Dr. Richard Dolbeer was raised in Tennessee by three remarkable women where his childhood was immersed in nature and sports at the dawn of Rock 'n' Roll. He was an all-conference football player at the University of the South (1966) and received his PhD degree from Colorado State University in 1972. He then was a scientist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture from 1972-2008 where he led diverse research projects to resolve conflicts between humans and wildlife in North America, Africa, and Asia. He continues to work as a science adviser to the USDA and Federal Aviation Administration and is an expert commentator in the media on the dangers of bird strikes with aircraft.

With over 240 scientific publications, Richard was the initial recipient of The Wildlife Society’s Caesar Kleberg award for Excellence in Applied Wildlife Research. He was a founding member of Bird Strike Committee-USA and served as chairperson from 1997-2008. He was publicly elected to two, 4-year terms on the Board of Education in Huron, Ohio, serving as President for 2 years.

Richard currently manages his 60-acre farm, Bluebird Haven (www.bluebirdhaven.org) in Huron County, Ohio dedicated to environmental education and Alzheimer’s awareness in memory of his late wife, Saundra. He has 2 children and 6 grandchildren. His recently (2025) published book, “Life on the Wild Side” covers childhood adventures, civil rights, evolution, marriage and family, the Cold War, the "Bye-Bye Blackbird Committee", the "Miracle on the Hudson", and the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The book is available at Amazon Books and Barnes and Noble.