This is the Audubon Society of Central Arkansas’s July monthly meeting.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Mitchell is studying how urbanization affects the Eastern Screech-Owl (Megascops asio). This species has historically been considered tolerant to urban environments, but citizen science data suggests this is not universally true, including in the Northwest Arkansas Metro Area. In addition to an overall lack of understanding how this species is affected by urbanization, relatively little is known about its basic life history despite being widespread. Through this work, Mitchell and an undergraduate at the U of A are using GPS and radio transmitters to study habitat selection, nest site selection, and survival at sites around Northwest Arkansas. 2025 marks the first of three years for this project.

Mitchell is an avian ecologist who received his PhD in Biology (2024) from the University of Arkansas, where he is currently a visiting assistant professor and co-coordinator of the NSF-funded EcoREU undergrad mentorship program. Mitchell is also director and co-founder of Ozark Bird Conservancy, a new 501c3 research organization that seeks to conserve birds and their habitats through research, education, and outreach in the Interior Highlands. Mitchell has studied birds for a decade and specializes in raptors.

June 12, 2025 – Chasing the Harpy Eagle in Guyana South America – Karen Holliday

This is the Audubon Society of Central Arkansas’s June monthly meeting.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Karen Holliday and three long-time birding friends spent two weeks in March in Guyana, South America. Guyana was a new country for everyone. Guyana has over 600 species of birds. It has an excellent mix of habitats from mudflats along the Atlantic coast, pristine rainforests, large grassland fields, open savannahs, and rivers. The mountain birding included a canopy walkway. Harpy Eagle was the target bird for the group, which with incredible luck they saw on the second day of the trip. The group heard and saw a total of 283 species. Their favorite animal was seeing two Giant Anteaters.

Karen is retired from the Arkansas Bureau of Legislative Research at the state Capitol where she worked for 23 years. Before that she was director of the Lawrence County Library system in Walnut Ridge, AR. When she moved from Walnut Ridge to Little Rock, she joined the Audubon Society of Central Arkansas. Participating in ASCA’s activities, she met many birders which encouraged her to expand her birding efforts from backyard birds to birding statewide, then internationally. She has traveled to all seven continents and over 50 countries, many of them birding trips.

Tag: Meeting

July 10, 2025 – Effects of urbanization on space use and survival of a resident forest owl – Mitchell Pruitt, Ph.D., University of Arkansas 🗓

June Meeting 🗓