This event was recorded on February 19, 2026 at Hallam Lake, produced by ACES, in partnership with Aspen Public Radio.
About the Presentation
In this discussion, Dr. Brett Walker reviews results from more than a decade of Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s research on sagebrush-obligate birds in western Colorado. His projects reveal some new and unexpected patterns of habitat use and selection among Greater Sage-Grouse and Brewer’s Sparrows. These discoveries have also led to new recommendations for habitat treatments to offset Greater Sage-Grouse habitat loss from energy development, and expanded our understanding of how Greater Sage-Grouse populations fluctuate, and how individuals move in relation to leks during the breeding season.
About the Speaker
Brett Walker has been a researcher in the Avian Research section with Colorado Parks and Wildlife out of Grand Junction since 2007. His research interests include conservation, management, behavioral ecology, and population monitoring of upland gamebirds and songbirds, with a focus on sagebrush-steppe ecosystems and issues related to energy development. Brett has worked on research projects across North America since 1990. He completed his MS in Organismal Biology and Ecology in 2000 and his PhD in Fish and Wildlife Biology in 2008 at the University of Montana. His work for Colorado Parks and Wildlife on Greater Sage-Grouse includes high-resolution habitat mapping and prioritization, habitat use and selection in oil and gas fields, evaluating the effectiveness of different habitat treatments as proposed mitigation, and testing the reliability of current lek-based monitoring and management strategies. Recently, he also resolved a long-standing mystery about the taxonomy, habitat use, and distribution of Brewer’s Sparrows in alpine areas of western Colorado. In his free time, he can be found flyfishing, mountain biking, fly-tying, birding, big-game hunting, and volunteering for Grand Valley Audubon and Grand Valley Anglers.
Learn more about the Naturalist Nights series and upcoming speakers here.