Volunteer

Birds of a Feather Flock Together

Volunteers play a vital role in the success of our programs, and we cherish the relationships we build with our volunteers. We could not do this work without the generous volunteers who give us their time. Get ready to learn about raptor science, experience close encounters with live birds of prey, and be surrounded by like-minded nature enthusiasts.

Our volunteer programs do not run year-round. If you would like to be notified when opportunities open, fill out our interest form.

In Person Opportunities

Education Docent

HWI Education Docents learn how to handle live birds of prey and take them to outreach programs at schools, community partners, and private events across northern Utah. Education Docents are vital to helping us achieve our mission to conserve our shared environment through science education. Must be 18 years or older and live in the Salt Lake area. 

In-person CARES Community Scientist

Through our Cavity Adopting Raptor Ecology Studies (CARES) we monitor hundreds of nest boxes housing American Kestrels, Western Screech-owls, and more across the diverse landscapes of Utah’s Wasatch Front, Tuscon, AZ, and the Idaho/Washington border. Volunteers will be assigned a box (or several!) to monitor throughout the nesting season. You can learn more about CARES here

Following Forest Owls

In partnership with Earthwatch, join us in one of two locations—in northern Utah or southeastern Arizona—to study owl ecology. During the day, you’ll measure owl habitat—locating tree cavities and taking GPS and other measurements. At night, you’ll listen for the low-pitched ‘boop’ of the Flammulated Owl, the high-pitched laughing of Elf Owls, or the non-stop ‘reverse signal’ tooting of the Northern Saw-whet owl while you survey for, capture, and band owls that fly above you. You can learn more about Following Forest Owls here.

Remote Opportunities

Remote CARES Community Scientist

Understanding what kestrels eat and if diets differ across landscapes can help us understand how diet might relate to American Kestrel decline. To document diet, HWI biologists install small cameras in select American Kestrel nests to record parents delivering food to nestlings. This opportunity involves reviewing nest box footage and recording data on prey items and their delivery.

Forest Owl Food Delivery Study

In partnership with Dr. Markus Mika, professor at the University of Wisconsin-Lacrosse, we are looking to understand what Flammulated Owls are eating and provisioning rates during the breeding season.

Not Ready to Get Involved Yet?

You can still help us conserve raptors and our shared environment. Make a tax-deductible gift today to support our work.

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