Wild Bird Research Group is looking for volunteers to join our 2026 Northern Saw-whet Owl Migration Research season in New Jersey!
Our fall owl migration work runs from approximately mid-October through the end of November, with research taking place on Wednesday and Friday evenings.
Research Nights & Locations
Wednesdays at The Watershed Institute
Pennington, New Jersey
Fridays at The Hunt House
Mercer County, New Jersey
*Exact dates will be scheduled after banding crews are finalized
We are looking for volunteers who can commit to one consistent night per week for the majority of the season. Regular Wednesday and Friday crews allow volunteers to gain experience while helping us maintain safe, efficient, and consistent research operations.
Who We’re Looking For
Previous bird banding or Northern Saw-whet Owl experience is helpful, but we are interested in volunteers with a range of experience levels.
When applying, please include:
- Name and contact information
- Availability: Wednesdays, Fridays, or either
- Whether you can commit to your selected night from mid-October through the end of November
- Previous bird banding experience, including projects or species you have worked with
- Previous mist-net extraction experience
- Previous Northern Saw-whet Owl experience, including banding, extraction, processing, net checks, data collection, or other station responsibilities
- Any other relevant wildlife, field research, bird handling, or public education experience
- A brief explanation of why you are interested in joining the WBRG owl migration team
Experience Level
Please also indicate your experience level with bird banding and mist-net extraction:
- None: No previous hands-on experience
- Beginner: Some supervised experience
- Intermediate: Comfortable performing tasks with limited supervision
- Experienced: Extensive experience and comfortable working independently and/or helping train others
Experience is not required for every volunteer position. Knowing your current experience level simply helps us build balanced crews and determine appropriate roles and training.
What to Expect
Depending on experience and training, volunteers may assist with mist-net checks, bird extraction, banding and processing, data collection, station logistics, and interacting with visitors during public programming.
Owl migration research takes place at night and outdoors, so volunteers should be prepared for late evenings and cool or cold fall weather.
We are especially looking for people interested in becoming consistent members of the team. Our goal is to develop dedicated Wednesday and Friday crews that work together throughout the migration season.
Season: Mid-October through the end of November 2026
Wednesdays: The Watershed Institute, Pennington, NJ
Fridays: The Hunt House, Mercer County, NJ
Interested in Volunteering?
Please send your information and experience in PDF form to info@wildbirdresearch.org with “Application – Saw-whet Owl Volunteer” in the subject line.
We’re excited for another season studying the migration of one of North America’s smallest and most fascinating owls.
