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.
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.
A recent article in BirdWatching Magazine by Oregonian Marina Richie features high-tech bird tracking projects, including KBO partnership projects that track Vesper Sparrows and Lewis’s Woodpeckers with Motus technology. Click to learn more.
SCIENCE BRIEF: Study of sagebrush bird communities yields valuable tools for setting habitat restoration objectives and measuring restoration effectiveness
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.
We are seeking one Field Technician and one Intern to help conduct our Oregon Vesper Sparrow demography research this summer.. KBO is contributing to a range-wide study to understand causes of decline in this imperiled subspecies. Primary duties will include nest-searching and monitoring, color band resighting, vegetation surveys, and data entry. This is a great opportunity to camp and work in the beautiful meadows of the western Cascades. Click to learn more.
Black-backed Woodpeckers are considered “keystone” species and indicators of bird community health. In a recent study published in Avian Conservation and Ecology, researchers surveyed birds and vegetation across a study area in the Fremont-Winema National Forest in Oregon to learn more about how Black-backed Woodpeckers use green conifer forests in this region, and how the occurrence of this species correlates with structural characteristics in these forests.
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!
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