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Humboldt Ornithology Collective
The Collective is a university-linked research and training program focused on birds, conservation, and hands-on student experience.
Anchored at Cal Poly Humboldt and built in partnership with leading organizations, HOC brings together an extraordinary concentration of expertise, facilities, and field opportunities that have never before been unified.
Humboldt is uniquely positioned: a global birding hotspot on the Pacific Flyway, a nationally recognized wildlife program, and a community deeply connected to birds. Simply put, the ingredients are already here. HOC brings them together into something transformative.
What We Do
- Hands-on training in bird banding, surveys, and telemetry
- Clear pathways into conservation careers
- Applied research that informs real-world management decisions
- Partnerships with NGOs, agencies, and Tribal organizations
Unique Focus
Field-first Training
Students gain hands-on experience through bird banding at the Wright Refuge and Humboldt Bay Bird Observatory, field surveys, undergraduate coursework in ornithology, and applied research from day one.
Regional Partnerships
Built in collaboration with leading organizations, agencies, and Tribal partners working across the Pacific Northwest, including our core partners Integral Ecology Research Center and the Klamath Bird Observatory.
Workforce Focus
Programs are designed to prepare students for real careers in conservation, environmental consulting, and natural resource management.
Place-based Excellence
Grounded in Humboldt Bay and the Pacific Flyway, one of North America’s most important bird regions.