Avian / Bird conservation fieldwork jobs

Hiring: Shrike Recovery Field Intern
Organization: Wildlife Preservation Canada

Location: Carden Alvar, Ontario
Housing: field accommodation to be provided by WPC 

Type of Position: Full-time (37.5 hr/wk), temporary (8 weeks) 
Rate of Pay: $17.50/hr, plus 4% vacation pay; field accommodation to be provided by WPC 
Anticipated Start: 6 July 2025 
Hours of Work: Flexible daily and weekly schedule to suit project needs and weather conditions. Working weekends will be required. 

GENERAL DESCRIPTION 

Wildlife Preservation Canada is seeking a summer intern to assist with the implementation of the Loggerhead Shrike (LOSH) Recovery Program in Ontario. The Loggerhead Shrike is critically endangered with fewer than 50 birds found annually in Ontario in recent years. The Carden Alvar is one of two core areas where LOSH continue to breed, though sightings still occur in Smiths Falls, Pembroke/Renfrew, Grey-Bruce and Manitoulin. Wildlife Preservation Canada has been managing this unique recovery program since 2003; activities include captive husbandry and release, as well as wild population surveying and monitoring. 

RESPONSIBILITIES 

Under the supervision of the Carden Area Shrike Biologist, the intern will be responsible for assisting with the care and soft-release of groups of captive-hatched juveniles, which are transferred to the release site from one of the program’s breeding facilities over July-August. Additional tasks in surveying and monitoring the wild population in Carden may be necessary at the discretion of the Area Biologist, though the focus of field work in July/August is on captive care. This offers a unique opportunity to work first-hand with an endangered species, and the chance to gain experience in animal care and population recovery techniques in a field setting. 

Specific duties will include: 
● Release site and enclosure preparation and maintenance 
● Daily care and husbandry of captive young prior to release during July and August (behavioural observations and provision of live food) 
● Care and maintenance of food colonies (crickets, mealworms and live mice) 
● Soft-release of young; post-release monitoring and supplemental feeding 
● Assisting with banding of all captive young prior to release 
● Assisting with attachment of remote tracking devices to a subset of captive young 
● Data management and assisting with monthly reports 
● Road-side and on-site (with prior permission) surveys to locate breeding pairs of LOSH 
● Remote nest monitoring to determine nest productivity 
● Identification and reporting of all colour banded LOSH 
● Writing 1-2 blog articles and assisting with social media content creation 
● Additional tasks as required (may include trips to pick up necessary supplies, emergency bird transport etc.) 

REQUIRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE 

● Strong interest in biology, conservation, and fieldwork 
● Ability to work professionally and safely in variable weather with exposure to biting insects 
● Strong interpersonal skills, and the ability to maintain positive relationships with private landowners, coworkers, and other project partners 
● Willingness to handle insects, live mice and bird matter 
● Willingness to live in field quarters (located in Cameron, Ontario) 
● A valid G-class driver’s license, and access to a vehicle for the duration of the contract 

ASSET SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE 

● Previous bird handling and/or banding experience 
● Familiarity and/or experience with animal husbandry practices 
● Prior experience with bird monitoring/surveying 
● Able to navigate in the field using a map, compass, and GPS 
● Experience with nest searching, colour band identification, and call playback surveys 
● Science communication skills, including virtual and in-person presentations 
● Experience using hand tools, power tools, weed whackers and short ladders 

SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE GAINED BY THIS POSITION

● Captive bird husbandry
● Colour-band identification
● Bird banding and collection of morphometric data
● Eastern grassland bird identification
● Habitat surveys
● Population monitoring
● Science communication
● Problem solving
● Leadership skills
● Data management

TO APPLY

To apply, please send a cover letter and CV to: Helmi Hess, Lead Biologist – Eastern Loggerhead Shrike Recovery, h.hess@wildlifepreservation.ca . Please submit your application as a single PDF or MS word
file, and include the email subject heading “Carden Shrike Intern”.

Applications will be evaluated as soon as they are submitted, with interviews scheduled for suitable candidates immediately. Applications will not be accepted once the position is filled and will not be considered after midnight (EST) July 1, 2025. 

Saving endangered species requires contributions of people of diverse backgrounds, heritage, knowledge, experiences, and identities, though many of these voices have been excluded from conservation. WPC is committed to promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion in our organization, and we welcome applications from all qualified individuals. We encourage those from historically marginalized groups—including racialized, Indigenous, and 2SLGBTQIA+ people, those with differing abilities, and other equity-deserving groups—to self-identify in their cover letter, if they feel comfortable, so we may consider their application accordingly.

This position may be funded by government youth employment initiatives which require candidates to be:
● No more than 30 years of age at the start of employment
● A Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or person on whom refugee protection has been conferred under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act
● legally entitled to work according to the relevant Ontario legislation and regulations

Please indicate in your application if you meet these criteria. Meeting these criteria is not necessary.

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