Job Type: volunteer position
Opportunity location: Talamanca, Southern Caribbean, Costa Rica
Closing date (if specified): No date specified (will remain here for 90 days from posting date)
Opportunity Description:
The Kèköldi Bird Conservation and Monitoring Program at the Kèköldi Indigenous Reserve in Talamanca, Costa Rica; is seeking for volunteers and coordinators (experience is required for this position) for the Bird Banding and Migratory Raptor Count Programs, from August 1st until December 1st 2010. The study site is located in the Talamanca region of Costa Rica, between Puerto Viejo and Cahuita National Park, Limon Province (southern Caribbean coast).
The Hawk watch and bird banding sites are located in the Kèköldi Indigenous Reserve, a 6000 ha reserve of primary and secondary forests and cocoa plantations where we preserve over 330 bird species including 18 hummingbird species. Also Kèköldi is the second place only after Veracruz, Mexico, the most concentrated flight migratory raptors in the world (3.5 million raptors during the fall season) and the only tropical active Hawk watch,. It is also the biggest known migration spot for Peregrine Falcons and Plumbeous Kites. Observations are made from an 11m tower built at the Reserve. Both, Bird Conservation and Monitoring programs are long-term programs that could be a great alternative and opportunity for those students who want to build their resume. For those who are biologists, bird watchers, hawk counters or bird banders it will make a difference in regards to bird conservation through science.
Volunteers must be physically fit and willing to work long hours under hot and humid conditions; maintaining enthusiasm and their sense of humor. Candidates will be required to work in team and some spanish knowledge is important but not obligatory. The program provides training in Birds ID (Raptors and Passerines) and estimating large numbers of migrating birds, constant effort mist-netting and resident and migratory bird banding techniques, etc. Duties include assisting and working with official counters in identifying and counting raptors, data entry, and flight interpretation to visitors, among others.
This is a great opportunity to increase your fieldwork experience, while working in a great environment, and learning more about conservation efforts with resident and migratory birds in the Neo-tropics. Please contribute with your time and volunteer fee of $1000 for the first month and $350 fee for additional month of volunteering. This fee covers: all meals, lodging at the scientific center and bird monitoring training.
For more info, contact:
Daniel Martinez-A
daniel@kekoldicr.org
Mobile: (506) 8858-2689
www.kekoldicr.org