“Yellowstone Birds: How Behavior Shapes the Yellowstone Environment” with Bob Landis and Doug Smith

Yellowstone is one of the world’s most unique places. For birds, there are mutual relationships among species in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. This program will be both entertaining and informative, and will focus primarily on four bird species and how their behavior impacts Yellowstone’s environment: Trumpeter Swan, Clark’s Nutcracker, Raven, and Golden Eagle. Recent research on these species’ activity has been intense, and serves as an introduction to an upcoming book to be published by Princeton University Press: Yellowstone Birds—the first published book of its kind in Yellowstone’s history! Join us virtually or at this special holiday event at the Ellen Theatre as Bob Landis narrates his captivating videos on bird behavior and Doug Smith shares research updates and conservation concerns on the birds, wolves, elk, and beavers of Yellowstone National Park.

Bob Landis has been a full-time professional wildlife filmmaker since 1993, when he co- produced and filmed Realm of the Coyote with National Geographic Television. Since then, he has co-produced and filmed nearly a dozen films with National Geographic, Nature, and British Broadcasting Company (BBC). Although he has produced films about a wide range of animals, he is best known for his films about Yellowstone wolves. Landis is currently working on a video supplement to Yellowstone Birds. Part of the program will be selections from this supplement. Landis lives in Gardiner where he ventures daily into the Park to film whatever is of interest; this year it has been birds.

Douglas W. Smith, Ph.D. is a Senior Wildlife Biologist in Yellowstone National Park who supervises the wolf, bird, and elk research programs. He was the Project Leader for the Yellowstone Wolf Project, which reintroduced wolves to the Park. Doug received a B.S. in Wildlife Biology from the University of Idaho, an M.S. in Biology from Michigan Technological University, and a Ph.D. in Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Biology from the University of Nevada, Reno. He has published a wide variety of journal articles and book chapters on beavers, wolves, and birds and co-authored many more. He has participated in numerous documentaries about wolves and has been recognized by National Geographic, BBC, and 60 Minutes, as well as other media sources. Doug has studied wolves for 42 years; he is interviewed widely and speaks often about wolves to audiences all over the world. He is a member of the Mexican Wolf Recovery Team, the Re-Introduction Specialist Group, and the Canid Specialist Group for the IUCN. Doug is an avid canoeist, preferring to travel mostly in the remote regions of northern Canada with his wife, Christine, and their two sons, Sawyer and Hawken.

Join Sacajawea Audubon Society for this Special Holiday Program on Monday, December 13th, at The Ellen Theatre, 17 West Main, Bozeman. Doors open at 6:00 PM for a social; the program begins at 7:00 PM. This program is free and open to the public; a suggested donation of $5 is appreciated.

To attend the program virtually, register at: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/1643165571202004751.

You will receive a confirmation email with information about joining the webinar. Please share our program using the hashtags #sacaaudubon #sasbirds #yellowstonebirds #yellowstone

SAS monthly programs are free and open to the public. For more information contact Kyle Moon at programs@sacajaweaaudubon.org.

In person attendees are asked to wear a face covering OR if you can’t attend, or are an unvaccinated adult, attend virtually.

This month's presentations will be in person with the option to join virtually. We are following the Gallatin County Health Department’s Covid-19 Guidelines and will cancel the in-person meetings if needed.

The Ellen Theatre is providing a clean lobby and theatre with newly installed air scrubbers. They ask that for the well-being of their patrons, performers/presenters, staff and volunteers, safety protocols are in place, including encouraging vaccinations and masks.

The Ellen Theatre has about 400 seats, including the balcony. At this time we are not limiting the seating, but encourage families/related groups to sit together. The Ellen Theatre is providing a clean lobby and theatre with newly installed air scrubbers. They ask that for the well-being of their patrons, performers/presenters, staff and volunteers, safety protocols