Seeking experienced birders for colonial waterbird surveys

April 14, 2026

American White Pelicans. Photo: Bob Martinka

This year Montana Audubon is partnering with Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks to carry out statewide surveys for colonial-nesting waterbirds. These surveys, which were last carried out in 2009-2011 (some sites were occasionally surveyed more recently), target about a dozen species of concern, including American White Pelican; Black, Common, Forster’s and Caspian Terns; Franklin’s Gull; Western Grebe; Great Blue Heron; White-faced Ibis; Black-crowned Night Heron; and Eared and Horned Grebes.

Most of the survey locations will be large National Wildlife Refuges and Wildlife Management Areas with breeding colonies on islands, lakeshores and in marsh vegetation, depending on the species. These sites include Benton Lake NWR, Browns Lake, Bowdoin NWR, Canyon Ferry WMA, Freezeout Lake, Medicine Lake NWR, Red Rock Lakes NWR, Ninepipes NWR (already assigned to a surveyor) and Arod Lake amongst others.

Caspian Tern. Photo: Bob Martinka

It can be very challenging to count and identify large aggregations of colonial-nesting species, and some of the surveys will have to be carried out from boats or canoes, or from a long distance using spotting scopes, so we are looking only for experienced birders- preferably people who have carried out similar surveys in the past- who feel comfortable surveying most/all of our waterbird species, and are willing to travel to carry out 1-2 surveys per site. Montana Audubon can cover some of the travel cost.

If interested, please email Bo Crees at [email protected] and be sure to describe any experience in carrying out similar surveys.