The 2023 banding season is over, and our staff have had time to breathe. Meet our new Banding Program Manager, Lucinda, and Martin, Lead Bander, to learn about KBO’s international banding program and internships. Plus, we will have some surprise intern Zoom pop-ins who will tell us their stories. Come learn about why bird banding is such an important tool for bird conservation and the amazing people who do this work.
Join us on November 30th from 4-7 pm for a dinner party potluck-style with the past attendees of the fundraising Brazil trip at a home in Ashland, OR. They are eager to share their personal stories and photos. This is an excellent opportunity to learn more about the upcoming trip on August 20th-29, 2024. This is a potluck-style dinner with food provided by past trip attendees.
Exposure to the beauty of the land of Brazil along with contributing to conservation made this a trip of a lifetime. Each Brazilian person we met was an inspiration in terms of their commitment to birding and protection of birds and landscape. – Shannon Rio
Sarah Rockwell checking nest boxes with the box remover tool (c) Sam Webb
This spring marked the 4th year of our Purple Martin project. Klamath Bird Observatory has partnered with USFS and USGS to learn more about the western subspecies of Purple Martin. Our goal this year was to place GPS tags on 8 adult Purple Martins in order to track their migration routes and learn more about where they spend the winter.
Prior to banding, our crew boated out to check the nest boxes at the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers (USACE) Fern Ridge Reservoir to determine which were being used by Purple Martins. We checked each box for nesting activity so that we knew which ones were the most likely to have an adult Purple Martin roosting in it for the night.
Purple Martins naturally nest in cavities or old nest holes in snags or dying trees originally created by woodpeckers. Nesting locations become limited when snags are removed, or other bird species outcompete for nesting areas. The nest poles and boxes at Fern Ridge were made by USACE to provide Purple Martins with structures to roost and build their nests in. Designed to be removed with a unique tool, these nest boxes allow us to carefully bring them down, check for eggs or chicks, and catch adults.
While we were out checking nest boxes in the daytime, we took the opportunity to band any chicks that were old enough with a red band that had three easy-to-read numbers and an aluminum federal band. This will allow us to resight those individuals next year and learn more about the return rate of young Purple Martins or learn where else they might return to for their first breeding season.
Collaborator Joan Hagar of USGS banding a Purple Martin nestling (c) Sam Webb
After determining which nest boxes were likely to have adult Purple Martins roosting in them that night, we returned at dusk to try to catch and band the adults. We did this by floating quietly up to the poles and standing in the bow platform to quickly block as many cavity entrances as we could reach without the adults escaping. Once we caught an adult, we carefully took it out of the box and banded it using an aluminum federal band and the 3-numbered red band. We took additional measurements, looking at the health and size of the adult before choosing an appropriately sized GPS tag.
Sarah Rockwell and Sam Webb banding adult Purple Martin (c) Daniel Farrar
We fitted the GPS tag on the adult by slipping one loop of a harness made of stretchy jewelry cord around each of its legs and placing the tag on its back, similar to wearing a backpack. After the adult was banded and received its GPS tag, we double-checked the harness fit, carefully placed the martin back in its nest box, and set it back into position.
Adult male Purple Martin with its GPS tag (c) Sarah Rockwell
The following day, we paddled out once more to resight the adults that we banded the previous night. We spent time at each nest box to confirm that the adults still had their tags from the previous night and were comfortably delivering food to their young as usual.
These GPS tags that each Purple Martin received will take a location point every few days for up to the next year (depending on battery life) while the individual migrates to and from its wintering grounds. Due to its lightweight and compact size, the GPS tag is only able to collect location coordinates but not send them. Next year, we will return to find the adults with tags and catch them to retrieve the tags and data. Little is known about the migration route of the west coast population of Purple Martins or where they spend the winter. These data are critical for understanding their complete life cycle and for informing conservation efforts across their entire range. To read more about our first returnee and where she went, click here!
Our 2023 field efforts were supported by the Greenfield Hartline Habitat Conservation Fund and the Purple Martin Conservation Association.
November (December) can be a great time of year to enjoy raptor viewing in the picturesque Klamath Basin! Please join KBO board members Amanda Alford and Dick Ashford on Saturday, December 9th, for a fun, day-long hawk-watching outing to Butte Valley and the lower Klamath Basin. We’ll look for resident and early-wintering hawks, falcons, eagles, and harriers (and there are possibilities for an owl or two 😊). We’ll depart Ashland at 8 AM and return around 5ish. Limited to 14 attendees, $40 per person. This will allow us to carpool (a must!) in 4 vehicles. We’re looking forward to seeing you in the Field Of Wonder!
Instructor & Trip Leader
Dick Ashford served on the KBO Board from 2005-2014, with two terms as Board President (2007-2009, 2010-2013). He also served on the board of the American Birding Association from 2007-2013 (Chair 2009-2010).
Dick describes himself as a continuing student of birds and birding. He gives raptor presentations to community groups in both Oregon and California and volunteers as a birding tour leader for several organizations. He especially enjoys leading hawk-watching trips to Oregon’s Klamath Basin and is the originator of the San Francisco Bay Flyway Festival’s famous “Hawk Heaven” outings. He has taught a Hawk ID Workshop at the annual Winter Wings Festival in Klamath Falls for over 10 years.
Klamath Bird Observatory follows CDC guidelines. KBO events are being offered with COVID-19 safety as KBO’s primary concern. Proof of vaccination will be required for all in-person participants. All individuals attending an event must also fill out the Waiver of Liability form. Please do not attend the event if you are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms. Masks are not required but wear based on comfortability.
Each spring, KBO conducts a large-scale point count surveying effort to collect data on abundance, habitat use, and bird communities. Many species can only be surveyed during their breeding season when they establish territories and are easily detected by their unique songs. To take advantage of this, our point count surveys take place within a narrow window during the spring breeding season. With the help of a fantastic team of seasonal point count technicians, KBO completed another successful season of surveys this year.
This spring, our surveyors conducted a total of 2101 point counts over 214 survey days. Much of this work was related to long-term monitoring of avian populations and ecological restoration projects. These projects align with KBO’s goals to understand changes to bird communities and to provide conservation relevant science to resource managers.
Meadow Lark by Frank Lospalluto
Our long-term monitoring projects include partnerships with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the National Park Service (NPS). Our partnership with the BLM includes ongoing surveys within the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument in southern Oregon and large-scale monitoring of bird populations in eastern Oregon as a part of the Integrated Monitoring in Bird Conservation Regions (IMBCR) program. With over 1,000 detections, Western Meadowlarks continue to be one of our most frequently observed species on our IMBCR surveys. Other notable species include Horned Lark, Sagebrush Sparrow, and Gray Flycatcher, each of which was detected several hundred times on our surveys.
Pinyon Jay by Eric Gropp
In partnership with the NPS, we also completed our 15th year of point count surveys in national parks of the Klamath-Siskiyou region. Our surveyors visited the Lava Beds National Monument and Redwoods National and State Parks in northern California. At Redwoods National and State Parks, our most commonly detected species were the Pacific-slope Flycatcher (Western Flycatcher) and the Pacific Wren. Notably, in Lava Beds National Monument, our surveyors had several Pinyon Jay detections. These birds, which are under federal review for listing under the Endangered Species Act, are known for foraging on the seeds of the eponymous pinyon pine and are currently suffering a dramatic population decline. The Pinyon jay’s decline is thought to be the result of a loss of suitable pinyon-juniper habitat.
Veery by Frank Lospalluto
This year, our restoration surveying work took our technicians across Oregon and into Northern California. One of our largest restoration projects in the Northern Blues Mountains included surveys across the Umatilla and Wallowa-Whitman National Forests of Northeastern Oregon in partnership with the United States Forest Service (USFS). Our surveyors also visited regions of Northern California, southern Oregon, and Portland to survey oak, riparian, and aspen restoration sites. Notably, this year marked the initiation of an oak restoration monitoring project as part of an ongoing partnership with the Upper Rogue Oak Initiative. This partnership is focused on restoring and maintaining healthy oak woodlands within the region. With more than 500 detections each, Western Tanagers, Yellow-rumped Warblers, and American Robins were the most frequently seen species on our restoration projects. Our surveyors also had several exciting encounters with more uncommon species, including the American Three-toed Woodpecker, Northern Goshawk (American Goshawk), and Veery.
We’d like to give a big shout-out to our fantastic team of point count surveyors this year. They worked tirelessly to collect high-quality data about our bird communities while navigating life in the field. Our science team is happy to have another successful point count season on the books, and we are looking forward to learning more from the data we have collected.
Please join KBO board members Dick Ashford and Amanda Alford for a hawk-finding outing to beautiful Scott Valley, CA! October should show the early signs of raptor migration in the area; we will search for newly arrived migrants, birds just passing through, and local residents.
We’ll learn about and identify the raptors we see along our route, taking us from just north of Fort Jones south to Etna, crisscrossing the valley as we go. The tour will be conducted at a leisurely pace with time to watch individual raptors and (hopefully) enjoy observing behavior, such as hunting, feeding, and inter and intra-specific interactions. There are no guarantees (it’s a natural show), but Dick will have scouted the area beforehand to locate the best spots. The image above is that of a bird Dick observed south of Fort Jones. Can you guess its ID?
Please be sure to dress comfortably and bring lunch and liquids. Most of our birding will be from the roadside, and walking will be minimal. And, as is our custom, we will not have a formal lunch stop but will eat as the birds do – all day long!
We’ll depart Ashland at 8 AM and return around 5-ish. Because of the narrow farm roads, we are limiting this trip to just 10 attendees. We will carpool (a must!) in 3 vehicles.
Cost: $40 per person
Date: October 21st
We’re looking forward to seeing you in the Field Of Wonder!
Klamath Bird Observatory (KBO) follows Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines, and as such, KBO events are offered with COVID-19 safety as a primary concern. Proof of “up-to-date” vaccination will be required for all in-person participants. Upon registration, all individuals attending an in-person event must also fill out KBO’s COVID Release Form and Waiver of Liability. Paper copies may also be available at an event upon advanced request. Please do not attend the event if you are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms.
CONTACT: Elva Manquera-DeShields, Science Communications and Outreach Manager, Klamath Bird Observatory, 541‐908-0040, ejm@KlamathBird.org
This press release was first published on the Forest Service and United States Department of Agriculture website.
Photo Credits USDA Forest Service photo by Frank Lake Western Klamath Restoration Partnership prescribed fire at Roger’s Creek near Somes Bar, California, June 2023.
Pacific Southwest Research Station and Klamath Bird Observatory ecologists recently published new findings about using life cycles of culturally significant birds to inform the timing of prescribed burns in the Klamath Siskiyou Bioregion of Northern California and southern Oregon. The research was a collaborative effort with partners from the Karuk Tribe Department of Natural Resources, Michigan Technological University, and others.
The team studied bird banding data from 11 different species collected over 22 years. Focusing on birds that have cultural significance to local tribes, such as orange-crowned warblers, researchers gathered information about their life cycles. Birds expend a lot of energy during molting and breeding seasons, which leaves them more vulnerable to threats such as fire.
Michigan Technological University Assistant Professor and the paper’s co-author, Jared Wolfe, stated that “we found, in general, breeding tends to start near the beginning of April in the redwood forests, and later, towards the end of April, in coastal regions and along the Klamath and Trinity rivers.”
Birds have long been integral to tribal ways of life and part of indigenous knowledge but have suffered population losses. Devastating wildfires fueled by climate change and other factors have caused some western bird species to plummet. Prescribed burns can benefit these birds by helping restore forest ecosystems. However, when prescribed burns take place during birds’ molting and breeding seasons, they can cause unintentional harm.
Klamath Bird Observatory Executive Director and the paper’s co-author, John Alexander, explained that “our research results provide more precise guidance that can inform the timing of prescribed burns based on birds’ breeding and molting seasons.”
Researchers found cultural burning practices, which coincide with natural seasonal cycles, likely pose fewer threats to birds.
Pacific Southwest Research Station Ecologist, Tribal Liaison, Karuk tribal descendant, and the paper’s co-author, Frank Lake, emphasized that “this research can guide land management decisions to better align with traditional tribal burning practices that consider culturally significant birds.”
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The Klamath Bird Observatory (KBO) is a non-profit organization that advances bird and habitat conservation through science, education, and partnerships. Working in the Pacific Northwest and throughout the ranges of migratory birds KBO emphasizes high-caliber science and the role of birds as indicators to inform and improve natural resource management. KBO also nurtures an environmental ethic through community outreach and education.
Headquartered in Albany, California, the Pacific Southwest Research Station is part of the U.S. Forest Service’s Research and Development branch, developing and communicating science to sustain forest ecosystems and other benefits to nature and society. Pacific Southwest Research Station scientists are engaged in research across a network of experimental watersheds, ranges and forests, with research facilities in California, Hawaii and the U.S.-affiliated Pacific Islands. For Research and Development happenings, follow Pacific Southwest Research Station on X.
A fun, adventurous, and engaging way to support bird and habitat conservation beyond borders
Jaime Stephens, KBO Director of Conservation and Luiza Figueira, Mantiqueira Bird Observatory Executive Director
We invite you to join the directors of Klamath Bird Observatory and Mantiqueira Bird Observatory for a 10-day adventure exploring the Atlantic Forest of southeastern Brazil. The trip will be held August 13-22, 2025. During the trip, you will:
Visit natural landscapes and enjoying scenic places;
Hike through a diversity of habitats;
Observe birds and wildlife in nature;
Experience local culture;
Learn about birds, bird observatories, and international conservation;
Support Klamath Bird Observatory and Mantiqueira Bird Observatory science based conservation beyond borders intern exchange program
Klamath Bird Observatory is well known for its broad international reach, focusing on partnerships and capacity building across the ranges of our shared birds. KBO’s bird banding internship program has trained over 283 interns from more than 17 countries. OAMa is a fruit of this capacity-building program, which is now running its training program in Brazil. As part of the continued partnership between these two observatories, we are pleased to announce a new internship exchange program! After training in their home country, biologists will have the opportunity to visit and train at the other observatory. KBO will host a student from OAMa for three or six months each year, and OAMa will host a student from KBO for up to three months at their field station in Brazil, joining the local crew at the year-round bird monitoring on the Mantiqueira Highlands.
In addition to supporting the intern exchange program, this trip will fund OAMa’s banding station for an ENTIRE YEAR! That includes six interns and one banding coordinator. Currently, OAMa is the only banding training program in Brazil.
The cost is $5750 per person, including in-country transportation, single-occupancy lodging, and meals with limited alcoholic beverages – the flight to Brazil is not included. The cost with a double occupancy discount is $5250 per person.
A $ 3,500 deposit is required to reserve your seat. Final payment is due 6 months before departure. Both the deposit and final payment are non-refundable. A portion of the cost directly supports the intern exchange program between the two bird observatories and is tax-deductible. The maximum trip size is 12 participants; some activities will be split into smaller groups. We reserve the right to cancel before March 13th if the trip does not have a minimum number of attendees. Trip activities will include moderate walking, sometimes on uneven trails, and away from facilities for half to full days.
Registration for the 2025 trip is closed. If you are interested in traveling with KBO in the future, please fill out the form below and let us know. We will reach out with more information.
A fun, adventurous, and engaging way to support bird and habitat conservation beyond borders
Jaime Stephens, KBO Director of Conservation, and Luiza Figueira, Mantiqueira Bird Observatory Executive Director
We invite you to join the directors of Klamath Bird Observatory and Mantiqueira Bird Observatory for a 10-day adventure exploring the Atlantic Forest of southeastern Brazil. The trip will take place from September 3 to 12, 2026. During the trip, you will:
Visit natural landscapes and enjoy scenic places;
Hike through a diversity of habitats;
Observe birds and wildlife in nature;
Experience local culture;
Learn about birds, bird observatories, and international conservation;
Support Klamath Bird Observatory and Mantiqueira Bird Observatory science based conservation beyond borders intern exchange program
Klamath Bird Observatory is well known for its broad international reach, focusing on partnerships and capacity building across the ranges of our shared birds. KBO’s bird banding internship program has trained over 283 interns from more than 17 countries. OAMa is a fruit of this capacity-building program, which is now running its training program in Brazil. As part of the continued partnership between these two observatories, we are pleased to announce a new internship exchange program! After training in their home country, biologists will have the opportunity to visit and train at the other observatory. KBO will host a student from OAMa for three or six months each year, and OAMa will host a student from KBO for up to three months at their field station in Brazil, joining the local crew at the year-round bird monitoring on the Mantiqueira Highlands.
In addition to supporting the intern exchange program, this trip will fund OAMa’s banding station for an ENTIRE YEAR! That includes six interns and one banding coordinator. Currently, OAMa is the only banding training program in Brazil.
The cost is $ 6,000 per person, including in-country transportation, single-occupancy lodging, and meals with limited alcoholic beverages. The flight to Brazil is not included. The cost with a double occupancy discount is $5,500 per person.
A $ 3,500 deposit is required to reserve your seat. The final payment is due six months before departure. Both the deposit and final payment are non-refundable. A portion of the cost directly supports the intern exchange program between the two bird observatories and is tax-deductible. The maximum trip size is 12 participants; some activities will be split into smaller groups. We reserve the right to cancel the trip before March 1st if the minimum number of attendees is not met. Trip activities will include moderate walking, sometimes on uneven trails, and away from facilities for half to full days.
You are not going to want to miss this month’s events
Photo by Peter Thiemann
There is still time to sign up for the free hybrid Great Grey Owl talk by Harry Fuller. This is happening at the KBO office in Ashland on September 22nd at 6 p.m. and via Zoom. He will be selling his Great Grey Owl book and his most recent publication, Birding Harney County.
The last bird banding outing of the year is happening on September 28th. We will be traveling to the Upper Klamath to witness scientists in action. Fall migration is here, and you aren’t going to want to miss seeing these migrants up close and personal. This is great for bird lovers of all ages. Plus, your $75 donation helps support our intern program, which has hosted over 300 interns from around the world.
We are excited to welcome Wyatt Williams, Invasive Species Specialist with the Forest Health Unit of Oregon Department of Forestry, as the guest speaker for the KSON Quarterly meeting on September 21st from 1:00-2:30 (virtual).
Mediterranean oak borer, pest of oaks, arrives to Oregon — Mediterranean oak borer (MOB) is a tiny wood-boring ambrosia beetle that is a known pest of cork oak in Europe. Like other ambrosia beetles, MOB is a “fungus farmer” carrying various species of fungi from tree to tree, where it inoculates the wood in host trees and grows food for its developing larvae. Usually, ambrosia beetles are thought of as beneficial insects, as the decay fungi help break down and recycle large amounts of wood from fallen trees and branches. However, some fungal species turn out to be pathogenic to host trees, and in the case of MOB, one particular fungal associate, Raffaelea montetyii, is capable of killing some species of North American oaks. In 2018, an Oregon Department of Forestry insect trap picked up the first known MOB specimen in Oregon. Simultaneously in 2018, an unknown agent was killing hundreds of valley oak
(Quercus lobata) in central California. In 2019, the culprit was identified as MOB. Since 2019, researchers in California have verified in controlled experiments that the fungal species is capable of killing Oregon white oak. Since 2018, MOB has spread to three counties in California, killing thousands of valley oak. In Oregon, traps set by the Oregon Department of Agriculture confirms that the insect occurs in four counties of the Willamette Valley and earlier in 2023, the first infestation of Oregon white oak was observed at Sandy River Delta near Troutdale. State and federal agencies are on the lookout for additional infested trees. I will go over the signs and symptoms of MOB and its fungal associates, as well as introduce how to report oak trees to state authorities that are suspected of being attacked by MOB. The detection of MOB in Oregon, and indeed North America, is still relatively new, and we have a lot to learn. MOB could
develop into a major pest of Oregon white oak, or it could be another exotic species that will have moderate or low risk to oaks. We need more field data to assess the risk of MOB to Oregon white oak and other related species.
Dick Ashford served on the KBO Board from 2005-2014, with two terms as Board President (2007-2009, 2010-2013). He also served on the board of the American Birding Association from 2007-2013 (Chair 2009-2010).
The last bird banding outing of the year is happening on September 28th. We will be traveling to the Upper Klamath to witness scientists in action. Fall migration is here, and you aren’t going to want to miss seeing these migrants up close and personal. This is great for bird lovers of all ages. Plus, your $75 donation helps support our intern program, which has hosted over 300 interns from around the world.
We are excited to welcome Wyatt Williams, Invasive Species Specialist with the Forest Health Unit of Oregon Department of Forestry, as the guest speaker for the KSON Quarterly meeting on September 21st from 1:00-2:30 (virtual).