Dependable & experienced field assistant needed for a demographic/fragmentation study of an understory passerine, the Chestnut-backed Antbird, at and in the vicinity of La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica . We are finding and monitoring nests and using video to document nest predators. Expect to be immersed in work 6 days/week. Work involves daily (early morning) hiking/biking/driving to field sites in a wet, hot, and buggy environment, so enthusiasm for rigorous activities is a must! Encounters with poisonous snakes and deep mud are to be expected. This is PhD research, so flexibility and good sense of humor will be helpful!
Assistants must have experience nest searching, banding, and extracting birds from mist nets. Applicants who have a working knowledge of Spanish, experience identifying snakes, knowledge of digital technology, and/or the ability to drive a standard-transmission car will be preferred. This is an especially great opportunity for those interested in future tropical avian ecology research. For these volunteer positions, station fees and shared, off-site room & board will be provided, but applicants must cover their airfare to and from San Jose, Costa Rica. Assistants are needed for May-Jun 2011. To apply, please send as one document: your resume or CV with references and a brief cover letter that states your availability, Spanish language skills, interests/goals, and why you would be a good fit for this position to DEBORAH VISCO, (EM: dvisco@tulane.edu ). The position will be filled as soon as a suitable applicant is identified.