The UCAN Story
Who We Are
A global network of researchers dedicated to saving a species from the edge of extinction.
Our Story: From a Single Discovery to a Global Network
Nearly 20 years ago, a volunteer team in the Tilarán mountains of Costa Rica witnessed something incredible: a female Bare-necked Umbrellabird constructing a nest.
At that moment, we realized how little the world actually knew about this secretive bird. While the males had been studied for a century, the lives of the females, their nesting habits, and the development of their chicks remained a total mystery to science.
The Umbrella Bird Action Network (UCAN) was born from that first discovery. We are a team of passionate international volunteer researchers, biologists, and naturalists invited to continue this vital long-term study.
What Makes UCAN Different?
- 100% Volunteer-Run: Every donation and every hour of work goes directly into the field. We are fueled by passion and a shared mission.
- Evidence-Based Conservation: We don’t just “hope” to save the bird; we use satellite transmitters, high-definition audio/video, and color banding to gather the data needed to better understand how to save them.
- Open-Source Philosophy: We believe science belongs to everyone. By sharing our data through citizen science initiatives, we hope to help the global community understand the complex web of life in the rainforest.
Our Team
“The web of life in the rainforest is far too complex for us to even fathom. Every time a species goes extinct, that web is weakened in profound ways. We are here to ensure the Umbrellabird remains a part of that web.” — The UCAN Philosophy
Our Work in the Field
Currently, UCAN is conducting an intensive, multi-year study in Costa Rica. Our efforts focus on:
- Ethological Research: Understanding behavior through over 2500 hours of field observation.
- Nesting Documentation: We have recently discovered several active nesting sites—data that is almost entirely new to science.
- Habitat Protection: Using our data to identify which lands and streams must be protected to ensure the species’ survival.
Field Note: “Research isn’t always glamorous! Between the heavy rain and feeding the millions of mosquitoes that call the rainforest home, our team works around the clock to get the data these birds need.”
Get in Touch with UCAN
(+33) 7 80 00 08 09
rarebirdsanctuary@gmail.com