Bird Monitoring Volunteer

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Fredericksburg National Military Park in collaboration with the Mid-Atlantic Inventory & Monitoring Network (MIDN) conducts annual breeding bird surveys in the Eastern Front unit of the park. Birds are an incredibly important part of the overall natural landscape, and their presence or absence can be a good indicator of changes happening within the local or regional ecosystem. With your help, we will be able to gather information about long-term bird trends which will allow the park to assess our ecological integrity and sustainability and make sound science-based management decisions.

As a bird monitoring volunteer, you will conduct point count surveys around the park, identifying and inventorying bird species, while experiencing the nature of the area.

*Requirements: You must have experience identifying bird calls by ear

Minimum Commitment:

Approximately a 3-4-hour mandatory training covering:

· Project overview

· Survey procedures.

· Datasheets

· GPS and compass use

Attendance to every bird count is not required. Commit to at least 1-2 surveys.

Benefits:

Improve your bird identification skills.

Learn from and network with local birders.

Learn GPS, map reading, and data collection skills.

Assist the NPS in its mission to preserve and protect both cultural and natural resources.

Increase your appreciation of natural resources at your National Parks.

Description of Duties:

You will be required to monitor between 2 to 4 points during the summer breeding season. It is ideal to participate in the bird survey with a partner, but it can be done as an individual. It is recommended that you navigate to your points before official surveys to minimize location confusion and maximize count efficiency. You will be hiking to pre-selected points by GPS, map, or compass and conducting 10-minute surveys at each point. You will also be responsible for managing your data and entering it into the NPS Inventory & Monitoring birding database once surveying is complete.

Knowledge/Skills desired:

*Requirements: You must have experience identifying bird calls by ear

Have the ability to identify local and regional bird species by sight or sound.

Have good organizational skills to keep a record and basic computers skills to input collected data .

Have the ability to hike to and from point locations using a compass, map or GPS.

Have a good attitude and be able to work in less-than-ideal environmental conditions (heat, humidity, biting and stinging insects, ticks, snakes, etc.)

Difficulty:

This opportunity has a medium to high difficulty as you will need to be a skilled birder and also be able to hike off trail to reach the point locations.

Help us manage the park for the enjoyment of future generations and contribute to a regional initiative that will increase our understanding of the status of bird populations in our national parks!

Start Date - 2025-04-25

End Date - 2025-07-31

Activities include: Construction/Maintenance;General Assistance