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A man looks through a spotting scope attached to an open truck door.
Breeding Birds Counted in Trio of Surveys

Biologists surveyed along public roads to document the bird community found in a Breeding Bird Atlas block located in Jackson and Tillman counties.

A standing dead tree stands among granite boulders with orange red sky in the background.
The Business of Conservation

A behind-the-scenes look at how conservation funding is used to turn wild ideas into even wilder success stories.

A small brown butterfly is perched on a twig.
Small Butterfly Gets Big Status Update

A team organized by the Oklahoma Biological Survey tracked down the handful of frosted elfin butterfly records for the state and made it their mission to increase the number of known locations for the species.

An American black bear stands near a pile of logs with its nose in the air.
Study Focused on Panhandle Black Bears Gets Big Picture Results

Camera traps and hair snares give landowners and biologists answers about status and origin of Panhandle black bears.

A tan frog with dark blotches floats in the water.
It’s Raining, It’s Pouring … the Crawfish Frog is Snoring

A team from Oklahoma State University has been studying the state’s secretive crawfish frog with research and survey sites spanning from a single breeding pond to the eastern one-third of Oklahoma.

Two biologists in coats hold a big catfish while standing on a boat.
Rethinking Sampling Gear Gives Better Estimate of Big Catfish

Study finds electrofishing may catch the largest numbers of blue catfish but misses a “shocking” number of big fish.

A bird with a red head, black back and white wingtips perches on a broken branch.
Biologist Hauls in Remarkable Woodpecker Sightings

Four species of woodpecker were detected within an Oklahoma Breeding Bird Atlas survey block near the community of Vinson. The survey was completed as part of the state's second atlas effort.

A biologist stands in front of a vehicle at daybreak with a data sheet in hand and binoculars and stop watch around his neck.
Biologist Gets Up with the Birds to Track Status & Trends

The longstanding Breeding Bird Survey gives insights into Oklahoma’s avian populations. We tagged along with a biologist to count birds in southeastern OK.

A large turtle with a hooked beak and textured shell.
Pioneering Grant Program Reaches Milestone

Wildlife Department celebrates 20 years of the State Wildlife Grant Program, a grant program dedicated to funding research and surveys for nongame species.

Regal fritillaries on a milkweed plant
The Quest for an Uncommon Butterfly

A survey team searched the tallgrass prairie for a butterfly known as a regal fritillary.