VOLUNTEER RESEARCH ASSISTANTS (2) FOR COSTA RICAN BIRD AND BAT POPULATION
DYNAMICS PROJECT needed for at 7 weeks from Jan 26 to Mar 15 2010. We
conduct constant-effort banding/ bat capture to study the local bird and bat
communities to investigate occupancy, abundance, habitat selection, and
survival of native forest birds and bats in an array of tropical countryside
habitats (i.e. premontane tropical forest, forest fragments, riparian
corridor remnants, and coffee plantations) . Fluency in Spanish, a valid
driver's license, and mistnetting/bird banding experience (preferably over
500 birds/bats) are required. In addition, applicants should be comfortable
with working 4AM-1PM or 4PM-1AM for 6 days/week, be in good physical
condition, have previous fieldwork experience, rabies vaccines, function
well in a team and enjoy working outdoors. Supervisory experience, data
entry/analysis expertise, familiarity with Costa Rican birds/bats,
GIS/ArcMap skills, as well as interest in birds/bats, and conservation are
desirable. Volunteers will lead daily field crews (~2 experienced mist net
extractors) and be responsible for operating independent stations of 20 mist
nets. Volunteers are expected to be able to band and collect data on 50-150
birds or 15-70 bats independently. This is a fast-paced, high volume
position with great opportunities to hone skills in tropical ecology
including: bird and bat identification, aging and sexing tropical birds,
hummingbird banding, and developing research questions in countryside
biogeography and ecosystem services of biodiversity. There are possibilities
to develop relevant, independent research projects related to our work. We
are based at Las Cruces Biological Station, near the town of San Vito, 5 km
from the Panama border, between the national parks of Corcovado and Amistad:
www.ots.ac.cr/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=220&Itemid=422
Over 400 bird species and 60 bat species have been observed in the area and
we have mist netted over 260 and 45 species, respectively. The climate is
spring-like, the bugs are few, and we will be staying at a top-notch
facility with all the amenities and prepared meals. Volunteers need to cover
their own airfare to and from San Jose, Costa Rica.
Please e-mail a cover letter, resume, and emails/phone numbers of 3
references (with at least one banding supervisor) by Nov. 15, 2009 to CHASE
D. MENDENHALL, Department of Biology, Stanford University (email:
cdmATstanford.edu).