International Hummingbird Society Welcomes Visionary New Director

After dedicating two decades to Sedona Charter School, Alice Madar has stepped into a new role at the International Hummingbird Society following Beth Kingsley Hawkins’ retirement on September 1.

Hawkins’ late husband, H. Ross Hawkins, founded the IHS in 1996. He frequently contributed to “Your Hummingbird Connection” in the Sedona Red Rock News, with Beth Hawkins capturing photos of hummingbirds.

“It’s an exciting conservation organization to be involved in,” Madar said. “It’s based right here in Sedona. I talk with people involved in hummingbirds and hummingbird research all over the country and South America.”

The society’s Sedona Hummingbird Festival occurs annually on the last weekend in July, from July 26 to 28 this year, at the Sedona Performing Arts Center.

“Even though the Hummingbird Festival occurs right before school starts, I would always take a day off to attend it,” Madar stated.

Madar has been a festival attendee since 2015. Before her first festival, she was not very familiar with hummingbirds. However, after participating in a banding event and experiencing the Hummingbird Breakfast amidst the swirl of hummingbirds, she was hooked.

“Feeling its heartbeat was like a little toy motor,” Madar said. “It was amazing to hold that wild bird, feel its heart beating, and watch it fly away.”

Originally from the San Francisco Bay area, Madar moved to Sedona with her family in 1994.

“We loved San Francisco, but wanted to explore new opportunities,” Madar explained. “Sedona has offered wonderful trails and great people.”

Madar’s commitment to wildlife conservation made leading the International Hummingbird Society a perfect fit. She said, “I was fully prepared for this role, having engaged in bird photography in South America and local bird studies with Northern Arizona Audubon.”

She plans another photography trip to Chile and Argentina in January, after previous expeditions in Peru and Ecuador.

The society’s former marketing director, Hilary Joy Morejon, has initiated a hummingbird banding project at Page Springs Fish Hatchery in Cornville. The project, supported by several organizations including Arizona Fish and Game and the Hummingbird Monitoring Network, aims to study hummingbird populations and behavior.

Normally running from April through October, this year’s banding season start is delayed as the society awaits permit approvals.

“Every two weeks, banding will take place for five hours,” the society’s grant request to NAAS stated. “This will be a long-term project primarily targeting black-chinned hummingbirds.”

Morejon expressed excitement about the new project. “It’s fulfilling to expand research beyond the festival days,” she said. “We hope to gain new insights into hummingbird behavior and potential hybrids in the area.”

The IHS is also launching a certified hummingbird garden program to enhance pollinator-friendly environments. “This initiative is crucial for hummingbird conservation, especially for the declining rufous hummingbird populations,” Madar noted.