We invite you to join the Klamath Bird Observatory and the Mantiqueira Bird Observatory for a once-in-a-lifetime journey into the heart of Brazil’s Atlantic Forest. From September 3–12, 2026, this 10-day adventure offers the perfect blend of birding, culture, and conservation impact.
This is more than a trip; it’s a chance to support science-based conservation beyond borders while experiencing one of the world’s most biodiverse regions.
Klamath Bird Observatory (KBO) has launched a new webpage that brings its conservation travel program to life. Designed for nature lovers, birders, and eco-conscious explorers, this page showcases how every journey with KBO supports science, education, and habitat restoration. Whether you’re a seasoned birder or a curious traveler, these trips offer a rare chance to connect deeply with birds, landscapes, and the people working to protect them. Check out what trips we have coming up in 2026 and secure your spot before they are gone.
Three years ago, KBO launched a travel program. Our small-group, conservation-focused journeys are led by expert guides and designed to inspire, educate, and directly support our mission. I have just returned from co-leading a 10-day trip with my colleagues at the Mantiqueira Bird Observatory in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil. The trip itinerary blends birding and nature exploration with cultural experiences, as well as opportunities to observe scientific research and conservation in the field. This trip helps raise funds for the intern exchange program between our two bird observatories, allowing us to advance science while training the next generation of field biologists.
Each fall, as raptors ride the thermals along the Modoc Rim, a dedicated group of observers gathers to witness one of nature’s great migrations. This year’s Hawk Watch will take place on Friday, September 26, from 9 AM to 3 PM, and we invite you to be part of it.
This annual event is held in honor of Patricia Buettner, a visionary biologist whose early support helped launch Klamath Bird Observatory’s Upper Klamath Field Station. Patty’s legacy lives on through the Avian Internship Memorial Fund (AIM Fund), which supports KBO’s long-running internship program.
In celebration of International Women’s Month, we would like to introduce you to some of the amazing women who make up the KBO Data Science Team. Here, they respond to a series of questions about their experience as women in science.
Join the Klamath Bird Observatory (KBO) in celebrating International Women in Science Day. We will host a presentation by Mantiqueira Bird Observatory (OAMa) founder and Executive Director Luiza Figueira on February 10th, from 5:30 pm to 7 pm. This presentation is for anyone interested in supporting women in science, learning about bird and habitat conservation in Brazil, or learning more about the international trip. It is free and will have a hybrid option. The in-person portion will be held at the KBO office in Ashland, and we will have light refreshments. There will also be a Zoom option for those unable to attend in person. The Zoom presentation will start at 5:45 p.m.
Wild Birds Unlimited in Medford is a friend to birds and a Klamath Bird Observatory business sponsor. Now, not only can you buy bird seed and bird-friendly coffee at Wild Birds Unlimited, but you can also pick up your Bottle Drop blue bag for KBO. Helping you achieve three of the 7 simple actions to help birds; birdifying your yard, drinking bird-friendly coffee, and recycling.
In 2023, KBO with with research colleague Linda Long, Frank Lake, Karuk Tribal Department of Natural Resources, Michigan Technological University, and others to publish new findings on how life cycles of culturally significant birds could inform the timing of prescribed fire. On May 17th 2024, Hilary Clark a Public Affairs Specialist for the Forest Service at the Pacific Southwest Research Station wrote this wonderful article on the work that of these partners. This KBO article is a reposting of Hilary’s article originally posted on the USDA website. The original link can be found in the article.
On February 23rd, Klamath Siskiyou Oak Network was featured in the Rogue Valley Times. A $13-million effort to restore health to oak tree habitat in the Lake Creek area east of White City and near the Table Rocks north of Medford is in its second year.
So far, the thinning of conifers that were competing with oaks has taken place on about 200 acres near Lake Creek and on 100 acres near the Table Rocks. The community of Lake Creek is located about 12 miles east of White City, near the foothills of the Cascade Mountains.
The work, known as the Upper Rogue Oak Initiative, is due to take place on 3,650 acres — nearly 6 square miles — of private and public land, all but 250 acres of it near Lake Creek. Partners include state and federal agencies, along with conservation organizations, functioning under an umbrella group known as the Klamath Siskiyou Oak Initiative.
The project is slated to take six years to complete.
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.
