Mexican spotted owl
EDIT: Registration is now closed. The 2026 training will be held May 5th, 2026, at the Nature Center in Zion National Park, Utah. The training will consist of a field visit (limited to 16 participants) and a classroom session (limit 35 participants). The classroom session will be offered virtually and in person. Successful completion of all portions of the training is required to apply for, maintain, or renew survey permits in Utah. To register, please fill out the 2026 Utah Mexican Spotted Owl Surveyor Training Registration form by April 3, 2026. For questions, please contact Sam Schratz (samuel_schratz@fws.gov).
Uinta Basin and Central Utah Rare Plants
This year's training will comprise of a recorded webinar and live Question and Answer session April 3 at 11am MST. Please register for the annual rare plant surveyor training here: Registration. You must register by March 31 to view the recording, receive an invitation to the live Q&A, and so we can track and verify everyone's completion of the training. Visit the Uinta Basin and Central Utah Rare Plants training page to learn more. For questions, please contact Matt Lewis (Matthew_Lewis@fws.gov).
Southwestern Willow Flycatcher
Information for the 2026 training to come.
Western Yellow-billed Cuckoo
The Western yellow-billed cuckoo surveyor training will be hosted June 17 and 18 in Hotchkiss, CO. The first day is an afternoon class session and will present an overview of yellow-billed cuckoo ecology, habitat, and behavior along with the current call-playback survey protocol. Participants spend the next morning implementing the survey protocol in the field in small groups at sites where cuckoos have been detected near the North Fork of the Gunnison River. At the end of the field session, participants complete a short exam and receive a training certificate. USFWS personnel will present regulatory information, including rationale for the YBCU Endangered Species Act (ESA) listing, permitting under ESA §10(a)1(A), and consultations under ESA §7, as well as answer participant questions. Adam Petry will host the event and coordinate the class and field sessions. For more details and to register, please visit: https://www.westernbiology.com/ybcuworkshop or contact michael_ellis@fws.gov.
Utah prairie dog
The 2026 Utah prairie dog training will be held May 28 and 29. Thursday May 28 will be an in-person, all-day classroom session held in Cedar City, Utah at Festival Hall. Friday May 29 will be an all-day field day. Please register for the training by filling out the registration form: https://forms.office.com/g/2WGWe0m1GU?origin=lprLink. Registration is limited. Registered students will be informed of enrollment status in mid-May. If you attended the survey training for Utah prairie dogs in 2025 your certification cards are still valid until early spring 2029 (class needed in 2029). However, please be aware that if you are not attending training this year, you are still responsible to confirm you are using the most recent information, survey protocol, and data sheets prior to performing any Utah prairie dog surveys.
Mojave desert tortoise
The Desert Tortoise Council intends to offer a Mojave desert tortoise Lecture Course and a Field Workshop fall 2026 in California. For updating training information, details, and registration, please check the Desert Tortoise Council , or contact Danielle Costantini (danielle_costantini@fws.gov).
