Current Projects & Research

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Since 2021, NEW Bird Alliance has been involved with a volunteer bird monitoring effort organized by NEW Bird Alliance, Oneida Nation of Wisconsin, Audubon Great Lakes, and UW-Green Bay's Cofrin Center for Biodiversity that takes place across restoration sites on the Oneida Nation. Our 100+ volunteers have documented nearly 200 bird species and counted >75,000 individual birds, including some uncommon to rare species, such as Henslow’s Sparrow, Wilson’s Phalarope, and others. In 2024, we will conduct surveys of spring and fall migratory waterfowl and shorebirds and breeding marsh, grassland, and forest birds at conservation sites managed by the Oneida Nation. We will form small teams (2–5 people) that connect a community of birders and Oneida Nation members for a shared experience in nature through community science and storytelling. Bird watchers of all experience levels are welcome and encouraged to participate, including non-NEW Bird Alliance members, for as little or as much as you like. Check out our project webpage to learn more. Have questions? Please contact our Project Lead, Erin Giese at giesee@uwgb.edu. Hope you can join us!

NEW Bird Alliance is the sponsoring agency for this three-year (2018–2020), original research project that utilizes innovative technology to learn more about the state threatened Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus) in Wisconsin. Research on the basic biology of this species is greatly needed. In order to better understand the intimate aspects of the lives of local Red-shouldered Hawks, John and Eugene Jacobs are outfitting individual hawks with small logger transmitters to determine the breeding range, nest site fidelity, breeding habitat use, migration timing and routes, and wintering habitat use of Red-shouldered Hawks that breed in Wisconsin. Information about this state threatened species is needed so that managers, bird biologists and conservationist can better plan, manage, protect and conserve habitat for its survival. Plants and animals that use this species’ habitat, particularly northern mesic forest, will also benefit.  As sponsoring agency, NEW Bird Alliance has committed funding and resources to this project including fiscal management and administration. Other research partners include the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources-Bureau of Endangered Resources and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Natural Heritage Conservation.  For more information on this project, or to pledge your support, please contact John Jacobs at Jacobs_rs@yahoo.com.