Tag: field season

Stationed in Ashland in southern Oregon’s beautiful Rogue Valley, Klamath Bird Observatory utilizes the role of birds as indicators to conduct high-caliber science to inform and improve natural resource management. Through our work conducting avian research, we have a wide variety of field technician positions available for the 2024 field season that span across the Pacific Northwest and range from long-term monitoring to species-specific studies. Our field technician positions offer an exciting opportunity to conduct on the ground research, develop a comprehensive understanding of avian research methods, and contribute to the collective knowledge of bird conservation. Listed below are some of the unique opportunities that we have lined up for our upcoming 2024 season.

Riparian Bird Monitoring

Klamath Bird Observatory is seeking a Field Technician position in our bird monitoring and research program at riparian restoration sites along the North and South Forks of the Salmon River in northern California. Primary duties are spot-mapping surveys to delineate territories of riparian songbird species, observing pairs to determine the reproductive stage (Vickery Index), conducting vegetation surveys, and data entry. Some training may occur in Ashland, OR, before fieldwork near Sawyers Bar and Forks of Salmon, CA. Field work will start ~April 29th and continue until ~July 12th (exact dates to be determined). More information can be found here.

Vesper Sparrow Field Technician

As part of our Oregon Vesper Sparrow research program, we are conducting an inventory of the size and distribution of Vesper Sparrow populations in the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument to assess population status and potential conservation actions for this imperiled subspecies. Klamath Bird Observatory is seeking to fill a Field Technician position to conduct transect surveys in meadow and oak-prairie habitat in the Monument and complete associated data entry. The Field Technician will survey for Vesper Sparrows by sight and sound in different locations in and around the Monument, sampling along off-road transects following standard protocols. Field work will start ~April 29th and continue until ~July 3rd (exact dates to be determined). More information can be found here.

Banding Internship

Klamath Bird Observatory seeks highly motivated individuals to participate in our long-term landbird monitoring program. This position requires independent drive and patience for the travails of fieldwork but also affords a fantastic 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. Training and duties will include mist netting and banding of passerines and near passerines; bird surveying; data quality assurance, entry, and management; and public outreach and education participation. Non-field duties include study and discussion of banding curriculum, equipment maintenance, field station upkeep, and data entry. Field work will begin May 1st and continue until October 31st with an option to start August 1st. More information can be found here.

Point Count Technician

We are hiring seasonal field technicians for the 2024 breeding season to complete avian point count surveys throughout the ecologically diverse and beautiful southern Oregon, eastern Oregon, and/or northern California regions. Technicians will conduct work related to multiple projects, including monitoring the effects of oak and conifer forest restoration on species distributions and long-term monitoring on both private and public lands. Primary responsibilities will include conducting multispecies avian point count surveys, vegetation sampling along off-road transects following standard protocols, and associated data entry. Field work will take place April 29th through July 19th. More information can be found here.

Loggerhead Shrike Field Technician

We are also seeking a Field Technician to monitor territories and nests of Loggerhead Shrikes at the Boardman Conservation Area near Boardman, OR. Primary duties include surveying grids in sagebrush habitat to locate shrike territories (up to 8 miles off-trail hiking per day), finding and monitoring shrike nests, completing vegetation surveys at nest sites, and data entry. The best-qualified applicants will also have basic ArcGIS skills (e.g., importing GPS points and creating territory maps). Shared field housing is available in Ione, OR. The field season will take place from April 1 – June 30. Click here to learn more.