A who's who: Wildlife biologist to discuss nocturnal birds of Nevada

Wildlife biologist Jenni Jeffers will provide a veritable Who's Who of nocturnal birds - and will bring live owls to the event - when she speaks Feb. 23 at the Nevada State Museum.

The program starts at 7 p.m. at the museum, 600 N. Carson St. Admission is $8 for adults, and free for members and children 17 and under.

Owls occupy a variety of habitats but are seldom observed by the public because much of their activity occurs at night. Participants will find out what goes bump in the night and see birds up close. Jeffers will be available to answer specific questions about owls and provide information about how to help with their conservation.

In her capacity with the Nevada Department of Wildlife for the past 11 years, Jeffers is responsible for survey, inventory and conservation of three phylums - mammals, reptiles and birds. She has more than 25 years of field experience as a biologist working with birds and mammals.

Jeffers previously worked as a wildlife researcher for South Dakota State University, tracking large mammals such as deer and mountain lions with using radio telemetry and collecting habitat data in the Black Hills of South Dakota.

As wildlife biologist for NDW, she conducts specialized studies on rare and secretive species such as the aplodontia, which has a tiny western extension of range in the Sierra Nevada.

She is responsible for the majority of surveys for the state's non-game water birds and shorebirds in north-central Nevada, and those that are colonial nesters.

In addition to summer and winter surveys for bats, Jeffers works extensively with the abandoned mine program conducting surveys for the winged mammals, and she schedules and coordinates bat gates in her area of responsibility to protect important colonies from human disturbance.

For more information, contact Deborah Stevenson at dstevenson@nevadaculture.org or775-687-4810, Ext. 237.