Coastal Bird Intern

Now in its second century, Audubon is dedicated to protecting birds and other wildlife and the habitat that supports them. Audubon’s mission is engaging people in bird conservation on a hemispheric scale through science, policy, education and on-the-ground conservation action.  By mobilizing and aligning its network of Chapters, Centers, State and Important Bird Area programs in the four major migratory flyways in the Americas, the organization will bring the full power of Audubon to bear on protecting common and threatened bird species and the critical habitat they need to survive.  And as part of BirdLife International, Audubon will join people in over 100 in-country organizations all working to protect a network of Important Bird Areas around the world, leveraging the impact of actions they take at a local level.  What defines Audubon’s unique value is a powerful grassroots network of nearly 500 local chapters, 23 state offices, 41 Audubon Centers, Important Bird Area Programs in 50 states, and 700 staff across the country.  Audubon is a federal contractor and an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE).

Audubon’s Wings internship program invites students and recent graduates to help shape a healthy environment and vibrant future for birds – and all of us who share the planet with them.  The Coastal Bird Intern will learn from experts in the field of conservation and avian ecology, while gaining exposure to research, monitoring, and education techniques. 

Supervised by the Director of Bird Conservation and working closely with one seasonal Coastal Bird Technician and a Ph.D. student, the Coastal Bird Intern will gain practical skills in outreach and education, as well as have opportunities to intimately study and protect charismatic species like Least Terns, Wilson’s Plovers, and Common Nighthawks.

This position is eligible to receive university credit for an undergraduate student in the Department of Agricultural Sciences at McNeese State University, but university status is not a requirement for this unpaid internship.

Audubon Louisiana is dedicated to building a culturally diverse organization and strongly encourages applications from people of color and women.

The Coastal Bird Intern will help protect and monitor the breeding success of Least Terns, Wilson’s Plovers, and Common Nighthawks on Cameron Parish beaches in southwestern Louisiana.

Duties will include assisting Audubon staff to:

• Post and fence nesting sites, monitor disturbance rates, colony size, nest and chick fates, and fledging rates to determine productivity;
• Engage local communities, organize volunteer events, and use social media to increase awareness of the need to protect sensitive beach-nesting birds;
• Conduct educational programs for visiting beachgoers;
• Assist in data entry and interim report preparation.

The internship will require some work to take place during early mornings and late evenings, on weekends and holidays, and in the Louisiana summer heat. Interns will be asked to work up to 20 hours per week over the course of 12 weeks. Permanent housing is not provided, but over-night shared housing facilities will be regularly available for short-term stays.

As a result of this internship experience, interns will gain:

• Skills in bird identification, nest searching, bird banding, and nest productivity monitoring;
• Experience implementing new projects, knowledge of community event planning and methods of engaging volunteers;
• Experience speaking to groups of all ages about relevant bird conservation issues;
• Conservation methods in sensitive coastal habitats;
• Opportunity to make connections and learn from environmental professionals;
• Understand the role of partnerships in conservation planning and implementation;
• Knowledge of coastal ecological systems in southeastern Louisiana;
• Practice in writing and research;
• Independent planning and execution of specific tasks.

• Must be working towards or have completed a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Biology, Ecology, Natural Resources, Agricultural Sciences, or a related field;
• Excellent interpersonal as well as written and oral communication skills;
• Must be willing to work long hours outside under physically demanding conditions (hot, humid, biting insects);
• Must be comfortable interacting with the public and staff of multiple partner organizations;
• Must have strong organizational skills and great attention to detail;
• Valid driver’s license and reliable personal vehicle are strongly recommended;
• Must live in or near Cameron Parish, LA.