Meet a Scientist: Kingfishers

Meet Dr. Jenna McCullough, NSF Postdoctoral Fellow, as she discusses the diverse and vibrant world of Kingfishers. Explore how these colorful birds have found ecological success through the evolution of extreme features and unique behaviors across 120 different species.

Learn how Field Museum scientists are trying to answer the question: How do kingfishers protect their brains when plunging headfirst into water at up to 25 mph?, the answers to which may facilitate great advancements in human medicine.

During Meet a Scientist, you can find them in the Grainger Science Hub. They'll discuss their work and share real items from the museum’s collection of nearly 40 million objects. From collections care to field work, and dinosaurs to ecology, there’s a world of science to explore.

Visit the Science Hub on select weekdays for an up-close look at what our researchers do every day.