Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory is proud to offer a unique field experience for young people interested in birds and the environment. On The Wing is a field program for students ages 12-16, designed to give participants a wide range of experiences. Since its inception in 1993, each session of On The Wing has brought challenging and new opportunities to over 125 campers, from beginning birdwatchers to seasoned ornithologists. Campers have come from all across the United States and as far away as Canada and Mexico to join Observatory staff in this distinctive residential summer program.

During On The Wing, participants receive outdoor educational programs and hands-on field training about Colorado ecosystems, experience songbird and raptor banding techniques, work with professional researchers, and observe birds while exploring Colorado's diverse habitats. The program offers the chance to visit some of the most magnificent areas in Colorado.

On The Wing 2005 - On The Wing will not be offered in 2005.

On The Wing 2004 - Exploring Colorado's 14ers

Coloradans are familiar with the term "14ers," referring to the 54 peaks in the state that reach an elevation of 14,000 feet or higher. For birders and wildlife enthusiasts, another group of "14ers," the 14 major habitat zones of the state, are equally impressive and exciting.

On The Wing 2004 will give campers the opportunity to visit and learn about each of the 14 habitat zones within Colorado's borders. Campers will get a true taste of the West by spending time at a real, working cattle ranch in the shortgrass prairie habitat of eastern Colorado. We will travel to the Sangre de Cristo Mountains where we will learn about the alpine tundra habitat, with its short growing season and well-adapted flora and fauna. We'll get our feet wet in the riparian and wetland habitats of the San Luis Valley and our wildlife viewing skills will be put to the test in the montane habitats of the rugged and pristine San Juan Mountains. We will conclude our journey in the semidesert shrubland habitat of Western Colorado, a spectacular place with towering spires and sandstone cliffs. Campers will research the breeding birds found within each ecosystem, while learning about the interactions that make each area unique. Along the way, we will visit Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, which boasts the tallest sand dunes in North America. We will attempt to master the art of fly-fishing, and explore the lands and history of the Gold Rush days. And, of course, we will see birds! From Lark Buntings and Mountain Plovers, to Rosy Finches and White-tailed Ptarmigans, to Sage Grouse and Gray Vireos, campers are certain to see a species or two they have not yet seen.

If you love the outdoors, adventure, and meeting like-minded, nature-loving 12-16 year olds, join RMBO from June 26 - July 7 for On The Wing 2004: Exploring Colorado's 14ers. Cost for this 12 day adventure is $1200.

On The Wing 2003 - Crossing The Continental Divide

In 2003 On The Wing campers spent 10 days exploring Colorado's western slope. The first 3 days were spent in Dinosaur National Monument learning about sage shrubland, pinyon-juniper, and riparian habitats and the avifauna that resides there. We learned about exotic plants and how they are affecting our desert landscape, visited a fish hatchery, chased Mormon crickets, and observed dinosaur bones preserved in the side of a quarry. Next we journeyed to Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, where we spent 4 days exploring the area and completing a research project. Here we learned about montane shrub, mixed conifer, and riparian habitats and the wildlife that reside in them. We learned how to identify constellations, looked through some amazing telescopes at globular star clusters such as M-13, visited a nesting colony of Black Swifts, watched the longest fireworks display in history, and learned to distinguish Green-tailed Towhee and Spotted Towhee songs in our sleep. We spent one tent-less night on the Uncompagre Plateau, where we located a new Purple Martin colony (#85) for the state of Colorado and perfected the art of S'more making. We wrapped up camp with a trip to the Colorado National Monument and a discussion about which direction liquid would run as we stood atop the Continental Divide at Loveland Pass. Sorry, no Ptarmigans this time!

Seeing Greater Sage Grouse was an amazing experience. I liked this camp because I got to bird with other people my age, go to new places and see new birds. I had a lot of fun.

  - Kai Reed, OTW 2003 camper

Research Papers from 2003
  Do Green-tailed Towhees and Spotted Towhees use habitat in the same ways?
  A Comparison of how Green-tailed Towhees and Spotted Towhees use habitat