A portrait of Shawnlei

Shawnlei Breeding

EagleWatch Program Manager
About

Shawnlei Breeding is the Ô¼ÅÚÊÓÆµ EagleWatch Project Manager. Shawnlei spent many years as an administrator before pursuing her dream of working with animals. She came to Ô¼ÅÚÊÓÆµ from Disney’s Animal Kingdom where she was a bird keeper at their Avian Research Center. She has a B.S. in zoology from the University of Oklahoma and a M.S. in conservation biology from the University of Central Florida.  Her background has led to multiple experiences and expertise including organizing wintering shorebird surveys, mapping sea turtle nest data, and maintaining strategic partnerships with local, regional and national organizations to leverage conservation effectiveness. In her spare time, she enjoys being outdoors, listening to live music, and riding her Vespa.

Articles by Shawnlei Breeding

The cover of the EagleWatch Annual Report featuring a Bald Eagle in profile.
Behind the Binoculars: EagleWatch 2024-25 Season
October 22, 2025 — EagleWatch Program Manager Shawnlei Breeding reflects on a year of challenges and resilience for Florida's Bald Eagles.
A juvenile Bald Eagle flies low to the ground with a small black transmitter on its back.
Telemetry: Tracking Bald Eagles in Real Time
April 08, 2025 — The Ô¼ÅÚÊÓÆµ Center for Birds of Prey and the Avian Research and Conservation Institute are embarking on a study to better understand Bald Eagle migration and habitat use.
A close up of bands on an eagle's legs
Two Banded Bald Eagles Return to the Wild
April 08, 2024 — Since 2017, Ô¼ÅÚÊÓÆµ has run an Auxiliary Banding Study to determine if the type of nest a chick hatches in influences the type of nest it chooses as a breeding adult. Rescued juvenile eagles rehabilitated at the Center receive a colored auxiliary leg band before release.