EXPERIENCED FALL MIGRATION BANDING FIELD ASSISTANT (1-2) needed for INTERMOUNTAIN BIRD OBSERVATORY study of fall landbird migration in southern Idaho (July 14 – October 16, 2024; ~3 months). Duties will consist mainly of landbird mist-netting/banding, data entry, and public outreach. We are hiring for two study sites - Lucky Peak near Boise in southwestern Idaho and Camas National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) north of Idaho Falls in southeastern Idaho. Banding assistants will primarily work at one site, but will spend at least a week at the other. Both study sites are very exciting places for songbird migration and among the best birding sites in the state. We average 4,000 or more songbird captures of up to 60 species each fall at each site; the Lucky Peak site is also home to concurrent diurnal raptor and owl migration studies while Camas NWR is located within 2 hours of Yellowstone and many other cool habitats, landscapes, etc., including some of the best waterbird habitat and migration hotspots in the state.
Qualifications of applicants should include: 1) proficiency with safe netting and banding procedures, 2) ability to identify Western birds, and 3) willingness to give your all. For this position, we ideally need someone with extensive mist-net extraction/banding experience - a North American Banding Council certification (at any level - assistant, bander, or trainer) would be a plus. Our ideal candidate would have banded 1,000+ songbirds, but we can be flexible with this requirement for applicants who can safely, efficiently, and independently extract, age, and sex songbirds. Enthusiasm, care for birds, quick learning, and an ability to work well with and get along with others are also very important criteria. Hands that stay warm in cold weather would be nice too! Pay $900 to $1000+/month, depending on experience. Housing/tenting provided, with a house in Idaho Falls for the Camas NWR site and a remote camp with a propane stove, wall tent dining/working area, and access to showers and laundry for the Lucky Peak site. Daily work will include mist netting for five hours starting at sunrise, and daily data entry (typically under one hour per day), with one day off per week. Please send a resume, cover letter THAT CLEARLY STATES songbird extraction/banding experience (approx #s, etc.), and at least three references (with phone # and e-mail if possible) via e-mail to <lucianjdavis@gmail.com> AND <jaycarlisle@boisestate.edu>. Positions will be filled as suitable applicants are found.
