For over ten years, private landowners have been granting permission for Bird Conservancy to conduct bird surveys on their land. These partners in conservation enable us to learn about bird populations across the whole landscape, beyond public lands. Equally important are the lasting friendships that often form between our staff and the landowners as they bond over birds, landscapes and the stewardship values we share.
Every year, the community of Karval in eastern Colorado comes together to celebrate the return of Mountain Plover to their fields, inviting birders from around the world to join in the moment and experience local hospitality and culture. Bird Conservancy’s Ryan Parker shares an update about this year’s Mountain Plover Festival (April 26-28, 2019) and the exciting things they have planned.
Join us at the Karval Mountain Plover Festival for a community-sponsored weekend of bird watching, wildlife viewing tours, entertainment, history, arts and crafts, music, antiques, and lots of great food!
Through a grant from Great Outdoors Colorado, Bird Conservancy of the Rockies is partnering with private landowners in Morgan County, Colorado to eliminate cheatgrass—an extremely invasive weed that outcompetes native vegetation, reduces habitat quality and increases fire hazards.
The effects of the Federal Government shutdowns are far-reaching and have a lasting impact on bird conservation, regional economies, our nation’s farmers and producers, and our natural resources.
Bird Conservancy of the Rockies is teaming up with Natural Resources Conservation Service to offer a workshop in Bison, SD focusing on private lands conservation. Land owners will learn about the economics of grazing cover crops, utilizing cool season grasses, and using birds as habitat indicators. Cost is free, however RSVPs must be in to Jennifer.lutze@sd.usda.gov by Feb 21st.
As our population grows, so does the footprint for housing, commercial businesses, and food production. Habitat loss is having a big impact on grassland and prairie birds, and private lands are critical to that story. Bird Conservancy is working with diverse partners, including land developers, to lighten our environmental impact and deploy innovative techniques to conserve iconic birds like the Burrowing Owl.
Dana Ripper, Director of Missouri River Bird Observatory, shares how earlier career experiences at Bird Conservancy of the Rockies (then Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory) are helping foster and support bird conservation in the heart of the Midwest.
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!
The grasslands of the Chihuahuan desert provide important overwintering habitat for over 90% of the migratory grassland species in western North America. Recently, our team joined partners and private landowners on a scenic tour through northern Mexico to visit some of Sustainable Grazing Network ranches that are working to conserve and restore grassland habitat for the benefit of people and birds.
