How to get parrot research experience as a student

I am currently a biology student and have a great desire to gear my career toward parrot conservation and research. With this in mind, I was wondering what suggestions you had as far as getting experience in this particular field. Whether it be through interns or strictly volunteer positions, I really want to get my foot in the door as soon as possible and wanted to know what the best way to do this was. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Sandra

Dear Sandra,

You've asked and excellent, if difficult, question.  As you know, parrots live in parts of the world which are generally quite different from where you're likely to be (I'm assuming USA based on your 'foot in the door' comment).  So field work is likely to involve different climates, different cultures, and nearly always different languages.

Some people are really interested in a particular species or region or habitat type and that interest should probably be a guide for where to get started.  Find out who is working in that area or on that species in the wild, looking as broadly as possible, then start communicating as much as you can.  What you're after is pulling together enough background such that you can plan and carry out a trip to the area which will open your eyes to the realities and opportunities awaiting you on the ground there. 

So, if you're interested in macaws in Central America for example, you might want to spend some time in the Yucatan and then also in Costa Rica.  If you make contact with researchers in both places, ask if you can visit and possibly volunteer on their projects, then line up a trip itinerary which will work to spend time in each area/project of interest. 

When you get there, you'll likely get an immediate feel for whether the place, people, language, habitat, etc. are a good fit for you.  Some people get into a rainforest for the first time and they find the humidity and darkness to be incredibly uncomfortable, others find it to be comforting, beautiful, and rich.  Of course, lots of parrots live in dry forests,  or not even forests at all, and you may find that such open areas are either boring or spectacularly beautiful... depends on you!

The same issues hold for the species in question, your fellow researchers, and the local cultures -- you may click, you may not, and the only real way to know is to go see for yourself.  You may find that the cockatoo in your bedroom which is endlessly fascinating, is incredibly hard to see in the wild.  Maybe just when you finally do see one, it flies off over a huge canyon and disappears over a mountain on the horizon. 

When you do find a place which you find comfortable and exciting, keep your mind open about study subjects and questions.  It may be that you really love this one particular macaw, but in fact, the more common parakeets in the area are much more easy to observe, and they're clearly up to some interesting things worth studying.  It might not even be a parrot, or not even a bird you end up studying... at that point, especially if you're doing graduate work, you should focus on what you find to be intellectually most stimulating, challenging, and tractable, such that you become a great researcher in the end.

One thing to bear in mind is that most people with active research projects can always use functional people who are willing to volunteer and to really help out.  But they also don't have time to baby sit and they don't want to deal with people who are just figuring out that the rainforest is rainy and sometimes you get wet!  If you approach them and you're honest about your experience and what you have to offer the project, and you make it clear that you're willing to work, you'll likely find people are quite receptive.

Good luck!

Jamie