Two Purple Martins tagged on the Oregon coast are providing an extraordinary look at the migration of western Purple Martins. The birds, Finn and Elise, traveled more than 1,500 miles in six days, and despite leaving Oregon a day apart, they were recently detected within just a few miles of one another in Mexico.
The western subspecies of Purple Martin is of conservation concern, with an estimated population of only about 3,500 breeding pairs. Since 2020, Klamath Bird Observatory and its partners have used lightweight archival GPS tags to study the migratory routes, stopover sites, and wintering areas of Purple Martins that breed in Oregon. This work has revealed a journey of nearly 7,000 miles to southeastern Brazil and is helping researchers identify places that may be important to the birds throughout their annual cycle. Because archival GPS tags store their data, however, researchers must recapture returning birds to learn where they traveled.
Finn and Elise are carrying a new type of solar-powered BlūBird tag developed by Cellular Tracking Technologies. Rather than recording GPS locations, these lightweight tags repeatedly broadcast unique digital signals that can be detected by compatible receiving stations and participating smartphones through Bluetooth. The receiving device supplies an approximate location and sends the detection to an online tracking system, allowing researchers to follow the birds’ progress soon after detections occur. This is the first time this type of tag has been used to track western Purple Martins.
The tracking effort is a collaboration between Seven Capes Bird Alliance’s SWIFTY program and Klamath Bird Observatory’s Purple Martin project. We are excited to share this update from Seven Capes and follow the birds as they continue their remarkable journey toward southeastern Brazil.
Stories like Finn and Elise’s demonstrate how tracking technology can reveal where birds travel, which habitats they rely on, and what challenges they encounter along the way. Through KBO’s Adopt-a-Tag program, you can help put GPS, Motus, and other tracking devices into the field and turn movement data into conservation action.
Maritza was born in Medellin, Colombia, and was an infant when she and her family emigrated to South Florida, where she grew up. In her childhood, she enjoyed many subjects and activities in school like art, singing, playing simple instruments, writing, learning about world cultures, geography, animals, and biographies. She recalls simple pleasures of visiting with her neighborhood friends, playing on the street, or at the front or backyard of someone’s house, family outdoor picnics at the beach or “urban camping” at the Keys, or fishing at neighborhood canals with her brother, among other activities.
Later, while attending the University of Tampa, Maritza loved the field outings of her biology classes- seining and encounters with a puffer fish and snapping turtle. After receiving her BA in psychology and biology, she was reintroduced to camping, but at an entirely new level- in Florida’s central state parks and in the mountain woods of Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee, where she also was initiated in the exhilarating adventures of white water rafting and kayaking. Through these experiences, she realized how much she loved the mountains and the wholesome feelings of rural, small-town living.
After the birth of their son, Gabriel, Maritza and his father instilled their enthusiastic appreciation for excellent music, literature, humor, word and hand-crafting, and the love of the outdoors and natural history through camping trips, hikes, museum trips (ad nauseam- according to their son), and many other ways, such as attending workshops and volunteering at local city parks, which eventually led them to serve as bird banding assistants for the Klamath Bird Observatory, not long after moving to Ashland, OR in Fall 2009. For approximately a year, it was a significant, enriching, and rewarding ingredient to their community service while homeschooling.
After rearing her son, Maritza served in various community roles such as Education Assistant and Special Education Assistant in the public schools, Equine- Assisted Therapy Volunteer, Interpretive Naturalist in Oregon State Parks, and Summer Art Camp Director for the City of Medford, OR. In December 2024, Maritza received her BA in art from the University of Oregon, where she also served as an Art Studio Education Assistant at the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art for two years. She was missing her son and Ashland, and in June 2026, she was presented with an opportunity posted in the KBO’s “Call Note News” for a grant-funded Environmental Education Assistant. She seized it and began serving as a Community Outreach Assistant in mid-July.
Hawk-watching season is approaching! Join KBO Board Members Amanda Alford and Dick Ashford for another season of informative—and fun—Hawk Talks and outings.
Whether you are just beginning to identify raptors or have years of birding experience, these events offer an opportunity to sharpen your identification skills, spend time with fellow bird enthusiasts, and enjoy winter birding in two exceptional landscapes.
This season’s schedule includes:
November 21, 2026 — Scott Valley (outing only)
January 16, 2027 — Klamath Basin (talk on Thursday, January 14th)
February 6, 2027 — Klamath Basin (talk on Thursday, February 4th)
February 27, 2027 — Klamath Basin (talk on Wednesday, February 24th)
March 13, 2027 — Hawks & Ducks (outing only)
Talks will take place at the KBO office in Ashland, OR.
Choose one outing—or join us for several—and get ready to see hawks, ducks, and other winter birds in the Field of Wonder!
Each event requires a separate registration. Follow the links below to learn more and reserve your place:
These popular talks and outings are a wonderful way to learn from Amanda and Dick’s knowledge and enthusiasm while experiencing the diversity of winter birds in our region. Space is limited, so we encourage early registration. Your seat will be confirmed upon receipt of your non-refundable, tax-deductible contribution of $75 per person for a talk and walk, and $50 for the outing only events. We’re looking forward to seeing you in the Field of Wonder!
Please be sure to dress comfortably and bring lunch and liquids. Most of our birding will be from the roadside, with minimal walking.
More than half of the forest-dependent birds in the western United States are declining—one of the broadest declines of any bird habitat group. At the same time, many western forests have shifted away from their historical conditions, contributing to habitat loss, reduced forest diversity, greater risk of severe wildfire, and diminished freshwater supplies. Conservation partners have access to extensive information about these challenges, but putting those data together in a way that supports coordinated action remains difficult.
A new peer-reviewed paper, “Western forests data synthesis: birds, climate, forests, and water,” describes an analysis that Klamath Bird Observatory worked on with Pacific Birds Habitat Joint Venture and the Intermountain West Joint Venture. Migratory Bird Joint Ventures work to support habitat-focused conservation of landbirds, shorebirds, waterbirds, and game birds across North America and are well positioned to support Western forests and their surrounding communities. The analysis brings multiple sources of information together to help conservation partnerships identify where forest restoration could provide the greatest benefits for birds, forests, watersheds, and people. This paper was co-authored by the Klamath Bird Observatory and Pacific Birds Habitat Joint Venture.
National bird conservation lists provide an important foundation for action, but they do not always capture species whose conservation needs are most apparent at a regional scale. To address this gap, the research team used the Partners in Flight Avian Conservation Assessment Database to develop regional lists of priority western forest birds. The study examined four Bird Conservation Regions covering much of the western United States within the Pacific Birds and Intermountain West Joint Ventures.
A Rufous hummingbird feeding on a western columbine. Photo taken by Frank Lospalluto
The researchers identified 66 unique priority western forest bird species, with 31 to 41 priority species identified in each Bird Conservation Region. Most were classified as needing Management Attention or long-term Planning and Responsibility. Each region also included two to four species requiring more urgent action through Critical Recovery or Immediate Management.
The team then mapped where these priority species occur across 542 mid-sized watersheds. They combined the bird information with data describing forest types, the degree to which current vegetation differs from historical conditions, priority areas for restoring bird habitat and increasing carbon storage, projected climate risk, watershed condition, and land ownership.
Together, these layers help answer important conservation-planning questions, such as where multiple priority bird species occur together. Where have forests departed most from historical conditions? Where could restoration improve bird habitat while also supporting carbon storage, watershed health, and community resilience? And which land managers and conservation partners need to work together to make restoration possible?
For example, areas where many priority bird species overlap with forests that have substantially departed from historical conditions may offer important restoration opportunities. Adding information about climate risk and watershed condition can further identify places where restoration could support forest resilience, water resources, and communities. Land-ownership information helps clarify where cross-boundary partnerships will be essential.
The authors emphasize that this synthesis is a broad-scale starting point rather than a site-level restoration plan. Local knowledge, ecological monitoring, Indigenous leadership and priorities, social science, and input from the people who live and work in these landscapes will all be necessary when developing specific conservation projects.
The study is already informing conservation delivery across the West. Using results from this analysis and other emerging information highlighting declining forest birds, the Intermountain West Joint Venture recently launched an implementation plan that is focused on improving forest habitat for birds and other wildlife, reducing wildfire risk, and supporting forest-dependent communities. Pacific Birds Habitat Joint Venture is also building on its established oak and prairie conservation program to address challenges facing conifer and mixed-forest ecosystems from California to Alaska.
The regional priority lists are also supporting Pacific Birds and KBO’s work to connect the broader Prairie, Oaks, and People Investment Strategy with the needs of imperiled oak- and prairie-associated birds in the Pacific Northwest. By combining regional priorities with local monitoring and conservation plans, partners can better identify which species need attention and where investments can make a measurable difference.
This research reflects KBO’s approach to conservation science: using birds as indicators of ecological conditions, bringing together existing science and data, and delivering that information to partnerships working on the ground. By connecting bird conservation with forest health, wildfire resilience, climate adaptation, and clean water, the study provides a practical framework for advancing restoration that benefits both birds and people.
Recommended citation
Gillespie, C. R., M. L. McClure, J. D. Alexander, S. T. Evans-Peters, M. N. Iglecia, and J. L. Stephens. 2026. Western forests data synthesis: birds, climate, forests, and water. Avian Conservation and Ecology 21(2):2.
Funding for this work was provided by Pacific Birds Habitat Joint Venture and Intermountain West Joint Venture through a cooperative agreement with Klamath Bird Observatory facilitated by Ducks Unlimited.
As Jaime Stephens, KBO Director of Conservation, prepares to embark on this year’s journey to Brazil, we are excited to announce that registration is now open for our 2027 Brazil trip!
From August 19–28, 2027, travelers will join Jaime and Mantiqueira Bird Observatory Executive Director Luiza Figueira for a 10-day adventure through the Atlantic Forest of southeastern Brazil. Participants will explore beautiful natural landscapes, hike through diverse habitats, observe tropical birds and other wildlife, experience local culture, and learn from the people advancing bird conservation in Brazil.
This is more than a birding trip—it is an opportunity to support conservation beyond borders. KBO’s international capacity-building program has trained more than 300 interns from over 17 countries, and OAMa has grown out of this long-standing commitment to developing the next generation of conservation professionals. Today, KBO and OAMa continue their partnership through an intern exchange program and ongoing scientific collaboration.
Funds raised through the trip help sustain OAMa’s work and support the continuation of long-term bird monitoring in a protected area of Brazil’s Atlantic Forest. By traveling with KBO and OAMa, participants directly contribute to science, professional training, and international collaboration while experiencing one of the world’s most remarkable regions for biodiversity.
Trip Details
Dates: August 11–20, 2027 Cost: $6,300 per person for single occupancy or $5,800 per person for double occupancy Included: In-country transportation, lodging, and meals with limited alcoholic beverages Not included: International airfare to Brazil Deposit: A non-refundable $3,500 deposit is required to reserve a place Group size: Limited to 12 participants
The final payment is due six months before departure and is non-refundable. A portion of the trip cost directly supports the science exchange program between KBO and OAMa and is tax-deductible.
Trip activities include moderate walking, sometimes on uneven trails, and may take participants away from facilities for half- or full-day excursions. Some activities will be divided into smaller groups.
Spaces are limited. If you have dreamed of exploring the Atlantic Forest, seeing its extraordinary birds and wildlife, and supporting conservation through travel, we hope you will join us in 2027.
As we finish up another field season, we reflect upon 25 years of success with gratitude for your support. Looking back, we recognize that we truly couldn’t do this work without you, and as such, we ask for your continued support.
With this annual funding request, we also invite you to join us as we celebrate a quarter-century of sustainable growth and conservation success. Here we share our Annual Report –in this report, we summarize our 2025 activities within the context of a 25-year organizational retrospective. Since our incorporation in 2000, KBO has grown from a regional monitoring effort into a premier bird conservation resource for the Pacific Northwest and a recognized leader both nationally and internationally.
Today, your support will help us continue to leverage our science through conservation initiatives to protect and restore habitats for our most at-risk forest birds. Funds from this campaign will be invested in our most valued asset –our dedicated staff and the partner organizations we work alongside.
KBO’s vital work is made possible through cooperative agreements, visionary funders, and dedicated supporters like you. As we launch this seasonal fundraising drive, please consider making a contribution to help us fly into our next quarter-century.
Looking for a memorable summer outing for the whole family? Join Klamath Bird Observatory for a unique, fun, and family-friendly visit to a bird banding station near beautiful Upper Klamath Lake!
During this half-day field outing on August 21st, you will have the chance to learn about resident and migratory birds and see some of them up close. Participants will meet KBO scientists and bird banding interns, learn how bird banding supports conservation science, and get a behind-the-scenes look at field research in action.
This is a wonderful opportunity for families, students, young birders, and anyone curious about birds, wildlife, or conservation. Young people interested in careers in wildlife biology, ornithology, ecology, or outdoor fieldwork will especially enjoy seeing how scientists collect data and study birds in the field.
Each outing is donation-based, with a suggested donation of $0 to $75 for this special experience. We especially encourage young folks and students to attend.
The event runs from 6:00 am to noon, including driving time. We will carpool from Ashland. The banding station is about 1.5 hours from Ashland. If you are coming from the Klamath Falls area, we can arrange to meet you at Rocky Point instead of Ashland.
Please bring snacks, water, and any other drinks you may need. Wear sturdy shoes and dress in layers, as it will likely be cool in the early morning.
Klamath Bird Observatory invites bird photographers and those who would like to become bird photographers to a comprehensive fall bird photography workshop in Ashland, Oregon, from September 24–28, 2026. The series includes five afternoon workshops and four full days of guided field trips.
The workshop begins Thursday, September 24, from 4:00–6:00 p.m. with a session covering composition, camera settings, and techniques for photographing perched birds and birds in flight. Following Friday’s field trip, participants will upload photographs to a computer or external hard drive, efficiently review and select images, and prepare files for processing. The session will also include further discussion of bird photography strategies.
After Saturday’s field trip, participants will process photographs in Adobe Lightroom. While Lightroom will be used for demonstrations, the concepts will apply to most photo-editing programs. Sunday’s field trip will be followed by a hands-on editing session, with experienced photographers available to offer assistance and suggestions. The workshop will conclude on Monday with a final field trip and an informal presentation of photographs taken by participants during the week, followed by a question-and-answer period.
The workshop is camera-, computer-, and software-agnostic. Presenter Marty Karlin will demonstrate techniques using a Nikon camera, Mac computer, and Lightroom, but KBO associates familiar with a variety of camera brands, computer platforms, and editing programs will also be available to assist.
Participants should have some photography experience and a basic understanding of camera settings, including ISO, shutter speed, aperture, and, ideally, exposure compensation. Please bring your camera to Thursday’s workshop. For the remaining sessions, participants with photo-processing software are encouraged to bring a fully charged laptop, mouse, card reader, and/or external hard drive. Please make sure all equipment is fully charged before each session.
Participants without a laptop or editing software are still welcome to attend. You may sit with another participant or follow along with the instructor’s presentation. Marty will also assign a small amount of pre-workshop homework to help everyone prepare.
For the field trips, bring your camera, your longest lens, and a teleconverter if you have one. A lens of 500mm or longer is highly recommended for bird photography. Participants who do not own a long lens may want to consider renting equipment through Lensrentals or other rental options.
Participants will be divided into two or three field groups, depending on enrollment. Each group will have a birding guide and photography consultant and will visit a different location each day. Over the four field days, participants will explore several birding hotspots in Jackson and Klamath counties, with an emphasis on finding good opportunities to observe and photograph birds at a respectful distance.
Groups will remain in communication throughout the day so that unusual or exciting sightings can be shared. Many participants are accomplished birders and photographers who are eager to share their knowledge and experience. Bird photography takes a village, and we have one.
Participants should bring their own lunches, beverages, and snacks for each field day.
Learn camera settings and practical techniques for photographing bird portraits and birds in flight.
Friday, September 25
8:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
Guided field trip with opportunities to practice composition, camera settings, and field techniques.
4:00–6:00 p.m.
Upload, organize, select, and prepare photographs for processing.
Saturday, September 26
8:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
Guided field trip to continue practicing bird photography techniques in the field.
4:00–6:00 p.m.
Introduction to processing and editing photographs in Lightroom.
Sunday, September 27
8:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
Guided field trip focused on building skills and capturing images for the afternoon work session.
4:00–6:00 p.m.
Participant processing session with time to edit photographs and receive assistance.
Monday, September 28
8:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
Final guided field trip and opportunity to put the week’s lessons into practice.
4:00–6:00 p.m.
Participant presentations featuring selected photographs from the workshop.
Please note: Some field trips may begin as early as 6:00 a.m., including potential outings to photograph Great Gray Owls or visit locations in Klamath County. Participants will receive advance notice of any schedule changes.
Location: The afternoon sessions will be held at the KBO office in Ashland, Oregon.
Marty has worked with technology and the digital world since the mid 1980s. He started teaching in the 1960s, and used technology extensively in the classroom since the 1980s. He taught in the education department at St Mary’s College in California during the 1980s. His latest paid gig was as Coordinator of Instructional Technology at Southern Oregon ESD. These days, and for the past 20 years, you can find him with Terry, his better half, behind a camera, out in the field somewhere where she’s the brains and he the tool. The primary purpose of his photography has been to document the photographically cooperative birds they have seen. Incorporating artistic aspects into those pictures has become a natural extension. See his Smugmug website for their latest endeavors including a trip to Finland and Northern Norway at mrtk.smugmug.com.
Bird and Photography Guides:
Shannon Rio
Jim Livaudais
Nick Viani
Keeley Kirkendall
Marty Karlin
Cost: This is a fundraising event for the Klamath Bird Observatory, and donations will be accepted on a sliding scale from $500 to $ 1,000. Please donate what you can to support bird and habitat conservation. This is a non-refundable event.
Space is limited, so early registration is encouraged.
Klamath Bird Observatory Senior Research Biologist Dr. Sarah Rockwell recently joined the Hannah and Erik Go Birding podcast to discuss the Oregon Vesper Sparrow and KBO’s efforts to better understand and conserve this imperiled bird. During the episode, Sarah introduces listeners to this modest-looking grassland sparrow and explains how its population can help us understand the health of the habitats it depends on throughout its annual cycle.
Sarah leads KBO’s Oregon Vesper Sparrow research program, which examines the birds’ nest success, survival, habitat use, migration, and wintering locations. Since 2018, KBO and its partners have used tools ranging from nest monitoring and color bands to lightweight tracking tags to investigate the causes of the subspecies’ decline and identify conservation actions that can support its recovery.
Listen to the full episode, “Monitoring Oregon Vesper Sparrows,” on Hannah and Erik Go Birding, to hear Sarah share what researchers are learning about these remarkable birds and why continued monitoring matters. You can also directly support this research through KBO’s Adopt-a-Tag program, which helps fund the tracking technology used to uncover where Oregon Vesper Sparrows travel beyond their breeding grounds.
This 2025 Annual Report celebrates Klamath Bird Observatory’s 25 years of advancing bird conservation through science, education, and partnerships. The report brings together highlights from across KBO’s programs, including bird banding, point counts, riparian bird studies, GPS tracking, professional development, outreach, education, and published research. Together, these stories and numbers show how long-term monitoring, hands-on training, and community engagement help turn bird observations into meaningful conservation action.
This report is important because it documents both KBO’s impact in 2025 and the foundation built over the past 25 years. Long-term datasets, international training opportunities, regional partnerships, and community programs all help inform better habitat management, support the next generation of conservation leaders, and connect more people to birds and the places they need to thrive. It is also a thank-you to the donors, partners, volunteers, interns, staff, and community members who make this work possible.
Top Photo: Nashville Warbler taken by Frank Lospalluto
Finn and Elise are carrying a new type of solar-powered BlūBird tag developed by Cellular Tracking Technologies. Rather than recording GPS locations, these lightweight tags repeatedly broadcast unique digital signals that can be detected by compatible receiving stations and participating smartphones through Bluetooth. The receiving device supplies an approximate location and sends the detection to an online tracking system, allowing researchers to follow the birds’ progress soon after detections occur. This is the first time this type of tag has been used to track western Purple Martins.
