Author: Elva Manquera

Come learn about why you should travel to Brazil with KBO

Written by Elva Manquera on November 17, 2022. Posted in Klamath Call Note, Birds & Birding, Trips & Events.

It is still 2022, but we are planning for 2023! In April, KBO will be traveling to Brazil to spend time with Mantiqueira Bird Observatory (OAMa) and their fantastic team, Luiza and Pedro. Join us for a 10-day trip exploring the beauty of the Brazilian cloud forests, seeing exotic birds, discussing bird conservation with scientists from Brazil and KBO, bird banding in action, and eating delicious food. By attending this trip, you are donating to the intern exchange program between KBO and OAMa. Your donation helps cover the cost of travel, visa fees, stipend, and much more for an intern.

The trip is taking place April 12th – 20th. The cost is $5000 per person; this includes hotels, food (breakfast, lunch, dinner), and transportation. The only thing not included is airfare from the US to Brazil. A $2500 deposit is required to reserve your seat. Of the $5000 fee, $2500 is a taxable donation.

You can view an itinerary of the trip HERE. Subject to change.

Luiza will be hosting a presentation on November 20th at 5 pm to showcase all the amazing this we will see and do in Brazil and about OAMa. She will also be available to answer any questions about the trip. This in-person hybrid presentation will be held at the KBO office in Ashland and online via Zoom. To attend the presentation, please fill out the form below.

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 that will be emailed to you once you register for the event. Paper copies will be available at the event. Please do not attend the event if you are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms. Masks are not required but wear based on comfortability.

State of the Birds 2022 – There is hope for declining forest bird species

Written by Elva Manquera on November 16, 2022. Posted in Klamath Call Note, Conservation, KBO Partners, KBO Science.

Published by 33 leading science and conservation organizations and agencies, including Klamath Bird Observatory (KBO), the 2022 U.S. State of the Birds report presents state-of-the-art scientific results that show alarming declines in western forest birds, combined with stories about important partnerships that offer hopeful opportunities for restoring our bird populations. To help us tell the story about how sustained forest management investments in the Klamath Siskiyou Bioregion may benefit birds, we invited Executive Director Terry Fairbanks from the Southern Oregon Forest Restoration Collaborative (SOFRC) to provide a testimonial. KBO is bringing multiple voices to the table to coalesce around a forest conservation movement to ensure investment in forest restoration benefits birds and people.

View Terry’s Video HERE

KBO is collaborating with SOFRC to use birds as indicators of forest restoration progress. The 2022 State of the Birds Report shows where our Western Forest birds are declining, highlighting the Rogue Basin as a priority area of concern. As we restore our forest from years of fire suppression using birds to guide conservation action and evaluate restoration success, we are telling a complete ecosystem story. KBO Executive Director John Alexander, a contributor to the Report, gave a live interview with Jefferson Exchange host Geoffrey Riley, discussing this story. If you missed this interview, you can listen to it HERE.

To read the report, CLICK HERE or learn more about what the report tells us about birds in the Klamath Siskiyou Bioregion HERE.

Support ALL bird conservation by purchasing the Conservation Science Stamp set. Proceeds from this year’s Science Stamp support our international bird banding program. Bird banding data tell us if birds successfully breed in an area—indicating a healthy habitat. It also tells us if birds are surviving migration, information that informs international conservation efforts. Our partnerships with the University of Guadalajara and San Pancho Bird Observatory in Mexico help us study the full lifecycle of migratory birds, including this warbler. KBO’s bird banding internship program also helps us train the next generation of bird conservation leaders.

klamathbird.org/jprstateofthebirds2022

Hawk Talk and Walk 2023

Written by Elva Manquera on November 14, 2022. Posted in Klamath Call Note, Trips & Events.

January can be a great time to enjoy raptor viewing in the picturesque Klamath Basin! Please join longtime KBO board member Dick Ashford, who will share his enthusiasm and knowledge during an informative (and fun!) Hawk ID workshop.

On Jan 5th, a classroom lecture will be held from 6-8:30 PM in the KBO “Spa” at 2425 Siskiyou Blvd, Ashland. Then, enjoy a day-long outing to the Klamath Basin on Jan 7th. We’ll depart Ashland at 8 AM and return around 5-ish. To afford everyone the best possible experience, attendance is limited. We will carpool (a must!) in 4 vehicles of 4 people each.

Register using the form below

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. Everyone will be required to submit proof of vaccination. I appreciate your help in keeping us all safe in these challenging times!

Because this outing is so popular (Hawks have charisma!), early signup is recommended. Your seat will be confirmed upon receipt of your non-refundable, tax-deductible contribution of $75 per person. We’re looking forward to seeing you in the Field Of Wonder! Due to the workshop’s popularity, we ask that you attend both sessions. No “outing-only” signups. We’ll be looking forward to seeing you in the Field Of Wonder!

Cover photo Ferruginous Hawk by Frank Lospalluto

Instructor & Trip Leader

Dick Ashford has served on the KBO Board since 2005, 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). A continuing student of birds and birding, Dick especially enjoys leading hawk-watching trips to Oregon’s Klamath Basin. He has taught a Hawk ID Workshop at the annual Winter Wings Festival in Klamath Falls for over 10 years.

Western Purple Martin

Written by Elva Manquera on November 11, 2022. Posted in Conservation Science Projects.

The unique western subspecies of Purple Martin is of conservation concern, roughly estimated at just 3,500 pairs. There is little known about the Western Purple Martins compared to the more abundant eastern subspecies (Rockwell 2019). Previous studies using light-level geolocators have revealed that Eastern Purple Martins largely overwinter in the heavily forested Brazilian Amazon. Still, Western Purple Martins appear to use a different overwintering area in southeastern Brazil, which may be more impacted by agriculture (Fraser et al. 2012). However, these data come from only a small number of individuals breeding in British Columbia that may not represent the entire subspecies. It is unknown whether other western populations, including martins that nest in Oregon, follow the same pattern.

Further, light-level geolocator data have a larger margin of error and are not precise enough to identify specific roosting sites that may need protection (McKinnon and Love 2018). Archival GPS tags provide unprecedented precision in determining these locations. We are using this technology to track migratory routes and overwintering sites used by Western Purple Martins and identify potential conservation opportunities in the non-breeding season. A better understanding of overwintering locations and migratory stopover sites used by Western Purple Martins, as potential threats originating on the non-breeding grounds have been identified in a recent ISSSSP Conservation Assessment as key information gaps needed to target conservation actions (Rockwell 2019).

From 2020-2022, a small team of researchers from KBO, USFS, and USGS captured adult Western Purple Martins breeding in coastal Oregon at night while they roost in their nestboxes. We have captured martins on the Siuslaw National Forest and McKenzie River Trust lands. We band the birds and outfit them with lightweight archival GPS tags that fit like a backpack with two leg loops to track their movements. There’s just one catch – to have a battery small and lightweight enough for a small songbird to carry, the tags cannot transmit data, only store it. Returning tagged birds must be recaptured following a year-long round-trip migration to retrieve the tag and its precious geospatial data. Due to these challenges, most tracking studies of this type have relatively small sample sizes; nevertheless, they have revolutionized our understanding of bird migration. Precise data on the winter whereabouts of a few Western Purple Martin individuals are enormously important compared to the absence of any precise data that we had before this study. Our objectives are to find locations of roost sites used during migration and winter and use this information to identify conservation partners and actions that can be taken during the non-breeding season.

Our first recaptured martin flew almost 7,000 miles to southeastern Brazil and then back again! KBO has joined the International Purple Martin Working Group, which focuses mostly on Eastern Purple Martins, to include our western subspecies in research and conservation activities with partners in more tropical locales. Stay tuned!

This work is supported by the U.S. Forest Service, Purple Martin Conservation Association, and U.S. Geological Survey. Photos provided by Lorelle Sherman.

References
Fraser, K. C., B. J. M. Stutchbury, C. Silverio, P. M. Kramer, J. Barrow, D. Newstead, N. Mickle, B. F. Cousens, J. C. Lee, D. M. Morrison, T. Shaheen, et al. 2012. Continent-wide tracking to determine migratory connectivity and tropical habitat associations of a declining aerial insectivore. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 279:4901–4906.

McKinnon, E. A. and O. P. Love. 2018. Ten years tracking the migrations of small landbirds: Lessons learned in the golden age of bio-logging. The Auk 135:834-856.

Rockwell, S. M. 2019. Conservation Assessment for Purple Martin (Progne subis). Interagency Special Status/Sensitive Species Program Conservation Assessments. USDA Forest Service Region 6 and USDI Bureau of Land Management, Oregon and Washington, 73 p.

A Trip to Brazil Presentation

Written by Elva Manquera on November 10, 2022. Posted in Klamath Call Note.

Join Klamath Bird Observatory and Mantiqueira Bird Observatory (OAMa) for a presentation highlighting our FUNdraising trip to Brazil on April 12th-20th, 2023. Luiza, cofounder of OAMa, and Jaime, KBO Science Director, will present trip details and be available to help answer any questions about this fantastic opportunity on November 20th at 5 pm. This is a hybrid event with in-person being held at the KBO office. During this trip, you will bird with local scientists, visit beautiful national parks, participate in a photography workshop, and watch bird banding in action at OAMa. Register for the presentation on the form below. If you are interested in the trip to Brazil but cannot attend the presentation, you can reach out to Elva at ejm@klamathbird.org.

What this trip funds:

Klamath Bird Observatory is well known for its wide 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. The Mantiqueira Bird Observatory (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. The cost of this trip helps fund this amazing internship program for both organizations and the intern.

A non-refundable deposit of $2500 is required to reserve your seat. The trip cost is $5000 per person, total due February 10th. $2500 of the trip fees is a donation. The cost does not include airfare.

Here is a draft itinerary for the Brazil trip. Subject to change. Brazil Itinerary 2023

Presentation for 2023 Brazil Trip

Written by Elva Manquera on November 9, 2022. Posted in uncategorized.

The 2022 Banding Season is Over

Written by Elva Manquera on November 8, 2022. Posted in Klamath Call Note.

The KBO banding crew just finished another successful banding season! This year’s crew from across the world, captured over 5,000 birds throughout southern Oregon and demonstrated how much they learned by earning certifications at the Bander and Trainer levels from the North American Banding Council! Enjoy this short video highlighting this amazing team and the fantastic year they had. If you would like to help support future banding crew members and our long-term monitoring program you can donate to the Avian Internship Memorial Fund.

2021 Interns

Written by Elva Manquera on October 27, 2022. Posted in KBO Interns.

Banding Program

Nolan Clements
Victor Armando Sanchez Gonzalez
Molly Heal
Sam Webb

Vesper Sparrow Project

Mackenzie Morgan

News Release: Conservation Strategy for Landbirds in Sagebrush-Steppe and Riparian Habitats of Eastern OR and WA

Written by Elva Manquera on October 20, 2022. Posted in Klamath Call Note, Conservation, KBO Science, Press Room.

Sagebrush at Steens Mountain photo by Aaron Holmes

The updated Partners in Flight Conservation Strategy for Landbirds in Sagebrush-Steppe and Riparian Habitats of Eastern Oregon and Washington (Rockwell 2022) brings forward recommendations to assist the planning efforts and habitat management actions of land managers and stimulate monitoring and research to support landbird conservation. This document encompasses sagebrush-steppe, riparian, and unique habitats in several ecoregions including the Owyhee Uplands, Northern Great Basin (sometimes referred to as Basin and Range), and High Lava Plains in Oregon, the Palouse Prairie in Washington, and the Columbia Basin in Washington and Oregon but also including an extension up the Okanagan Valley to the Canadian border.

The primary goal of this document is to promote the long-term persistence of healthy populations of native landbirds and associated habitats and ecosystems. To facilitate that goal, the document describes steps in a process that emphasizes providing quantitative, prescriptive recommendations for the desired range of habitat types and habitat conditions needed for landbird conservation. Combining this with other land management priorities to best meet multiple objectives will aid in the prevention of the listing of landbird species as threatened or endangered.

The Partners in Flight conservation planning process uses focal bird species as indicators of habitat components, determines current and desired conditions, recommends prescribed habitat components, and implements monitoring to measure treatment effectiveness. Our strategy for achieving ecologically functional habitats for landbirds is described through the habitat requirements of 19 focal species. By managing a suite of species representative of important habitat components, many other species and elements of biodiversity will also be conserved.

This document is an update of Conservation Strategy for Landbirds in the Columbia Plateau of Eastern Oregon and Washington (Altman and Holmes 2000). In Version 2.0, the conservation issues and biological objectives for habitat attributes and their focal species are updated where needed based on new data. It is hoped that the presentation of these types of quantitative biological objectives will not only stimulate conservation action on the ground but also stimulate data collection and analyses to test the models and professional judgment used to develop the objectives.

You can view and download the full Partner’s in Flight Conservation Strategy for Landbirds in Sagebrush-Steppe and Riparian Habitats of Eastern OR and WA here

Nora R. Honkomp, M.S.

Written by Elva Manquera on March 11, 2025. Posted in KBO Staff.

BIOLOGIST Nora contributes to KBO’s Informatics and Avian Data Science Program. In this role, she provides support for the Avian Knowledge Network, works with partners to scope and develop data-driven decision support tools, and is involved in data analysis, reporting, and publications.

Nora received an MS in raptor biology from Boise State University in 2024, where she used community science data to explore the autumn migration timing of raptor species across North America and the potential effects of climate change on this annual event. Before starting with KBO, she continued working at BSU to assist researchers with data management and analysis. She received a BS in Zoology from Kent State University in 2021. Nora is grateful for many opportunities to work with nesting and migrating raptors, songbirds, and woodpeckers in the field throughout her education.