KBO Family

To align KBO’s staffing to meet this forest bird conservation need, we are developing a new conservation delivery program area to help us further focus and scale up our efforts to translate science into even more conservation action. This new program area is poised for success because Jaime Stephens, who has been a leader at KBO for over 20 years, will be taking on a new role as KBO’s first Director of Conservation. Jaime has served as KBO’s long-time Science Director for many years, leading our extensive monitoring and research efforts. As the Science Director, Jaime has worked tirelessly to develop the partnerships and deliver our science, helping to grow KBO’s direct involvement in on-the-ground conservation efforts. These efforts have reached a level that warrants the creation of this new position.

Our board of directors volunteer their time and experience to help us care for the Klamath Bird Observatory. In that light, Lisa Michelbrink has shown exemplary leadership over the last few years. Always rolling up her sleeves and taking on whatever job needs to be done. These jobs include large scale fundraising events, leading the transition of our fundraising through the pandemic, and actively engaging with the bird banding program. For this, we are excited to award Lisa the 2021 Bullock’s Rose Oriole Award.

Thank you to everyone that attended Birding Beyond Borders. A special thank you goes to Shannon Rio and Luiza Figueira for presenting about the amazing connection that Klamath Bird Observatory has with Observatório de Aves da Mantiqueira and how this international connection is a great model for bird conservation across the globe. If you missed this presentation you can watch the Zoom recording by following the link. 

The Mantiqueira Bird Observatory, in partnership with the Klamath Bird Observatory, invites you for a free online magical trip to the Atlantic Forest of Southeast Brazil. The presentation is on February 24th, 6 pm – 7 pm PT. There you will learn about their tropical birds and conservation efforts. In a live presentation, Luiza Figueira, former KBO’s intern, and current OAMa’s executive director will talk about the development of the bird observatory in Brazil, their research and outreach projects to promote bird conservation. You will also be led through a diversity of local birds and will “walk” the trails in the tropical forests where OAMa does the long-term bird monitoring. Click to register for the event.

The Klamath Bird Observatory family, would like to congratulate Laura Fleming on her Friend to the Environment Award (even though it may be a little late). Laura, owner of the Medford, Wild Birds Unlimited store received the prestigious Friend to the Environment Award in 2019, at the annual meeting of the Wild Birds Unlimited franchisees. Laura is a past board member and a continued supporter of the Klamath Bird Observatory.

Patty Buettner’s Family and friends have established this annual fund in her honor. During her life, Patty was personally and professionally committed to wildlife conservation and made significant contributions to the field. Among them was her formative influence on the creation of the Klamath Bird Observatory.

KBO is seeking applicants for two new full time positions — 1) Restoration Ecologist and Partnerships Coordinator and 2) Science Delivery, Communications, Outreach, & DEI Program Manager. We encourage applicants who are interested in science-driven conservation and who want to become a contributing member of our collaborative team of kind, loyal, passionate, supportive, dedicated, and understanding colleagues. 

Klamath Bird Observatory is proud to present this special webinar with KBO Board Member, former PEANUTS director, and accomplished animator Larry Leichliter. During Larry’s live-action tutorial, you can try your hand at creating a simple animation of Snoopy, the lovable canine character from the PEANUTS cartoon, and his feathered pal Woodstock. Tickets are available for a donation in the amount of your choosing. Suggested Donation: $10.00.

The North American Chapter of the International Association of Landscape Ecology has selected a paper by KBO Research Biologist Kate Halstead and colleagues, published in the journal Landscape Ecology, as the recipient of the 2021 Outstanding Paper in Landscape Ecology Award. The nominator for the award recognized the paper as outstanding for several reasons, one of which is the fact that it grapples with one of “the most salient and fundamental questions in landscape ecology and conservation science: the relative importance of habitat loss vs. fragmentation on species richness”. The work was carried out in the Rouge Basin watershed of the Klamath Mountains Ecoregion, and the nominator noted that the author’s “methodology is rigorous, innovative and powerful”. Click to learn more.

At our holiday staff party this year, we recorded a special message for our partners and supporters. Thank you for your partnership and generosity, and we look forward to seeing you in 2021!