Yukon Bird Observatory Field Assistants

The Society of Yukon Bird Observatories (SOYBO) are seeking volunteers for the spring and fall seasons at two of their migration monitoring field stations in southern Yukon, Canada. As full members of the Canadian Migration Monitoring Network, the field stations operate using a standardized protocol which focuses largely on mist netting and banding of Boreal songbirds.

Albert Creek Bird Observatory (ACBO) , located 15km west of  the town of Watson Lake in southeast Yukon operates a spring season annually to monitor migration of mostly songbirds passing through the Liard  River basin at the lower end of the Tintina Trench. Birds are captured using mist nets, banded and measured every day from sunrise on for a duration of 6 hours between April 27th to June 7th. Daily census legs and casual observations are also recorded to attain an estimated total of every species banded, encountered passing through and over the study site. The site is a marsh complex adjacent to the Liard River which hosts many songbird species at the northwestern extent of their continental range. Examples of such species include White-throated Sparrow, Pileated Woodpecker, Magnolia Warbler and Western Tanager among others.

Teslin Lake Bird Observatory (TLBO) , located 8km west of Teslin and accessible along the Alaska highway  at the Teslin Lake campground in south central Yukon operates a fall season (July 25 to September 30). TLBO follows the same protocols as ACBO but also incorporates hourly visual migration counts due to it's location along Teslin Lake and it's north/south orientation and a wide vista of observation potential. In addition to the songbirds, TLBO collects monitoring data on a wide diversity of bird species including raptors, waterfowl and waterbirds. 

Knowledge of eastern and western Boreal birds is required.  Candidates with experience extracting birds, running mist nets and banding experience will be given preference. Bird observatory personnel are able to provide on the job training for individuals willing to volunteer for three weeks or more; such training may include (but not be limited to) extracting birds from mist nets, bird handling, banding , in hand species identification and ageing/sexing. Other duties expected from volunteers include scribing data for the banders, opening and closing mist nets, collecting bird observations and interacting with members of the public who visit the stations.

Transportation to and from Whitehorse to both stations will be covered. Accomodations for volunteers will camping with all required gear provided. We are looking for volunteers that are willing to endure rustic living conditions, keen to learn, work well in a team environment and are interested in being immersed in the avian wonders of the northwestern Boreal Forest.

For more information please contact   Ted Murphy-Kelly at 867 456 7431 or email tedmurphykelly@northwestel.net and visit our website at www.yukonbirdobservatories.org    On the website, refer to http://www.yukonbirdobservatories.org/volunteer for specific information about being a volunteer.