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Science

Monitoring a Cryptic Species, the Black Swift

By | Monitoring Programs, Science | No Comments

As I stumble out of my tent at 4 a.m. my eyes squint to a blanket of stars in the dark sky above me. My red headlamp light illuminates my tent as I gather my gear, and get ready for my ascent to Columbine falls in Rocky Mountain National Park, a mere 2.6 miles and 1,475 ft gain in elevation to the falls along the Longs Peak trail. This trail is popular among hikers that attempt to summit Longs Peak.

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Summer Fieldwork Internship Experience

By | Bird-friendly Living, Education, Land Stewardship, Science | No Comments

This summer, Bird Conservancy of the Rockies partnered with the Colorado Natural Heritage Program to host two undergraduate students from Colorado State University as interns through the Siegele Internship Program. This internship program creates paid opportunities for early career professionals to get hands-on experience with biologists to gain field skills, explore their interests, and assist with conservation and monitoring programs across a variety of environmental applications.

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Working to Understand Avian Communities

By | Partners, Science | No Comments

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.

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The Journey of a Red Crossbill

By | Education, Science | No Comments

The Red Crossbill, Loxia curvistra, is a peculiar finch found among the spruces, firs, pines, and hemlocks of coniferous woodlands. The Red Crossbill is one of three of the 17 finch species in North America that have an unusual, but spectacular beak. Per their name, the crossbill has a crossed bill. You may be thinking, what does having a crossed bill have to do with the journey of a crossbill? Everything.

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