Yellow-billed Cuckoo; Photo: Bob McCormick

Yellow-billed Cuckoo season is soon upon us! The surveys will take place from July to August in vital habitat up at Agua Fria National Monument. The Yellow-billed Cuckoo is a threatened species per the Endangered Species Act and thus requires trained experts to monitor their population trends along their migration route. These surveys are crucial for the future of the species — in fact, 300,000 acres of land were allotted as critical habitat for the Yellow-billed Cuckoo. To read more, read “Critical Habitat Finally Designated for Western Yellow-billed Cuckoo.”

Summer Paid Positions are now available through Sonoran Audubon’s Internship program for recent college grads or upper class members studying the conservation sciences, biology and related fields. The Internship includes training, both in class and in the field on the bird’s ecology and survey protocols that will result in a Certification from the US Fish & Wildlife. This can help with career advancement. After training, there are then several weeks with guides counting the cuckoos on established routes that these endangered birds use for nesting. The sites for our interns are in the Tres Rios area (Phoenix) and along the Upper Agua Fria River and tributaries (in the AF National Monument). The internship lasts approximately 8 – 9 weeks.

If you know of anyone who might be interested, please contact Karen at klaf40@gmail.com or make the referral. I would like to talk to anyone who is curious or with anyone already having an interest. I would be glad to refer potential applicants to existing interns, several of whom will be returning this summer to finish their required survey hours.