The Park Flight Migratory Bird Program works to protect migratory birds that share their habitat between national parks and protected areas in the U.S., Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean through bird monitoring, education and outreach programs, and opportunities for technical assistance and cooperation.

The Park Flight Program is a partnership between the National Park Service (NPS), National Park Foundation, American Airlines, and the University of Arizona. Working through the NPS International Volunteers in Parks Program, biologists and educators from other Western Hemisphere countries assist with Park Flight efforts in U.S. national parks. These international internships give the opportunity for an exchange of knowledge and experience including science, culture and language.

For 2008, the Park Flight international internships will be open to qualified candidates from ALL COUNTRIES IN LATIN AMERICA [Mexico, Central America and South America] AND THE CARIBBEAN. Park Flight will offer 11 internships for applicants from Latin America [Mexico, Central America and South America] and the Caribbean, at the following U.S. national park units: New Jersey Coastal Heritage Trail Route, New Jersey, with New Jersey Audubon Society; North Cascades National Park, Washington; Great Smoky Mountains National Park, North Carolina/Tennessee; Fire Island National Seashore, New York; Oregon Caves National Monument, Oregon, with Klamath Bird Observatory; Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, California; Bandelier National Monument, New Mexico; and Golden Gate National Recreation Area and Point Reyes National Seashore, California, with PRBO Conservation Science. The positions with New Jersey Audubon and Fire Island National Seashore will focus on shorebirds, while the other eight positions focus on landbirds.

The internships will begin from April to August 2008 and will last from two to six months. Applicants should have experience with bird banding (the majority of positions) or other bird monitoring techniques, experience with education and outreach related to birds or other conservation topics, and at least an intermediate level of English (reading, writing, understanding and speaking). Applicants must be able to understand safety and radio communications and give presentations in English. Many positions will require a valid driver license from the intern’s home country. Some training is provided, and interns are asked to give presentations about bird conservation in their countries. Candidates must be able to apply the skills gained in the U.S. to bird conservation efforts in national parks and protected areas or Important Bird Areas in their home countries. Interns will receive US $700.00 a month for food and miscellaneous expenses and the program will cover the expenses of airfare, housing, and the required J -1 visa. Potential applicants must be in their home country the 3 months prior to the internship for visa reasons. Park Flight will make all the necessary arrangements. Top candidates will be able to review specific park position descriptions and will be required to have phone interviews in English.

Interested and qualified candidates should send a CV (Spanish is acceptable; include two
professional references), with a cover letter in English, by January 31, 2008, to the program coordinator, Carol Beidleman.