ECOSARA ECOSARA BIRD RESEARCH VOLUNTEERS IN SOUTH AMERICA

ECOSARA bird research volunteers will be involved in every aspect of the study of the biology, population dynamics and distribution of the 410 bird species recorded in San Rafael. Research volunteers will work as part of a small group overseen by a staff member on current research projects or for those that wish to develop their own projects, alone under the guidance of a staff member who will assist them to ensure that their results are both useful and productive. A file of suggested bird research projects with detailed instructions is available for volunteers who wish to work alone and are looking for ideas on how to do so. Of course volunteers are able to switch between projects, just because you signed up as a bird volunteer doesn´t mean that you can´t also do some work with mammals or reptiles if the fancy takes you!

We encourage ECOSARA research volunteers to publish the results of their work and offer all the assistance necessary to those that wish to do so. For many volunteers the opportunity to see their name in print is something that is extremely appealing. Volunteers will be credited in any publication that uses data which they helped to gather. Volunteers who carry out their own projects will have an informal meeting each evening with staff members to discuss progress and will be expected to produce a brief report of their findings at the end of their stay.

We think that ALL field observations are important and accurate note-taking is part of the daily routine of all volunteers. Daily observations and records will be logged into the San Rafael biodiversity database to keep tabs on changing bird populations throughout the year. Volunteers with a knack for photography are always welcome, we are always looking to boost the photographic database of the parks fauna. In the interests of making data accessible and open to all we collaborate with online database projects such as the FAUNA Paraguay.com image gallery and the Xeno-canto online database of Neotropical bird calls.

Some projects are ongoing throughout the year, other projects - for example nesting and moult studies - are seasonal. If you have a specific project in mind that you would like to work on check with us that it isn´t seasonal before confirming your dates!!

To give you an idea of the sort of work that bird volunteers are involved with, here are some of the more popular projects:

Population censuses using sight, sound and capture techniques.
Capture, measurement, description and study of moult stage of live individuals.
Collection of feathers for our "feather book"
Daily studies and descriptions of nesting and reproductive behaviour.
Recording and study of vocalisations, their significance, seasonality and usage.
Ringing projects to study movements and territoriality.
Affinity of species for specific microhabitats and association with particular plant species.
Composition and seasonality of mixed species flocks

You don´t need to have any scientific background to be an ECOSARA bird research volunteer, just enthusiasm, a sense of adventure and willingness to get your hands dirty!

Up for it?!

Click here to apply now!