THE VOICES OF MONTEZUMA

Welcome to our collection of audio interviews with news about the Complex. We'll be adding new clips regularly, covering a variety of topics with the experts at the Complex.

Hunting on the Refuge
The Beauty of the Hunt

Andrea VanBeusichem, Visitor Services Manager at Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge, talks about the role of hunting at the Refuge. Many visitors to the Refuge don't know it, but FWS permits hunting at many Refuges. Hunting revenue has helped acquire much of the Montezuma Refuge. Hunting and fishing are two of several "wildlife-dependent recreational" uses of Refuges. The others are wildlife observation/photography and environmental education/interpretation.

More information about hunting at Refuges is available from the US Fish & Wildlife Service.
Order Duck Stamps online or from your local post office.
Visit the Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge site for information about waterfowl and deer hunting.

Grassland Birds

Mike Morgan, Wildlife Ecologist and Coordinator of Audubon New York's Grassland Birds Program, talks about grassland habitat and the species found there.

Learn about grassland birds:
Bobolink
Eastern Meadowlark
Short-eared Owl
Savannah Sparrow
Upland Sandpiper
Northern Harrier
Henslow's Sparrow
Mike Morgan and Michael Burger have written a Plan for Conserving Grassland Birds in New York which has abundant information for those interested in learning more about particular grassland species and their habitat needs.

Cerulean Warblers

Ken Rosenberg, head of Conservation Science at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, talks about the ecology of the cerulean warbler and the important role Montezuma has as one of the primary breeding grounds for the warbler.

For more information:
Listen to and learn about the warbler at Cornell's All About Birds website.
Montezuma's Draft Management Plan includes information about the warbler and its habitat and how the Refuge is planning for the conservation of the bird.

Prescribed Burns

Linda Ziemba, a wildlife biologist at Montezuma, discusses prescribed burns as one of many tools used at the Refuge to manage habitat. Burns can control unwanted vegetation and enhance habitat for many species of wildlife. Burns also release a variety of nutrients into the soil, providing nourishment for new plants.

To learn more:
Phragmites is a particularly invasive plant that is partially controlled by burning.
Montezuma's grasslands are north of the Montezuma Winery on Route 89.
Fire Management Plans define a Refuge's use of prescribed burns.

Spring Migration at Montezuma
Dave Odell talks about avian newcomers and regulars at Montezuma and where you can see them. Even though there's still snow on the ground, there's lots going on. From mid-March to mid-April, the Complex offers lots of opportunities for viewing pintails, wood ducks, diving ducks and shore birds.