Wildlife surveys and monitoring
Golden-cheeked Warbler surveys and habitat assessments, nesting bird surveys, eagle monitoring, and desert tortoise and other listed-species construction monitoring for consulting firms, developers and landowners. Every project is quoted per project, with a written not-to-exceed estimate before any work.
Services and turnaround
Every service and delivery time, side by side.
Every project is quoted per project, based on the actual time it takes. You get a written estimate with a not-to-exceed maximum before any work begins.
Starting points for small sites, plus travel: nesting bird or eagle nest survey from $1,350 · eagle or construction monitoring $900 per field day · Golden-cheeked Warbler habitat assessment from $950 · protocol survey from $1,800 per season. 2027 rate sheet (PDF)
| Service | Pricing | Example project | You receive it | What you get |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nesting bird surveyNationwide · nesting season, spring–summer | Quotedwritten estimate first | 6 field hours, 30 miles away | Set in your estimateagreed before work starts | Dated survey record, GPS nest locations, photos, map, and recommendations for any active nest |
| Eagle surveys and monitoringNationwide · eagle nesting season varies by region | Quotedwritten estimate first | 3 visits of 4 hours, 30 miles away | Set in your estimateagreed before work starts | Nest status and fate records, dated behavior logs, maps, and buffer and timing recommendations |
| Habitat assessmentTexas · most of the year | Quotedwritten estimate first | 40 acres, 30 miles away | 5 business daysafter the site visit | Site visit, ArcGIS Pro maps, USFWS-format data, full report, and submission to USFWS |
| Golden-cheeked Warbler surveyTexas · March 15–June 1 | Quotedwritten estimate first | 40 acres of habitat, 5 visits, 30 miles away | 10 business daysafter the final visit | Protocol survey under my USFWS recovery permit, maps, survey report, and USFWS data reporting |
Examples use the typical hours on each service page, plus mileage at the IRS rate. Lodging and meals are added only for multi-day work more than 50 miles out, at the federal GSA per diem for the project’s county. Your estimate is based on your property, and I ask in writing before going over the maximum.
More about pricing and quality
How much time will my project take?Move the sliders to see the typical hours for each service.
Every hour maps to a task. No project-management fees, no admin line items, no markups.
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An example, not a quote. Your written estimate lists these same tasks for your property, with a not-to-exceed maximum. See a full sample estimate →
How do I compare with a large firm?Who does the work, and how you’re billed.
I spent nine years at a national environmental consulting firm. Big-firm pricing pays for layers of staff, and the person walking your property isn’t always the most experienced one. With me, the permitted biologist you hire is the one who does the work.
| Travel Twist Biologist | Typical large consulting firm | |
|---|---|---|
| Who surveys your site | Me: a permitted biologist with 9+ years of consulting fieldwork | Often a junior field technician, with a senior biologist reviewing afterward |
| Who writes your report | The same person who walked your property | Often a different staff member, then a reviewer |
| Who you talk to | Me, directly, from the first call to the final report | A project manager who relays between you and the field staff |
| How you’re billed | One written estimate with a not-to-exceed maximum, itemized by task | Several billing rates (project manager, senior reviewer, field staff, GIS, admin), often with markups on expenses |
| Your price, up front | A written not-to-exceed estimate before any work begins | A proposal after internal scoping and review |
| Delivery | Delivery dates in writing in your estimate, before work starts | Depends on staff availability across the firm’s project load |
| Warbler permit | My own USFWS recovery permit, ESPER32178096-0 | Held by the firm’s senior staff; field staff work under it |
Large-firm column based on my nine years at a national environmental consulting firm. Staffing and billing vary from firm to firm.
Can I see credentials and sample work?Permit, experience, and sample deliverables.
What’s included in each service?What I do and what you receive, service by service.
Texas Golden-cheeked Warbler protocol surveysSeasonal field surveys for properties with potential warbler habitat.
What’s included
- Review of the project boundary, available imagery, and earlier records
- Project scoping and survey scheduling
- Seasonal presence/absence protocol surveys
- Field records, mapping, and technical reporting
What you receiveSurvey findings and supporting records appropriate to the agreed scope.
Texas Habitat assessmentsA site visit to evaluate potential Golden-cheeked Warbler habitat.
What’s included
- On-site vegetation observations and measurements
- Habitat mapping and GPS-located photographs
- A written assessment with methods, findings, and supporting maps
What you receiveA habitat assessment report and maps for your property and project team.
Texas Nesting bird surveysPlan clearing and construction around current nesting activity.
What’s included
- Review of the work boundary, available imagery and records, and clearing schedule
- Pre-construction nesting bird surveys
- Nest activity monitoring
- Field coordination with your project team
What you receiveNest observations, photographs, maps, and survey or monitoring records.
Texas Eagle surveys and monitoringCheck eagle nests near planned work and monitor activity during construction.
What’s included
- Nest screening, status checks, and mapping
- Buffer and timing recommendations based on USFWS guidance
- Behavior observations and monitoring during construction
- Coordination with your project team
What you receiveDated observation logs, nest status and fate records, maps, and monitoring documentation suited to your project.
Fieldwork is scoped to your Texas project, site access, and required authorizations.
Not sure where to start? Follow the project guide.Let’s scope your project.
Share the location, planned work, and timing.