Five Audubon Southwest chapters received Audubon in Action grants to support science, education and outreach.

The National Audubon Society received competitive applications from affiliate chapters for grants that elevate on-the-ground action and collaboration. All of the proposals from individual Southwest chapters were funded, totaling $41,500 in grant funding for the Southwest chapter network ($25,500 in Arizona and $16,000 in New Mexico). 

All three Arizona projects support science, education, and outreach at Arizona Important Bird Areas, sites sponsored by Arizona Game and Fish Department and managed by Audubon Southwest and Tucson Audubon Society.  

Desert Rivers Audubon Society (DRAS) and Northern Arizona Audubon Society  (NAAS) both received funding for Motus stations. Motus is a tracking system that picks up the “ping” from tags attached to birds and other migrating animals, including bats and butterflies. These two chapters are supporting the installation of stations at Gilbert Riparian Preserve in the Phoenix metropolitan area and on the Coconino National Forest at Lowell Observatory west of Flagstaff.

 “There are no words to tell you how grateful I am for this grant! NAAS members are so supportive of what National Audubon is doing with hemispheric conservation and inclusion!” said NAAS president Kay Hawklee

Northern Arizona Audubon Society and Tucson Audubon Society have additionally raised their own funds to install three other stations in Arizona. There is also a station at the Audubon Appleton-Whittell Research Ranch in southeastern Arizona. Read more about Motus in Arizona here.  

Sonoran Audubon Society (SAS) received funds for a third year of stipends for student interns that are trained and deployed during the summer to survey for the Federally threatened western Yellow-billed Cuckoo. Four students majoring in conservation fields will survey for cuckoos at the Agua Fria National Monument and the City of Phoenix Tres Rios Wetlands west of Phoenix.

“This program for interns that supports a bird of concern in Arizona is a PERFECT way, we think, of getting the younger generations interested in, and actively supporting birds and bird habitat, while furthering their careers in conservation work,” said SAS co-President Karen LaFrance. 

The information they collect is invaluable for management of the riparian river habitats on the Bureau of Land Management Agua Fria National Monument and the Tres Rios Wetlands riparian woodlands.  

In addition to the science-focused work in Arizona, New Mexico’s chapter grants focus largely on outreach efforts to new and diverse audiences. The Bird Alliance of Central New Mexico received funds to expand their long-running partnership with the ABQ Backyard Refuge Program, an effort to promote intentional landscaping with native plants to create wildlife habitat in the Albuquerque area. With grant funding, the Bird Alliance will take on a leadership role in facilitating and marketing a successful yard certification program. Their goal is to assist landowners with the development and certification of 100 or more new habitat parcels. 

The Mesilla Valley Audubon Chapter of Las Cruces was awarded a collaborative grant for the construction of a bird blind at the Bosque State Park along the Rio Grande. The new construction will enable both beginning and advanced birders to better view and learn about waterfowl on the river, and new signage will be installed in both English and Spanish to educate and inform. The chapter currently leads popular bird walks at the site and expects that the new blind will greatly improve visitor experience and provided increased access.  

Congratulations to all the Audubon Southwest chapters! We could not be happier about the great work being done in the field.  


Tice Supplee contributed to this article.