Bird populations have been declining for decades, with three billion birds lost over the last 50 years. Understanding the drivers of these loses is a monumental task because most bird species have ranges that span large expanses across a mosaic of land uses.
The arid, shortgrass prairie and farm fields of the panhandle of Western Nebraska are the last place you might think to look for a shorebird. But this is exactly the place that Thane Dinsdale found himself on May 12, 2024 near Kimball, Nebraska searching for the elusive Mountain Plover also referred to as the prairie ghost.
It is that time of year when weeds take over gardens and landscapes, absorbing moisture and feeding bugs. Read on to learn more about the complexities of weeds and invasive species.
A Red-tailed Hawk is circling as it hunts for its prey. The rabbit pauses in its quest for food sensing danger. It freezes. Then quickly darts for cover. The fierce raptor makes a stealthy move towards its intended target. The rabbit flees quickly for the safety of its shelter and narrowly escapes the outstretched talons of the hawk. The rabbit is safe for now. The hawk will continue its hunt in hopes of catching a different rabbit, and its next tasty meal.
What do Mexican Spotted Owls tell us about restoring frequent-fire regimes in the southwestern U.S.? Well, quite a lot actually.
In Colorado’s San Luis Valley (SLV), every drop of water is spoken for. Agencies across the state track streamflow, snowpack, irrigation water delivery, and water rights violations. Water in the west is “use or lose it”: if irrigators aren’t ready when water reaches their property, they can’t take it and store it until they are ready; they have to let it keep flowing to the next person.
Have you ever wondered how bird conservation is coordinated across organizations and spatial scales? OK, maybe not, but imagine for a moment if it wasn’t. At all. Do you think there would be any hope of recovering populations and saving the hundreds of species that are spiraling towards extinction?
Do you need expensive binoculars, field guides and excursions to become a birder? Or do you just need a curiosity for the natural world? Read on to learn how our Environmental Educator, Payson got his “late” start into birding and how he used this new hobby to find community and start a career.
With our Stewardship Team spread out through six different states it can be difficult to see the work that is being completed in person. Reports are important and provide the technical necessities of a project, but getting out with the biologist, on the ranch they are working on and seeing it come to life connects us.
My journey toward a love for birds began in Central America during my Peace Corps years in Guatemala. Working as a volunteer, I was tasked with cataloging all bird species in a newly designated wildlife refuge and sprawling freshwater lowland jungle called Bocas Del Polochic. Working with local rangers hired to protect the refuge, we roamed the area via dugout canoe documenting the vast assemblage of different bird species.
