Join Renowned Biologist Martha Jordan for an Insightful Program on Swans and Snow Geese
Washington's majestic birds of winter—swans and snow geese—are facing significant challenges due to shifting ecosystems in our state. Renowned wildlife biologist Martha Jordan will discuss these pressing issues at our January program night. The event will be held virtually on Zoom.
The talk will provide an in-depth look into the majestic birds’ life history, biology, and the factors influencing their distribution across Washington State and the migratory flyway.
She will discuss the problems and controversies these birds face on their wintering grounds and what is needed to ensure their future. The birds face many challenges, including changes in winter habitat, avian influenza, and lead poisoning.
Attendees will receive resources to help identify swans in the field, including a printed swan/goose identification pamphlet. Learn how you can contribute to conservation efforts, such as the "Get the Lead Out" initiative aimed at reducing lead in shooting and fishing activities.
About Martha Jordan
Martha Jordan has a B.Sc. degree in Wildlife Science from Oregon State University. She has worked extensively in both marine and terrestrial environments throughout Washington and parts of Alaska. In the late 1970s, while volunteering to observe snow geese and recording their collars in the Skagit Valley, she began to study the small group of Trumpeter Swans in the same area. By 1984, she expanded her survey efforts to all of Western Washington, contributing significant information to both state and federal agencies on the status of Trumpeter Swans in Washington State. She wrote the state’s first Trumpeter Swan management plan in 1985.
She is still active in fieldwork and education related to both Trumpeter and Tundra Swans throughout the region. She is currently the Executive Director of Northwest Swan Conservation Association, a regional nonprofit. Its focus is on native swans and their habitats throughout the northwest region.