KBO Partners

Camas National Wildlife Refuge protects over 4300 hectares of land in the high desert of eastern Idaho. In parts of the Refuge, native sagebrush plant communities are being overtaken by non-native Crested Wheatgrass, an invasive species that is degrading the imperiled sagebrush-steppe ecosystems that span the North American Great Basin. In a recently published paper, a research team including KBO scientists demonstrates how Refuge data that identifies suites of indicators and the HABPOPS tool are used to meet conservation design objectives that have been prioritized for large-scale, multi-partner efforts to restore and protect sagebrush-steppe habitats in the United States.

The Bureau of Land Management is excited to announce that KBO has been selected to receive the BLM’s national Conservation Partner Award. KBO has partnered with the BLM Medford District for more than 20 years and has been instrumental in applying avian science to inform public lands management and conservation. Click to learn more about KBO’s award-winning work!

Klamath Bird Observatory and Lomakatsi Restoration Project, with support from six other local partner organizations, have released a new guide for streamside landowners interested in implementing restoration projects to improve wildlife habitat and stream health. “Restoring Riparian Habitats in Southern Oregon and Northern California: A Guide for Private Landowners” includes information on birds and wildlife that use riparian habitats, detailed restoration guidelines, who to contact for technical or financial help when initiating a project, and how to identify common riparian birds and use them to monitor restoration progress. Are you interested in learning more about streamside habitat or starting a riparian restoration project on your land? Click to learn more and to download the guide.

In a new collaborative study in Ecography, Migratory Connectivity Project researchers sought to identify pinch points in Common Nighthawk migratory connectivity across the species’ annual cycle. Three Common Nighthawks tagged by KBO’s field team transmitted data that contributed to the research findings. Click to learn more and to watch a vibrant animation of nighthawk migration routes.

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!

Klamath Bird Observatory is accepting applications for our 2021 field season! We are seeking Point Count Technicians to complete point count surveys throughout the diverse and beautiful region of southern Oregon and northern California. Technicians will work for multiple projects consisting of monitoring effects of oak and stream restoration and long-term monitoring in both private and public lands. We are also seeking Bird Banding Interns to participate in our long-term landbird monitoring program. This position requires independent drive and patience for the travails of field work but also affords an amazing opportunity to build practical experience in field biology and master a variety of bird monitoring and research skills in a beautiful part of the country. Click to learn more!

Oak ecosystems in the Pacific Northwest are highly biodiverse and host more than 300 vertebrate species; yet a significant proportion of historic oak ecosystems in the region have been lost, and most remaining habitat is in a degraded state. Songbirds that are closely associated with oak ecosystems have experienced concerning declines, which is one of the reasons why research and restoration in oak habitats are priorities in our region. A new study from Klamath Bird Observatory describes a restoration and monitoring project that sought to reduce factors that stress oak trees and improve functioning in oak-associated plant communities. The researchers studied the effectiveness of the oak restoration by monitoring birds both before and after oak restoration.

KBO’s resilience is inspired by the support we receive from our donors who believe in our work to advance bird and habitat conservation through science, education, and partnerships. In 2020, as the Covid pandemic challenged all of us, KBO showed our resilience, adapting to the novel circumstances. Giving Tuesday is December 1st, and this year we ask that you help us with our continued efforts to protect birds and the places in nature that they need to survive. Please consider making an end-of-year donation to KBO.

In 2019, KBO partnered with the Bureau of Land Management to initiate a new long-term bird monitoring project in eastern Oregon as part of the Integrated Monitoring for Bird Conservation Regions (IMBCR) program. Our fieldwork brought us far from our home in Ashland, Oregon to monitor birds in the sagebrush habitats of eastern Oregon, stretching KBO’s point count program out all the way to the Idaho border!

A new report published by the Western Hummingbird Partnership, “Rufous Hummingbird: State of the Science and Conservation,” illuminates in colorful images and graphics the biology and ecology of this tiny dynamo and highlights the many gaps in information that impede our ability to effectively protect it.