Oregon’s Pepper Trail, Country's Only Criminal Forensic Ornithologist, Featured by National Audubon
Most people have heard of a Criminal Investigator, a Forensic Scientist or even an Ornithologist but have you ever heard of a job that combines those skills? A Criminal Forensic Ornithologist is a job unknown to many, and for good reason, there is only one in the county, and he is located in Ashland, Oregon. Pepper Trail works at the National Fish and Wildlife Forensic Laboratory. He receives evidence from law enforcement, sometimes in the form of a single feather or a piece of a claw and is able to identify it to the species from which it came. Trail is currently working with Special Agents as they investigate the illegal trade of hummingbird love charms. These charms made of decorated hummingbirds carcasses are made in Mexico and smuggled into the United States to be sold. Read the full National Audubon article to hear more about Pepper Trail’s fascinating career and learn about the cases he is currently working on.