(©Jean Hall)

As we close out 2023, everyone at Project SNOWstorm sends our sincere thanks to all of those who have supported our work in the past year. We are unique in that 100 percent of our operating funds comes from individual donations (tax deductible for U.S. residents), rather than from foundations, agencies or other institutions. No one of the SNOWstorm team of researchers, banders or veterinarians has ever drawn any kind of salary or stipend; the money we raise goes into the field or the lab, and to reimburse tagging teams for travel expenses.

That support in the past decade has allowed us to track more than 110 snowy owls in 17 states and provinces; create both the world’s largest winter movement dataset for this species, as well as the world’s largest health and mortality dataset for snowy owls; generate important, peer-reviewed research on critical issues like best reducing owl-aircraft collisions; and help underwrite the first global conservation status assessment for these beautiful birds, now in review for publication.

We know not everyone who follows our work is in a position to make a contribution, and we understand. (Though if you can share what we do with others, to help spread the word, that’s important, too.) And we know that at this time of year in particular, you’re bombarded with requests for help. If you’re able enough to make a donation to SNOWstorm, we will be more than grateful — and we’ll make sure that every penny is stretched to the limit.