This grant supports survey, monitoring, research and conservation activities for songbirds (emphasis on avian species of greatest conservation need (sgcn)

The Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service Region 5 awarded the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources $141,868.78 under the Wildlife Restoration and Basic Hunter Education and Safety formula grant program (CFDA 15.611) on January 1, 2026, for survey, monitoring, research, and conservation activities targeting songbirds with emphasis on avian species of greatest conservation need.

The award funds avian survey and monitoring using driving counts, walking counts, and passive autonomous recording equipment. Conservation efforts target loggerhead shrike metapopulation definition, habitat development, and conservation planning. The Division will provide technical assistance for avian species of greatest conservation need through landscape-level projects involving land management agencies, NGOs, and multiple Central Appalachian state wildlife agencies. A citizen science application will be developed to collect avian species of greatest conservation need information in undersampled regions of West Virginia.

Performance occurs in West Virginia with a period of performance running through December 31, 2026. The Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act, which funds the underlying program through excise tax revenues on firearms, ammunition, and archery equipment, authorizes grants to state fish and wildlife agencies for projects to restore, conserve, manage, and enhance wild birds and mammals and their habitat.

Avian survey and monitoring activities include driving walking counts and passive counts using autonomous recording equipment. Avian conservation efforts will target loggerhead shrike metapopulation definition, habitat development, and conservation planning. Additional technical assistance for avian sgcn focuses on landscape level projects involving land management agencies, ngos, and multiple central appalachian state wildlife agencies. One citizen science application will be developed to collect information about avian sgcn in under sampled regions of west virginia.