Loggerhead Shrike Recovery - Biologist

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

Wildlife Preservation Canada is seeking two experienced biologists to implement 2024 field season activities for the Loggerhead Shrike (LOSH) Recovery Program.  Two positions will be filled, one each in the Carden and Napanee Alvars. The Loggerhead Shrike is critically endangered with fewer that 50 birds found annually in Ontario in recent years. The Carden and Napanee Alvars are the two core areas where LOSH continue to breed reliably, though sightings still occur in Smiths Falls, Pembroke/Renfrew, Grey-Bruce and Manitoulin, and some work may occur in those regions.  Wildlife Preservation Canada has been managing this unique recovery program since 2003; activities include wild population surveying and monitoring, captive breeding and release, and habitat stewardship.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Under the supervision of the Lead Biologist, contract biologists will be responsible for monitoring the wild population in their designated core area(s), and the care and soft-release of groups of captive-hatched juveniles (transferred to release sites from one of the program’s breeding facilities over July-August); 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.  This may also include the supervision of a Field Assistant who will help with all program activities for a portion of the field season. Specific duties will include:

  • Road-side and on-site (with prior permission) surveys to locate breeding pairs of wild LOSH
  • Remote nest monitoring to determine nest productivity
  • Identification and reporting of all colour banded LOSH
  • Initiating and maintaining landowner contact
  • Working with local landowners to identify habitat stewardship projects
  • 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 invertebrate food colonies (crickets and mealworms) and live mice
  • Soft-release of young; post-release monitoring and supplemental feeding
  • Release site and enclosure preparation and maintenance
  • Assisting with banding of all captive young prior to release
  • Attachment of remote tracking devices to a subset of captive young prior to release
  • Data management, monthly reports, end-of-season reports
  • Effective and timely communication with program staff and partners
  • General field site maintenance
  • Additional tasks as required

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Do you have a valid Ontario's driver license, and if so what level? *
Do you have access to a vehicle for the duration of the contract? *

Are you comfortable living in rustic field conditions (e.g. limited electricity, outhouse, no wi-fi)

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If you answered "yes" to field experience with birds, what kind of experience do you have? Select all that apply. 

What is your level of bird identification skill, with an emphasis on eastern grassland birds?

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Do you meet the eligibility criteria for government youth employment initiatives? 
- 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; and 
- legally entitled to work according to the relevant Ontario legislation and regulations
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