Bird Banding Internship Costa Rica

Job Description: Costa Rica Bird Observatories is looking for experienced banders and bander assistants who will be running our highland banding site. The main expectation of the interns is to ensure continuous monitoring through area searches, banding, and processing of migrant and resident land bird species. We are altering this internship due to covid! While previously we offered banding at multiple sites, currently we are only able to host banders at our highland site. This site is situated in the cold, rainy cloud forests of the Cordillera Talamanca. While filled with many wonderful endemics, banders need to be prepared for spending several months in a cold, windy, cloud forest environment. Banders are not permitted to visit other banding sites due to restrictions with our collaborators.

Expectations include:

• 6 hours/day and 25 days/month working
• Commitment of 2-3 months
• Identification and counting of migrant and resident landbird species during monitoring activities.
• Timely data entry every afternoon. We provide a work laptop, but it is helpful to bring your own laptop as well
• Maintaining records of migrant and resident landbird data for further population parameter analysis

Interns can expect to gain:

• Deeper knowledge of bird monitoring and conservation efforts in the tropics.
• Bird banding experience with a suite of different species, including using the WRP system to age resident birds

Qualifications: Applicants are expected to have an intermediate – advanced level of banding experience. Ideal applicants will have extracted at least 500 adult songbirds from mist-nets and have processed/banded a similar number. Do not apply for this position if you have banded less than 300 birds. NABC certification is not required, but applicants holding it will be given preference. Preferred applicants should also have experience with bird identification, as area searches are part of the daily protocol. Additional desired skills include:

• Able to work both independently and as part of a small team
• Ability to maintain a positive attitude in adverse field conditions including but not limited to cold, constantly changing weather conditions, chiggers, and physically demanding work
• Adaptable to living in a field house environment

Salary: All in-country expenses will be covered by CRBO. This includes: transportation to/from the site, pick-up and drop-off at the airport, all food expenses covered, and free housing in our cozy highland cabin. Interns are expected to cover their own airfare with potential for partial coverage for highly qualified candidates. Interns wanting to do activities on their own time post-internship are responsible for their own travel and food expenses.

How to apply:

Banding positions are open year-round and we accept applications on a rolling basis.

To apply, please send an email to apply@costaricabird.org. For the application, please send one pdf document with all of the following: resume including total number of birds banded, 3 references, and a cover letting detailing your banding experience and available dates to work