Kim McCormick holds a Bachelor of Science degree in the Biological Sciences from Northern Kentucky University, and a PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the University of Florida. She moved to Seattle in 1993 for a laboratory research position at the University of Washington.

In 2008, Kim found Seattle’s first known breeding pair of merlins, a small falcon species. Kim continued to follow merlin activity in the Seattle area. In 2013 she joined forces with Ben Vang-Johnson, a former field biologist and experienced raptor bander, to launch the Seattle Merlin Project. The project’s goals include: characterizing merlin breeding sites and productivity, investigating adult and juvenile annual movements, and describing the behavior and plumage characteristics of Seattle’s merlin population. With the help of a small but dedicated group of volunteers, the Seattle Merlin Project has characterized over 140 merlin nests in the greater Seattle area.

Kim and Ben collaborate closely with the Seattle-based Urban Raptor Conservancy, and they recently contributed a chapter titled “Seattle’s Urban Merlins” to Magical Merlins, a natural history book by raptor researcher and author Bruce Haak. In addition to her work with merlins, Kim is a long-time volunteer with the Seattle Audubon Society.