Point Count Field Biologist

~ The Institute for Bird Populations is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation founded by Dr. David DeSante in 1989 to study the causes of bird population declines. ~

IBP's first major initiative was the Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship (MAPS) program, a continent-wide collaborative network of bird banding stations. Other flagship programs include the Monitoreo de Sobrevivencia Invernal (MoSI) program to study the ecology of Neotropical migrant birds on their wintering grounds, and the Sierra Nevada Bird Observatory to study and conserve birds in the Sierra Nevada region of California. Our work has spread to other parts of the U.S. and the globe, including Canada, the Neotropics, and Pacific Islands.

We collaborate locally, nationally, and globally with individuals, government agencies, and NGOs in diverse fields to assess the effects of land management actions, climate change, and other ecological stressors on bird populations, and prescribe practical solutions. We use cutting-edge science, and frequently publish results in peer-reviewed journals.

Position Overview

• We have two openings during spring/summer 2019 for a point count project at Fort Bragg, NC.
• Project Dates: Approximately late April – early June (exact start date TBD).

Responsibilities

• On a typical day, working in a team of two, biologists will wake up before dawn drive and hike to a point count transect starting point.
• Over the course of the next several hours, biologists will hike to points along a transect, recording all birds seen and heard.
• Point counts will generally conclude by about 11:00 am each day.
• Additional work will be spent entering data, planning for the next day’s work, etc.
• The work is physically demanding, sometimes involving hiking several miles per day, in areas with ticks, mosquitoes, bears, rattlesnakes, and other field hazards.
• Candidates must be in very good physical condition, and must be comfortable with off-trail hiking and orienteering.
• Applicants must provide their own transportation to the work site, but will be provided with a work vehicle once there.
• Lodging will be provided free of charge.

Qualifications

• Candidates must have previous experience conducting avian point counts, and be able to identify Southeastern U.S. birds by sight and (especially) by call and song.

To Apply

• Please click "Apply" below to upload your cover letter, resume, and contact information for 3 references (all as a single attachment) to: Mandy Holmgren.
• Please put Fort Bragg Point Count Position in the subject line.