The Streaked Horned Lark is a small songbird that is a subspecies of the Horned Lark. It is found only in the Pacific Northwest and is currently listed as a federal threatened species and an Oregon sensitive species.

For the past five years, Laura Estrada has investigated rare and endemic plants, pollinators, and wildlife throughout the Pacific Northwest. With partners Scott Harris and Bob Altman (MWBA Homer Campbell Conservation Awardee in 2018), she is currently monitoring species and restoring sites and nesting habitat at the Herbert Farm Natural Area, a park south of Corvallis.

The Herbert Farm was and still is a culturally important area for local Native American tribes. In addition, Herbert Farm provides habitat for multiple rare, threatened, and endangered plant and animal species, including the Streaked Horned Lark.

 Laura will describe how to develop creative ways to expand Streaked Horned Lark habitat in the Willamette Valley. The desired outcome will balance the needs of diverse species competing for the valley’s limited natural spaces.

Laura is a conservation research ecologist with the Institute for Applied Ecology (IAE), a non-profit based in Corvallis, Oregon, and Santa Fe, New Mexico. She earned her degrees in Forestry and Wildlife Biology from Purdue University in 2017, and has managed numerous projects across the U.S., applying her expertise to study how various wildlife species respond to habitat management. 

Laura is a conservation research ecologist with the Institute for Applied Ecology (IAE), a non-profit based in Corvallis, Oregon, and Santa Fe, New Mexico. She earned her degrees in Forestry and Wildlife Biology from Purdue University in 2017, and has managed numerous projects across the U.S., applying her expertise to study how various wildlife species respond to habitat management. 

How to See the Monthly Presentations

Currently the 2026 Monthly Meetings will be in-person only, and the Zoom option will be available it a volunteer agrees to run the show. Presentations are open to the public and free, although space may be limited. Presentations will be held in the Corvallis Community Center Chandler Ballroom starting at 6:30 pm for the social gathering, followed by a short business meeting at 7:00 pm. The presentation may start as early as 7:15 pm, and it lasts about an hour. If there is a Zoom recording, the link to the recording will be posted on the MWBA website (see Past Presentations below).
Contact audubon.corvallis@gmail.com for information.

2026-2027 Speaker Schedule

Sep 17 – Laura Estrada: Streaked Horned Lark habitat 
Oct 15 – Stewart Janes: Birds of Crater Lake
Nov 19 – Sam Woodrich: Apex Predators of the Coast Range
Dec 17 – Sue Powell: Member Slide Show
Jan 21 – Sue Haig: Condors
Feb 18 – Olivia Sembach: Greater Sage-Grouse in Central Oregon: Current Population Statuses and Ongoing Research at OSU
Mar 18 – Fred Ramsey: TBA
Apr 15 – Roy Lowe: Shorebirds
May 20 – Jennifer Bailey-Guerrero: Marbled Murrelets and Fire

In-person and Zoom. Recording added on the Friday after the meeting.

If you would like to suggest a speaker for MWBA’s monthly presentations, please contact Mai Kiigemagi at Information@mwbirdalliance.org

May 2026

Chile was an unexpected wonderland when Sue Powell and Matt Lee visited in November 2025. Sue and Matt shared their enjoyment of the country, which they visited in November 2025. Three amazing guides introduced them to a variety of habitats, birds, and wildlife that resided in this long skinny country. The scenery was amazing, from the high desert Atacama to the fjords and magnificent glaciated peaks of Tierra del Fuego. Zoom recording

April 2026

Bill Ripple’s presentation highlighted his recent research in three areas. He described how he learned that reintroduction of wolves into Yellowstone National Park resulted in increased alder and willow growth. Next he detailed how he moved into climate change and how making changes in cattle feed lots on federal land decrease soaring CO₂ levels. Finally, he described how “rewilding,” such as reintroducing wolves and beavers in areas where they had been removed can work to rebalance entire ecosystems. Zoom recording (Note that recording starts at 7 pm, but the presentation begins about 7:35 pm.)

March 2026

Paul Engelmeyer described several coastal Oregon issues, including protecting forage fish, which are the prey base for seabirds, the unique habitat of the ESA listed Marbled Murrelet, and the current status of Oregon’s five marine reserves. Paul has managed the Ten Mile Creek Sanctuary (located near Yachats) for the Oregon Bird Alliance (formerly Portland Audubon), and he served on Oregon’s Ocean Policy Advisory Council, which developed the system of marine protected areas. No Zoom recording.

February 2026

Jarod Jebousek, wildlife biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, will introduce the new Willamette Valley Conservation Area established in 2024. In 2017, a study of lands managed for sensitive wildlife in the valley determined that more grassland, oak, and riparian habitat were needed. In 2023, the final Land Protection Plan was published. This effort will create a network of smaller parcels that benefit priority conservation values within the socioeconomic landscape of the valley. No Zoom recording.

January 2026

Jesse Ott talked about the local Jackson-Frazier Wetlands, a Benton County park located in northeast Corvallis. A long-term restoration project was completed in 2021, establishing 50 acres of wetlands. This is a significant increase in the native wetland plant and animal diversity.
No Zoom recording.

December 2025

Seven MWBA members shared their favorite photos from diverse places. Tom Heath presented birds and flowers; Bill Proebsting surprised us with butterflies, dragonflies, and bees; Jim Tomasek captured native Hawaiian and other beauties; Carolyn Peterson showed Icelandic birds and scenery; Moti Abramovich enjoyed yard and field birds; Ray Drapek had moody photos from Hesthavn, Julia Corbett shared diverse birds, and Sue Powell presented a splash video.
No Zoom recording

November 2025

Luke Stuntz described the results of a three-year research project at OSU about the predatory behavior of river otters on seabirds. The study took place at at several seabird colonies that nest on Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge.

Hundreds of thousands of nesting Leach’s Storm-Petrels in southern Oregon share the coastline with a diversity of terrestrial carnivores.
No Zoom recording

October 2025

Ben Sonnenberg gave a spirited introduction to a long-term study about the foraging behavior Mountain Chickadees. These birds gather and hide thousands of seeds every fall and winter. They rely on advanced memory to relocate them – called spatial memory. Their complex brain has developed to enable them to find their caches of seeds and thus survive the intense cold weather of mountain their habitats. Zoom recording

September 2025

Harry Fuller, a passionate Oregon birder, tour guide, and natural history author, delighted the audience with photos of some of the 390 bird species in Harney County. His most recent book, Birding Harney County, provides details about where and when to find year-round and migrant bird species and other information about Oregon’s largest county. Link to Zoom recording,   Blog link

May 2025

Northern Saw-whet Owls (NSWOs) are difficult to study because they are small, nocturnal, and reclusive. Jayshaun will discuss why it is crucial to study them in order to understand broader ecological trends. Because the owls are important for a diverse and healthy ecosystem, population shifts of NSWOs can reflect habitat quality and the impacts of climate change. Link to Zoom recording

April 2025

Mark presented information about why he studies Black-backed Woodpeckers, how they select breeding sites from local to landscape scales, and how fire impacts their habitat. He is studying both forests of south-central Oregon that were subjected to wildfire and also green conifer forests. The results are important for land managers to maximize the conservation value of burned and green forests. Link to Zoom recording

March 2025

Roy Lowe took members on a visual birding trip to Colombia, from near sea level to the Andes. Roy’s presentation featured a myriad of colorful images of many of the awesome birds he encountered from imposing Mountain Toucans, to brilliant tanagers, scintillating hummingbirds, secretive antpittas, and the bizarre but beautiful Andean Cock-of-the-Rock. Link to Zoom Recording