Description

Tuesday, January 20, at 11:30 - 12:30 p.m. 

Grimes Farm Conservation Center 2349 233rd Street, Marshalltown 

Registration Fee: Free 

Registration Deadline: January 15 by 4:00 p.m.

Most bird monitoring in Iowa happens during the day, leaving much unknown about the state's owls and nightjars, of which five owls and three nightjars are listed as Species of Greatest Conservation Need. Since 2016, the MOON program (Monitoring of Owls and Nightjars) has been listening for these mysterious nighttime birds, finding steady owl numbers but wildly fluctuating nightjar counts.

In 2024, monitoring expanded to 14 Bird Conservation Area routes, with all 23 BCAs covered by 2025. These surveys give us a clearer picture of Iowa's nocturnal bird populations and help guide habitat management to protect them.

Join Iowa DNR Avian Ecologist Anna Buckardt Thomas as she shares fascinating insights from this work and what it means for conserving these secretive nighttime visitors.