Ernesto M. Carman was born and raised on his family’s farm in Costa Rica’s Central Valley, where he still works on a shade-grown organic coffee plantation. From a young age, he showed a strong interest in nature and participated in several research projects early on, such as Operation Ruby-throat and Talamanca Hawkwatch. He has studied the breeding of the Cabanis's Ground-Sparrow (Melozone cabanisi), a bird found only in Costa Rica, and has worked with tracking technology (radio telemetry) to follow various bird species, including the Cerulean Warbler (Setophaga cerulea), Golden-winged Warbler (Vermivora chrysoptera), Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina), and two raptors: the Unspotted Saw-whet Owl (Aegolius ridgwayi) and the Hook-billed Kite.
In addition, he coordinates the use of the Motus Wildlife Tracking System in Central America, an international network that studies animal movements. Ernesto has focused much of his work on better understanding how the Cerulean Warbler uses Costa Rica as a refueling site during its migrations, and he started a habitat restoration project through the Blue Corridor in the central Caribbean region of Costa Rica. Alongside his fieldwork, Ernesto is also a birding guide for the Canadian company Eagle-Eye Tours, leading trips throughout Central and South America. He is a founding member of the Cerulean Environmental Association, which is dedicated to research, conservation, and education.
