Dear Montana,

As autumn settles into winter, we find ourselves in a season of reflection and gratitude. The frosty mornings and busy hustle of Pine Siskins, Black-capped Chickadees, Blue Jays, and Downy Woodpeckers at the feeders remind us to appreciate the diminishing daylight (and to re-examine our birdseed budget).

At the heart of this appreciation is a deep sense of thankfulness for the thriving community that surrounds us—everyone playing a role in the preservation and celebration of Montana's wildlife and wild places. Whether you're a dedicated birder, a passionate citizen scientist, a curious student, a devoted educator, a stewarding rancher, a generous landowner, a diligent researcher, or a tireless conservationist, the tapestry of our community is woven with diverse threads of commitment and passion.

We see this commitment and passion every day: in the faces of the young students at the Montana Audubon Center as they revel in the fall sunshine; in the shared enthusiasm of ACR-certified ranchers, industry leaders, and environmentalists at the Expanding Markets Conference (which one of our staff described as 'the best conference he's ever attended'); and when we join with other conservation groups to advocate for Grizzly Bears and other wildlife.

Thank you for joining us in our continued journey to celebrate and protect Montana's birds, wildlife, and landscapes.

Yours in Conservation,

Larry Berrin

Executive Director

Our Fall 2023 Newsletter is here!

In this issue we share updates on our latest work, including:

• How Montana Audubon is leading a coalition to protect vulnerable species
• The Audubon Conservation Ranching program grows in both acres and impact
• Conservation Briefs on our work with Black Swifts, Harlequin Ducks, and Grizzly Bear management advocacy
• Montana Audubon Center updates
• Staff updates



And more!

Read the PDF version on our website:

If you followed our policy work on Grizzly Bears during the 2023 session, you will recall our strong opposition to SB 295, a bill outlining state management of Grizzly Bears upon delisting from the Endangered Species Act. 

Since its passage, the conservation community has been deeply involved in the process by testifying in front of the Fish, Wildlife, and Parks commission to ensure that the public at large has a voice. This morning (Nov. 17, 2023), Montana Audubon spoke in opposition to the recently proposed plan. 

While we commend the Fish, Wildlife, and Parks commission for amending the rules to require livestock owners “demonstrate an effort” to implement non-lethal measures before the issuance of a kill permit on public land, the proposal is still too weak and could jeopardize public trust in state management of the species. 

Despite our concerns going mostly unaddressed, we will continue to advocate for sound wildlife management policies that reduce human-predator conflict, account for all user groups, and build off past successes of the Grizzly Bear recovery efforts.

You can find the proposed rules on FWP’s website by following this link.

The department is accepting written comments until 5 pm on Monday, November 20th. If you would like to comment, you can email comments to fwpwld@mt.gov with the subject line “Grizzly Bear ARM.”

Bringing together ranchers, industry leaders, and environmentalists like ourselves, Western Sustainability Exchange (WSE) hosted its second annual Expanding Markets Conference in Billings on November 7th and 8th.

After the success of last year’s conference, Montana Audubon both sponsored the event and covered the attendance fee for some Audubon Conservation Ranching (ACR)-certified ranches.

Speakers and attendees represented a breadth of stakeholders across the cattle industry with one question in mind: how can we work together to feed people, sustain rural communities, and work with nature?

Read more about the conference in this recent post on our website:

Black-billed Cuckoos are not easy to find in Montana- this cryptic species is regionally scarce, and vocalizes infrequently. As well, their populations have declined nationally by an astounding 67% from 1970 to 2019, based on Breeding Bird Survey data- making them increasingly hard to find and a priority to document. Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks lists Black-billed Cuckoos as a species of high inventory need because current monitoring efforts are insufficient to determine their population status or trends in the state.

Anna Kurtin, a graduate student at the University of Montana, is using acoustic technology to help overcome the challenges of surveying the elusive species.

Learn more about her research- and her exciting preliminary results- in this new blog post from our partners at the University of Montana Bird Ecology Lab (UMBEL) on the Montana eBird site:

For many November is a time when we’re reminded to be thankful for all we have and the community we are a part of.

Here at the Center we are fortunate to be reminded of that every time we come to work or engage with community members. Our landscape provides beneficial wildlife habitat within the Yellowstone River ecosystem. Educational programs not only offer access to exploration and learning but opens the door for building deep connections with our natural world. Not to mention the community(s) in which we engage, who are supportive of our work and our mission.

For all of these reasons and more, we are thankful and excited to have an amazing holiday season! 

October started off our festivities with BigFoot hunts, celebrating our Center members, celebrating one of our favorite flying mammals at our Bat-stravaganza, and exploring how best to smash a pumpkin.

We wrapped up ANTS fall field trips, moved into class visits and are anxiously awaiting the start of winter field trips. Our last homeschool session of the year started in early November and will be back again in the new year!

Community Programs are rocking like always with upcoming programs including Holiday Wreath Making and our 2nd annual Holiday Market.

Learn about all of our upcoming activities and programs on the Montana Audubon Center website and on our Facebook and Instagram pages.

We’re hiring an Administrative Assistant for the Helena office.

Part or full time, benefits include vacation, simple IRA w/match, health, dental, and vision.

Position is open until filled, with applications reviewed on a rolling basis.

Check out the Jobs & Opportunities page on the Montana Audubon website for more information and how to apply:

Oct 25: Montana Ag: Wilsall ranch becomes first certified bird-friendly bison ranch in Montana (news segment about North Bridger Bison ranch earning the Audubon Certified bird-friendly designation) | Jane McDonald, 7 KZBK Bozeman

Oct 27: Support Grows for Owen Sowerwine Conservation Easement (Flathead County Commissioners formally support the purchase of a conservation easement for Owen Sowerwine | Micah Drew, Flathead Beacon

Oct 2023: Marketing that Matters: Audubon Seal Connects Ranchers and Consumers (info on the National Audubon Conservation Ranching program) | Charlotte Larson, Food Tank

Donate $100 or more and receive our Wildlife Guide or our popular Bird Guide. Give $200 or more and get both!