UPCOMING TRAININGS & WORKSHOPS
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Learn About Cuckoos
Learn How to Conduct Surveys
BOTH TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE ARE REQUIRED FOR A UNITED STATES FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE RECOVERY PERMIT
Recovery permits are issued to allow for take (e.g., harass [surveying & monitoring constitute harassment], harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, collect, or attempt to do these things) as part of activities intended to foster the recovery of listed species. A typical use of a recovery permit is to allow for scientific research on a listed species in order to understand better the species' long-term survival needs. —USFWS
STATE WILDLIFE AGENCIES ALSO MIGHT REQUIRE PERMITS, PARTICULARY FOR NEST MONITORING & OTHER STUDIES
Cuckoo Vocalizations, Survey Protocols, & Data Forms for Permitted Surveying, Monitoring, and Research are Provided at the Trainings. Survey Protocols & Data Forms Also can be Found at Resources.
Yellow-billed Cuckoo Survey Protocol Training By Western Biology
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Complete the essential USFWS-approved prerequisite for YBCU recovery permits with this two-part training, featuring an intensive classroom deep-dive and four hours of supervised field application.
Description
Presented by
Secure your federal survey credentials with Western Biology’s essential Yellow-billed Cuckoo (YBCU) Survey Protocol Training. This USFWS-approved workshop is a prerequisite for biologists, consultants, and land managers seeking an ESA Section 10(a)1(A) recovery permit to conduct surveys for the western Distinct Population Segment (DPS).
Workshop Experience
Led by renowned avian researcher Dr. Murrelet Halterman (lead author of the current survey protocol) and expert biologist Adam Petry, this training uses the latest regional findings (updated annually) to combine rigorous classroom theory with critical field application.
Part I: Classroom Session (In-Person Only): Deep dive into YBCU biology, western DPS status, identification (aural and visual), and the federal permitting process.
Part II: Field Session (Hotchkiss, CO): Hands-on practice at multiple survey sites along the North Fork of the Gunnison River. Participants will gain 4 hours of supervised field experience, practicing the Halterman et al. (2016) call-playback protocol in suitable Critical Habitat.
Professional Benefits
Permit Eligibility: Fulfills the official USFWS-approved training requirement.
Continuing Education: Eligible for up to 7 CEUs through The Wildlife Society (Category I) for Certified Wildlife Biologists®.
Expert Access: Learn directly from the architects of the survey standards and regional experts.
Logistics & Investment
Dates/Location: June 17-18, 2026 | Hotchkiss, Colorado.
Registration Fee: $145 – $295 (Tiered pricing for non-profit, agency, and private sectors).
Combined Training: Participants requiring the full 12 supervised hours for USFWS Region 6 eligibility are encouraged to pair this workshop with our Advanced Field Workshop (Cuckoo Camp).
Optional Add-On: YBCU Habitat Float
Enhance your field knowledge with an exclusive 10-mile journey through the heart of Yellow-billed Cuckoo habitat. Guided by Adam Petry, Dr. Murrelet Halterman, and Western Slope SUP, this float offers a unique and unforgettable perspective on riparian ecology along the Gunnison River.
Yellow-billed Cuckoo Survey Protocol Training-Arizona
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Registration is Open!
Wednesday, June 17: Virtual classroom, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Wednesday-Friday June 24, 25 OR 26: Mandatory field practice, 6:30 a.m. to noon (multiple locations, please select at check-out)
Join Audubon Southwest and our partners from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the AZ Game and Fish Department for two informative days outlining Western Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus occidentalis) natural history, habitat preferences, and survey protocol. Note that this training is required for those wishing to obtain federal permits for surveying this species.
Registered participants will complete a day of virtual classroom training, then select a field practice location convenient to them to spend a morning practicing the protocol and filling out the field forms. To reduce impacts in the field, we've divided training into three days, allowing for smaller groups. Space is limited so be sure to register soon. Maps and instructions to field sites to be provided.
Note that preference will be given to professionals with surveys currently scheduled. Crew leaders: Note that you can hold spaces for your team under your email address, but we'll need the individual's contact info as soon as it becomes available for logistical communications.
Please contact Cathy Wise with questions.
Western Yellow-billed Cuckoo Survey Training - Arizona
Audubon Arizona is hosting this the 2024 Western Yellow-billed Cuckoo surveyor training in partnership with the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the AZ Game and Fish Department, the Bureau of Land Management, Tucson Audubon. and Northern Arizona University. The training will be offered in a hybrid format, with a virtual classroom session on June 20th followed by an in-person field session on June 21th. Two field sites are available - one on the Santa Cruz River south of Tucson and the other on the East Verde River near the town of Payson.
Contact Cathy Wise
Yellow-billed Cuckoo Survey Training - California
Southern Sierra Research Station Cuckoo Training (Registration Closed)
The Workshop is now full and we are starting a “Wait-List”. If someone is not able to attend the workshop, it creates an opening then we add someone from the wait-list. If enough people sign up for the wait-list, there is the possibility to have a second field day for the wait-list group. Please email: Michelle(at)southernsierraresearch.org to get on the waitlist.
July 16 (online presentation) & July 18 (field day) in Weldon, CA
Cost: $250
Currently Enrolled Full-Time Students in College or Graduate School are elligible for a reduced student price of $150. Please use the “Contact Us” link for access to this special pricing.
Space is limited to 20 registrants. Once filled we will have a waiting list.
Questions: Contact Us!
Yellow-billed Cuckoo Workshop | Southern Sierra Research Station
Once you have registered!
Please review the survey protocols, survey forms and Yellow-billed Cuckoo vocalizations. Bring a copy of the protocols and review it before the workshop, so that we may answer any questions. Please download and listen to the Yellow-billed Cuckoo vocalizations to become familiar with them prior to the workshop.
Workshop Materials
Cuckoo Survey Protocol Halterman et al.
Yellow-billed Cuckoo vocalizations
Schedule:
Day 1: 1pm to 5pm online presentation over Zoom. Presentation topics will include: distribution and Status, habitat preferences, breeding ecology, and survey protocol.
Workshop Presentation Link: To be added at a later date
Day 2: 6am to 10am. We will meet at at the Audubon Kern River Preserve Headquarters.
In July, the daytime temperatures are typically in the 90s and the nighttime temperature is in the 60s or 70s. Please be prepared for both hot and cold temperatures. Also, bring the following gear with you to the workshop: notepad, pen, binoculars, hiking boots, sunscreen and mosquito repellent. Coffee, tea, water, soda and snacks will be provided during the workshop To help reduce waste, please bring a water bottle and coffee mug.
For more information about the Kern River Valley Yellow-billed Cuckoo workshop please use the “Contact Us” link on the website. Thank you!
Yellow-billed Cuckoo Survey Training - New Mexico
Classroom Session June 5. 12:00 pm - 4:30 pm. Bosque del Apache visitor center – Lannon Room. This year we are holding the training in person only and are limiting the class to 40 students only.
Field Session June 6 AM. Details to come. Field experience is required to obtain a federal permit for yellow-billed cuckoo surveys.
Registration Email Jenny Davis at Jennifer_L_Davis@fws.gov with attendee name, email address, and phone number. Include when and where you plan to be conducting surveys in 2023 or 2024 and if you have already applied for federal and state permits. Additionally, include documentation of riparian avian species field experience to allow us to determine whether you will still need field experience to obtain a permit. Priority will be given to those who have applied for permits and who will be conducting surveys in NM in 2024 or 2025. This year we are limiting participants to 40 people. Survey training is free, but due to limited space you must register for training. If you register and cannot attend, please cancel your registration to allow those waitlisted to take your place.
Federal Permits Required for all recovery studies pertaining to cuckoos including presence/absence surveys. Visit https://fwsepermits.servicenowservices.com/fws. Cost is $100 for a new permit and $50 for an amendment to add the species to a current permit. For all individuals named on the permit, include resumes with documentation of experience and as well as past attendance at a training class. Cuckoo protocol training within the past 5 years and previous experience with cuckoos and riparian avian species surveys is required for presence/absence permitting in New Mexico.
State (NM) Permits State permits are required for all recovery studies, including presence/absence surveys. Visit https://www.wildlife.state.nm.us/download/enforcement/scientific-educational/scientific/Scientific-Collection-Permit-Application-or-Renewal-Form.pdf for the application; contact dgf.permits@state.nm.us for more information.
Instructors
Dave Moore, US Bureau of Reclamation
Matt Bullard, US Bureau of Reclamation
Tori Barron, US Bureau of Reclamation
Jenny Davis, US Fish and Wildlife Service
Erin Duvuvuei, NM Department of Game and Fish
Co-Sponsors Us Fish Wildlife Service, US Bureau of Reclamation, & New Mexico Department of Game and Fish