Thursday, June 9 at 7:00 PM
Speaker: Dan Airola

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The Tricolored Blackbird has declined dramatically from its historical abundance to become a state-listed species, as a result of massive land-use changes in California’s Central Valley. The species has adapted and now occupies a variety of novel habitats, including agricultural fields and grazing lands in the Sierra Nevada foothills.  Dan Airola has studied Tricolored Blackbirds over the last decade in the valley and foothills to understand their population status, habitat requirements, future land use threats, and conservation management. He offers a conservation assessment addressing both the challenges of land use change and encouraging efforts to conserve the species.

Raised in Marin County, wildlife biologist and ornithologist Daniel Airola conducts research and conservation efforts for birds of concern in northern California. He is a member of the statewide Tricolored Blackbird Working Group and leads its Research Committee. Other research species include the Purple Martin, Yellow-billed Magpie, Swainson’s Hawk, and Osprey. His recent book on 30 years of Purple Martin research and management is available at cvbirds.org.