After several weeks of intensive nest searching and observation, Bird Conservancy of the Rockies has confirmed that Baird’s Sparrows are actively breeding at Soapstone Prairie Natural Area—the first time the species has been documented reproducing in the State of Colorado. This remarkable discovery marks an exciting milestone in an already-eventful 2018 summer field season.
Two large-scale monitoring programs collect data on bird populations every summer in the United States—Integrated Monitoring in Bird Conservation Regions and the Breeding Bird Survey. How are they different, and in what ways do each program complement the other in addressing the vast information gaps needed to help inform avian conservation?
Every year in late spring and summer, our field season crew traipses across mountains, prairies and deserts to survey birds under the Integrated Monitoring in Bird Conservation Regions (IMBCR) program. As this post from our of our field technicians attests, these rugged and remote landscapes don’t always make it easy!
Mike Carter, founder and Executive Director of the Colorado Bird Observatory from 1988-2001, shares his memories about the creation of our organization and how events at the time came together to make it all happen.
The Central Plains Experimental Range in Northern Colorado provides the perfect place for researchers and ranchers to come together and explore new ways to achieve maximum economic yields alongside quality habitat for grassland birds.
The Integrated Monitoring in Bird Conservation Regions (IMBCR) program started in Colorado in 2008 and has since expanded to 15 states and 10 Bird Conservation Regions. In honor of its 10th anniversary, we invite you to explore a few examples how IMBCR data has benefited bird conservation over the past decade.
2018 marks our 30th Anniversary, and we’re celebrating! In the coming months, we’ll reminisce about the migratory milestones and positive impacts that our organization has made through the years, as well as look to the future. We hope you enjoy this timeline featuring just a handful of the many accomplishments made possible by our supporters, partners, collaborators and staff.
Wildlife field work isn’t just for people and battery powered devices! Dogs are an effective and fulfilling tool in the conservation world. Meet Badger and Merlin, Bird Conservancy’s very own sparrow herding canines!
Brown-capped Rosy-Finches nest at higher elevations than any other bird species in the United States, and their breeding distribution is almost entirely limited to Colorado. Despite residing in an almost pristine environment for most of the year, they have declined by as much as 95% over the past 50 years and, unfortunately, we don’t know why. Read on to learn more about our efforts to solve this mystery.
In the darkness of night, after the rest of the world has retired for the evening, our teams are in the wilderness looking for Mexican Spotted Owls. Today’s post from one of our field techs shares what it’s like to experience nature’s nocturnal side.