observation, patience, and adaptability. I work with birders of all experience levels, from beginners building foundational skills to advanced birders pursuing targeted species or deeper ecological insight. At the core of my work is a simple goal: to help people see wildlife more clearly, understand why it matters, and feel motivated to protect it. Whether I’m leading a private tour, restoring habitat, photographing birds, or speaking to a classroom, I strive to make nature accessible, exciting, and meaningful.