Ever wondered what it really takes to do wildlife fieldwork? In this episode, head into the sagebrush with three graduate students studying shrikes, pygmy rabbits, and sagebrush songbirds. Hear about the honest, useful details: how to prep for a season that vanishes in a blur, what gear actually matters (sunshirts, yes; sandals are…controversial), and how to recover when things go sideways. This conversation shows why being there changes what we can know.

We talk about finding the right lab and advisor, applying to technician roles with volume and intention, and writing cover letters that are specific, early, and honest about gaps. You’ll hear how non-traditional students can be standout techs, why transferable skills matter, and how rolling reviews reward applicants who don’t wait for deadlines. The stories are unfiltered: a black bear on hind legs eyeing a “blood smoothie,” a near nap on a rattlesnake, a UTV dropping into a hidden creek at night. The takeaway is bigger than any mishap: fieldwork is a rite of passage that teaches judgment, resilience, and the kind of naturalist attention that turns data into understanding.

If you’re plotting your first season—or your fifteenth—you’ll get practical advice you can use tomorrow: organize goals before the rush, expect to forget something, make peace with Plan B, and invest in the people beside you at 4 a.m. Because the field isn’t just where we collect numbers; it’s where we find the questions worth asking next. Subscribe, share this with a future field tech, and tell us: what’s your must-have gear—and are you team boots or team sandals?

Links to more information:

The Wildlife Society

About Erik

About Olivia

About Clare

Chalfoun Lab

Wyoming Cooperative Research Unit

Loggerhead Shrikes

Pygmy Rabbits

Brewer's Sparrow

Sage Thrasher

Sagebrush Sparrow

In this episode, we delve into the life of sagebrush songbirds with Emily Schertzer, a PhD candidate at the University of Wyoming. Emily shares her journey into ornithology, her methods for tracking these tiny birds, and the impact of human development and climate change on their habitats. We explore the intricacies of these songbirds' lives, their nesting habits, migration patterns, and the importance of clear scientific communication. Emily also describes the different species she studies, including Brewer's sparrows, sagebrush sparrows, and sage thrashers, and their interactions with each other and their environment. Lastly, we discuss the future of songbird conservation and the collaborative efforts needed to protect these migratory species.

00:00 Introduction to Sagebrush Songbirds

00:08 Meet Emily Schertzer: A Journey into Ornithology

01:04 Understanding Songbirds and Their Habitats

01:44 Emily's Path to Bird Research

02:34 Field Research in Sagebrush Habitats

04:42 Tracking Tiny Birds Across Continents

07:12 Challenges and Discoveries in Bird Tracking

07:56 The Importance of Sagebrush Habitat

11:07 Human Impact and Climate Change

12:24 Post-Fledging Period: A Critical Time

15:16 The Role of Communication in Science

18:02 The Significance of Bird Conservation

20:00 Migration Patterns and Connectivity

25:33 Predators and Threats to Songbirds

26:19 Conclusion

Learn more

The Wildlife Society

Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Brewer's Sparrow Overview, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Sage Thrasher Overview, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Sagebrush Sparrow Overview, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Light- level geolocators

Wyoming Cooperative Research Unit

State of the Birds Report