Curlew Surveys Need Volunteers

Montana’s Long-billed Curlews are back for the breeding season, and that means our volunteers are in the field on survey routes. For the third consecutive year now volunteers have helped us collect valuable data on the timing and presence of Long-billed Curlews in the Mission and Helena Valleys. Both valleys harbor grassland habitats that support this charismatic and largest of North American shorebirds, and we hope to keep it this way, through understanding their local population trends, locating the most important habitat, and reaching out to valley communities.

Volunteers have already found many curlews this season, and we hope you’ll join the search. To read more or get involved in the Mission Valley, visit http://missionvalleycurlews.weebly.com/ Here you will find survey details such as the protocol, data sheets, and route maps.

In the Helena Valley, visit the local Birds & Beasleys store, on Helena’s walking mall, for available survey routes, and details such as the protocol, data sheets, and maps. If you can’t get there to choose a route, contact Amy (see below) for assistance. We encourage you to take a partner, a new birder, do a route more than once, or do more than one route.

Visit our webpage: http://mtaudubon.org/birds-science/long-billed-curlew-initiative/ for a link to the Curlew’s call, identification and much more. For more information or for any questions, contact Amy Seaman: aseaman@mtaudubon.org or 406.210.9449.