Monitoring Birds in Denali
Course Information
Denali National Park and Preserve is home to some of the longest running bird monitoring programs in Alaska and in the US National Park Service system. These long-term data streams are essential for identifying trends in the abundance and distribution of birds and the factors driving those trends.
Course Details
The monitoring programs provide information on a diversity of species ranging from those that migrate at hemispheric scales such as the Arctic Warbler, Swainson’s Thrush and Blackpoll Warbler to those that stay in the Denali area their entire lives such as the Boreal Chickadee and Canada Jay. Join wildlife biologist Carol McIntyre, who has studied birds in Denali for nearly 40 years, on daily hikes to search for these and other species, and to learn more about why these monitoring programs were established, how they are conducted, and how she and other scientists are using the information generated by them to better understand the dynamic nature of Denali’s bird communities.
Physical Requirements
You must be physically prepared to hike off-trail up to 5 miles each day, at a comfortable pace, with climbs up to 1500 feet. Expect uneven footing, wet boggy tundra, dense undergrowth, loose rocks, and stream crossings less than knee height. Good coordination is recommended. Please review the Difficulty Level Scale for more information.
Like any outdoor activity, there are inherent risks associated with our field courses yet we actively manage our exposures and depend on you to play a role in our risk management. Read more here.
Professional Development Credit
One professional development credit is available for this course through the office of Professional and Continuing Education (PACE) at the University of Alaska Anchorage for an additional fee of $79. Information on the credit requirements and how to register and pay for the credit are available from the links below. The course syllabus and registration instructions will be available in May.
Cancellation Policy
Cancellations and/or substitutions that occur 60 days in advance of the course start date will be refunded the course fee, less a processing fee of $50 per space. For cancellations and/or substitutions 59 to 8 days before the course start date, the entire fee will be retained unless we can fill your space. There will be no refunds within 7 days of the course start date. Registration fees are not transferable to future years. If we have to cancel a course, your entire fee will be refunded. Refunds will be credited to the credit card used during the original transaction if less than 60 days since the original transaction. All other refunds will be made through a mailed check. All membership purchases are non-refundable and non-transferable.
To cancel your registration, email courses@akgeo.org, or call 907-683-9632 or 907-771-8485.