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NUMBER 122, February 1998
ORGANIZATION NEWS
NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
NEWS FROM THE ORNITHOLOGICAL COUNCIL
REQUESTS FOR ASSISTANCE
POSITIONS AND OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE
GRANTS AND AWARDS
PUBLICATIONS AVAILABLE
PERSONAL EXCHANGES
MEETINGS
NEWS OF MEMBERS
THE FLOCK: SPECIAL SECTION
VISIT THE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETIES OF NORTH AMERICA:
OSNA - http://www.nmnh.si.edu/BIRDNET/OSNA/
AOU - http://pica.wru.umt.edu/AOU/AOU.html
AFO - http://www.nmnh.si.edu/BIRDNET/AFO/index.html
COS - http://www.nmnh.si.edu/BIRDNET/COS/index.html
CWS - http://www.nmnh.si.edu/BIRDNET/CWS/
RRF - http://www.weber.edu/rrf
WOS - http://www.ummz.lsa.umich.edu/birds/wos.html
BIRDNET - http://www.nmnh.si.edu/BIRDNET/
EDITOR - ORNITHOLOGICAL MONOGRAPHS. The AOU seeks a volunteer to replace John Hagan as Editor of Ornithological Monographs, effective May 1998. Applicants for this important position should have strong scientific writing skills and editorial experience. Interested colleagues should send a resume and letter of application to FRANK GILL, Chair - AOU Publications Committee, 665 Heatherwood Rd. Rosemont PA 19010.
AOU ELECTIVE MEMBERS AND FELLOWS are reminded that ballots for Elective Members must be returned to the Secretary by 8 Mar 1998. Newly elected Elective Members will be announced at the Business Meeting for Members, 8 Apr 1998 at the 116th Stated Meeting in St. Louis. Fellows will elect new Fellows during their 7 Apr 1998 meeting in St. Louis. Contact the Secretary, DR. M. VICTORIA McDONALD (501-450-5924; vickiem@ cc1.uca.edu) for more information.
E-MAIL AUCTION OF WETMOREABILIA. Now you too can have remembrances of one of the 20th century's leading ornithologists. Items from the estate of Dr. and Mrs. Alexander Wetmore will be auctioned by e-mail to raise funds for the Alexander Wetmore Research Fund of the Division of Birds, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution. These include books (not ornithological), porcelain, mementoes of field trips, old field equipment, household items, antique flags, neckties, paintings, prints, and many figurines of birds. Certain items of greater value, especially those that cannot be well described, will be offered at a silent auction at the North American Ornithological Conference in St. Louis, 6-12 Apr 1998. For a list of items being auctioned and for instructions on how to participate contact <awetmore@aol.com> AFTER 1 Mar 1998. Bids will be accepted up until 15 May but may be terminated earlier for individual items. We regret that we have neither time nor resources to accept bids or inquiries by telephone or the post.
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THE MOORE LABORATORY OF ZOOLOGY now has it's own Home Page on the Occidental College Web Site. It can be accessed through Occidental College Web Site at http://oxy.edu - click on ACADEMIA or RESOURCES, and then select Moore Laboratory of Zoology. Or go directly to our Home Page at http://www.oxy.edu/departments/mlz/. You can see what our bird specimen holdings from Mexico are, or a list of the Holotypes in our collection. Also addresses for snail-mail, e-mail, telephone and FAX numbers.
ARCTIC GOOSE HABITAT WORKING GROUP has been initiated by Canadian and U.S. biologists to deal with exploding populations of midcontinent "white" geese. These populations of greater and lesser snow geese and Ross' geese have increased by 300% since 1969, because of expanded agriculture on their wintering grounds in Louisiana, Texas and elsewhere. The abundant winter food supplies enable the geese return to their Arctic nesting areas in top physical condition. Consequently, reproduction is high. Habitat damage is most evident on Arctic nesting grounds, where the geese use their bills to "grub" below ground and pull the roots and tubers of vegetation, effectively denuding an area. The denuded areas then erode and become shallow lakes. Increased hunting and bag limits have not helped because white geese are difficult to hunt, do not decoy easily, and many hunters do not consider them fit table fare. The Working Group was formed to prevent the "ecological catastrophe" that many feel will result of the populations are not regulated. (Excerpted from "Outdoor News Bulletin," Wildlife Management Inst.)
CALL FOR PAPERS for a scientific symposium "Legacy of an Oil Spill: 10 Years after Exxon Valdez," 23-27 Mar 1999, sponsored by Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council and its six trustee agencies, the University of Alaska Sea Grant College Program, and the Prince William Sound Regional Citizens Advisory Council. Desire talks that highlight research related to the spill, its impacts, and the status of recovery in the spill area, including such topics as: injury and recovery, emphasizing multi-year studies with biological ecological or socio-economic data sets; ecological and other factors that limit or influence recovery, productivity and long-term population trends; management applications and restoration benefits of studies and projects; syntheses and models that integrate data on Prince William Sound and Gulf of Alaska ecosystem; and prevention and response (including cleanup) techniques. For further information, contact BRENDA BAXTER, coordinator, Alaska Sea Grant College Program, University of Alaska Fairbanks, PO Box 755040, Fairbanks, AK 99775 (FNBRB@uaf.edu).
SOUTHWESTERN WILLOW FLYCATCHER WORKSHOP, May 16 & 17. Kern River Preserve, Weldon, Kern Co., Calif. Topics include: identification, vocalizations, basic biology, habitat use, permitting requirements and survey protocol. The workshop fee is $100, $25 for students. Workshop attendance is limited to 40 people. For reservations and additional information, please contact MARY J. WHITFIELD (760-378-2402; wifl@lightspeed.net).
BIOLOGY OF MARINE BIRDS, a 6-week university credit course at Bamfield Marine Station, on Vancouver Island, BC, 20 Jul-28 Aug 1998. Will feature individual field research projects in Barkley Sound.Taught by DR. ALAN BURGER (University of Victoria) and DR. DOUG BERTRAM (Simon Fraser University), It is aimed at senior undergraduates and graduate students. For more information and registration contact the University Programs Coordinator, Bamfield Marine Station, Bamfield, BC V0R 1B0 Canada (250-728-3301; info@bms.bc.ca; http://bms.bc.ca).
THE RAPTOR INFORMATION SYSTEM (RIS) can now be accessed on the World Wide Web at http://www.ris.idbsu.edu. The RIS is a bibliographic data base that catalogues approximately 29,000 references on raptor biology and management. Users can search the data base from the web using keywords, authors, title strings, year, citation, or any combination of the above. Hard copies of references are housed at the Richard R. Olendorff Memorial Library, possibly the largest collection of literature on birds of prey found anywhere in the world. The RIS developed from a merger of two collections formerly managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM): the Snake River Birds of Prey Area Literature File developed at the Boise District Office, BLM and the Raptor Management Information System (RMIS), developed by the late Dr. Richard Olendorff at the California State Office of BLM, with the assistance of the Edison Electric Institute. The data base is updated regularly and has been expanded to include all publications of the Raptor Research Foundation, an extensive reprint collection donated by Dean Amadon of the American Museum of Natural History, and reprint files used to prepare bibliographies published by the National Wildlife Federation on Bald Eagles, Peregrine Falcons, and Golden Eagles. The collection includes reprints of published papers as well as a significant amount of "gray literature" in the form of popular articles, theses, dissertations, unpublished government reports, and progress reports. The RIS is administered by the Snake River Field Station of the U.S. Geological Survey's Biological Resources Division.
THE BIRD COURSE, May 18-22, is a 5-day course about ornithology and bird-watching aimed at educating (and entertaining!) adults at all levels. The course consists of daily lectures, laboratory sessions, and early morning field trips. No special qualifications necessary. Offered by Drs. David M. Bird and Rodger Titman, professors at the Macdonald Campus of McGill University, a short bus ride from Montreal. Fee is $300 CDN. Maximum enrollment is 20. Dormitory housing at $60 CDN for the whole week is available upon request. For further information, write to DAVID M. BIRD, Avian Science and Conservation Centre, 21,111 Lakeshore Rd., Ste. Anne de Bellevue, Quebec H9X 3V9 (1-514-398-7760; fax 398-7990; bird@nrs.mcgill.ca).
1998 NATURAL SOUND RECORDING WORKSHOP, 6-12 June, at Cornell University's Arnot Teaching and Research Forest just south of Ithaca, NY. Learn state-of-the-art techniques for recording the sounds of wildlife with experts from the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology's Library of Natural Sounds. Topics to be covered include the selection and application of audio recorders and microphones; recording theory; metering; recording techniques; and documentation for sound recordings. Unique to this course is an introduction to microcomputer-based sound analysis. There are daily field recording sessions and lecture/discussions. Instructors are GREG BUDNEY, curator of the Library of Natural sounds; BOB GROTKE, LNS Sound Engineer; RANDOLPH S. LITTLE, Laboratory Associate and AT&T Electrical Engineer with extensive recording experience; and DAVID S. HERR, another experienced recordist. Accommodations are rustic but comfortable. Workshop fee is $625 (includes tuition, class materials, ground transportation, food and lodging). Enrollment is secured with a non-refundable $100 deposit. Enrollment application and deposit deadline is 10 Apr 1998. Balance is due by 8 May. Participation is limited to 16. Participants should plan to bring a recording system and tape. A limited number of sound recording systems are available for loan to participants on a first-come, first-served basis. For more details, write or call the Library of Natural Sounds, Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, 159 Sapsucker Woods Road, Ithaca, NY 14850 (607-254-2406; fax 607-254-2439; libnatsounds@cornell.edu).
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TWO-WEEK BANDER TRAINING COURSE, 11-22 May 1998, offered by Braddock Bay Bird Observatory. For information and application write Braddock Bay Bird Observatory, PO Box 12876, Rochester, NY 14612
FIELD ORNITHOLOGY COURSE AT LAKE ITASCA (MINNESOTA) field station, 16 Jun - 21 Jul 1998, will be taught by Dr. Robert M. Zink, Breckenridge Chair in Ornithology. This University of Minnesota upper division undergraduate/graduate course emphasizes field techniques such as identification, censusing and behavioral observation. Contact DR. ZINK by Email (rzink@biosci.umn.edu) for sample syllabus and more info.
A NORTH AMERICAN SEADUCK SPECIALIST GROUP is being set up to facilitate exchanges about seaducks among concerned researchers and managers. The group will be a North American counterpart to the Seaduck Specialist Group under Wetlands International. Until an official coordinator is named by Wetlands International, JEAN-PIERRE L. SAVARD assumes the leadership. If you want to join this group you should send the following information: name, title association, country, address, phone, fax, email, and area(s) of interest to Ease coast coordinator PETER HICKLIN, PO Box 1782, Saackville, New Brunswick, E0A 3C0, Canada (506-364-5042; fax 506-364-5062; peter.hicklin@ec.gc.ca), or West Coast Coordinator MARGARET PETERSEN, US Fish and Wildlife Service, 1011 E. Tudor Rd. Anchorage, AK 99503 (907-786-3530; fax 907-786-3636; margaret_petersen@nbs.gov). For more information contact JEAN-PIERRE L. SAVARD, Canadian Wildlife Service, 1141 Route de l'Église, PO Box 10100, 9th Floor, Sainte-Foy, Québec, G1V 4H5, Canada (418-648-3500; fax 418-649-6475; jean-pierre.savard@ec.gc.ca).
COMMITTEE FOR NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT reports that Congress approved a bill which included a directive to the National Science Foundation to report by 1 Apr 1998 on how it would establish and operate the NIE. Also, a bipartisan bill (H.R. 2914) has been introduced in the US House of Representatives to establish the NIE under the auspices of the NSF. Passage of the bill is not necessary because the Foundation has existing authority to establish the Institute, but it does provide an additional expression of Congressional support. The bill asserts that funds not be taken from existing NSF programs to fund the NIE. The Committee for NIE provides free access to information on a wide range of environmental subjects through the National Library for the Environment, http://www.cnie.org. Recently, the Library was nominated by Compaq Computer Corporation for a prestigious Computerworld Smithsonian award for innovative use of technology.
RECOMBINANT DNA LABORATORY COURSES--During the summer of 1998, Indiana University's Department of Biology, in cooperation with the I.U. Division of Continuing Studies, will offer two week-long laboratory courses focusing on the techniques and procedures used in recombinant DNA research and their application. Both courses will provide participants with the opportunity to work with a DNA sample of their own research organism, if they choose. Both courses will be taught on the Indiana University campus in Bloomington. The first course, "Recombinant DNA Technology," 7-12 Jun 1998, will introduce participants to procedures involved in recombinant DNA work and to the molecular aspects of genetic engineering. Most of the procedures that are taught to biology graduate students in the recombinant DNA section of a graduate techniques course at Indiana University will be covered. This course is designed for those with a basic understanding of the structure of DNA and elemental genetics and with a minimal understanding of enzymes and biochemistry. Registration deadline is May 15. The second course, "Application of Recombinant DNA Technology: RFLP and Fingerprinting Analysis, RAPD Analysis, and DNA Sequencing," 14-19 Jun 1998, will provide participants with the opportunity to learn about the materials and techniques used in recombinant DNA research. A basic understanding of the structure of DNA and elemental genetics is assumed for participants in this short course, as is a minimal understanding of enzymes and biochemistry. Previous experience with PCR or RFLP analysis and DNA sequencing is not a prerequisite, nor is completion of "Recombinant DNA Technology." Registration deadline is May 15. The instructor for both courses is Dr. Stefan J. Surzycki, associate professor of biology at Indiana University. The registration fee for each course is $1,095.00. For those enrolling in both courses, the fee is $1,800.00. Fees include all instruction, laboratory supplies, use of equipment, and lab manuals. For additional information, contact JANE CLAY, Bloomington Division of Continuing Studies, Indiana University, Owen Hall 204, Bloomington, IN 47405 (812-855-6329; JClay@Indiana.edu; web: http://www.Indiana.edu/~scs/dna.htm).
NORTHERN GOSHAWK ONLINE. Mike Shipman, graduate student at Boise State University, has put some results of his thesis research online at http://www.webpak.net/~man/feature/gost.htm. My project concerned the post-fledging movements and habitat use of goshawks in northeastern Nevada. The information is presented for a wide audience, with text and photos. email (man@micron.net) for more detail if needed.
LATIN AMERICAN FIELD ORNITHOLOGISTS--opportunity to attend an advanced training program in Canada: Long Point Bird Observatory/Bird Studies Canada is offering a 1-month course in advanced field techniques pertaining to songbirds (mist-netting, bird banding, ageing and sexing, point counts, migration monitoring, database management etc.). All training will occur at Long Point, located on the north shore of Lake Erie. This course will be ideal for talented Latin American field biologists/technicians who already have an excellent background in field ornithology and who are seriously interested in upgrading their skills in order to obtain their own banding permits and ultimately act as trainers in their home countries. The course is not suitable for beginners. Institutions and agencies in Latin America (especially Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean) are encouraged to recommend potential candidates. This month-long training course is being offered to a maximum of 3 qualified applicants during Sep 1998. Cost of air travel, field accommodation, food and instruction is being shared by the cooperating agencies: the Canadian Wildlife Service Latin American Program and the BirdLife International partners in Canada (Bird Studies Canada/Long Point Bird Observatory). For information and applications, contact the Latin American Program Coordinator, Bird Studies Canada, P.O. Box 160, Port Rowan, Ontario, Canada N0E 1M0 (1-519-586-3531; fax: 1-519-586-3532; bsc@nornet.on.ca); or visit our web site: http://www.nornet.on.ca/~bsc. Applications must be received by 1 Apr 1998.
BIRD-BANDING CLASSES are being offered by The Institute for Bird Populations. These seven-day classes will be held during June, July, and August at various locations across the U.S. and will focus on use of mist nets; passerine molts and plumages; and handling, ageing, and sexing skills. Graduates will be assisted in obtaining additional experience at banding stations near them, with the goal of eventual involvement in MAPS or other standardized monitoring/research programs. Proficiency with landbird identification is prerequisite. Instruction and materials $520; room and board costs average about $110. Scholarships are available for those planning to run a MAPS station. For information and registration materials, visit http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/birdbanding or contact BANDER TRAINING, The Institute for Bird Populations, P.O. Box 1346, Point Reyes Station, CA 94956-1346 (415-663-2051; fax 415- 663-9482; birdbanding@compuserve.com).
BIRDS OF NORTH AMERICA (BNA). Thanks to steady and enlightened efforts by BNA authors, reviewers and staff, BNA remains on target toward completing the series--720 species accounts--by 2001. With the publication of Volume 8 in fall 1997, and of Volume 9 in early 1998, this project is half way to completion, an encouraging milestone for all who have been involved. Hearty thanks and congratulations to those who have contributed so far to this historic effort--authors, reviewers and subscribers. To complete this project on time BNA can no longer afford to be generous in granting extensions to overdue authors. Persistently overdue accounts must be reassigned to new and proven authors. For more information contact ALAN POOLE, 1900 Ben Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA 19103 (poole@acnatsci.org.). BNA welcomes two new Associate Editors to its staff. Don Kroodsma is bringing his insight and experience to bear on the Vocalizations section of each account; Bill Dawson is doing the same in areas of Nutrition, Energetics and Physiology. Each has made substantial contributions to Volumes 8 and 9. Together with reviewers outside the BNA staff, these experts are helping to keep the quality of BNA accounts consistently high. A number of authors deserve special credit for outstanding service to BNA. One hundred twenty-nine individuals have written two or more accounts. A special thanks to nine individuals who have written more than three accounts: Helen Baker, Joanna Burger, Michael Gochfeld, Jon Greenlaw, Kamal Islam, Jerome Jackson, Gerald Lindsey, Peter Lowther and Jorge Nocedal. More than 600 institutions and 500 individuals currently get BNA. The majority of institutional subscribers are academic libraries. Some of the smallest academic library subscribers are Warren Wilson College in North Carolina, Wabash College in Indiana, College of the Atlantic in Maine, Bethany College in West Virginia, and Ripon College in Wisconsin. Pennsylvania and California lead with 22 and 21 academic library subscribers respectively. Mississippi and West Virginia remain the most deficient in current ornithological literature with 0 and 1 academic library subscribers respectively. Colleagues every are asked to help place BNA in their institutional libraries. DON'T STOP WITH JUST ONE SET!!! Major institutions carry several subscriptions to meet demand. Our marketing in the next few years will focus also on public libraries, bird clubs and individuals. Please help us distribute the series as widely as possible--contact our Sales Director, PAT WARNER, at 1900 Ben Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA 19103 (warner@acnatsci.org).
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NEWS FROM THE ORNITHOLOGICAL COUNCIL
Provided by DAVID E. BLOCKSTEIN, Chair, The Ornithological Council, 1725 K St. NW #212, Washington, DC 20006-1401 (202-530-5810; fax 202-628-4311; OC@cnie.org) "Providing Scientific Information about Birds." The Ornithological Council is supported by voluntary individual contributions on the OSNA dues notice as well as memberships from the ornithological societies.
A NET INCREASE OF WETLANDS is a new federal goal in significant new policy shift. VP AL GORE promised the Administration would now work for a "net gain" in wetlands instead of a "no net loss". He outlined several new clean water initiatives. The Department of Agriculture (USDA)and EPA are to develop a comprehensive Action Plan, which goals include: "enhanced protection from public health threats posed by water pollution; more effective control of polluted runoff; and promotion of water quality protection on a watershed basis." The Interior Dept. and USDA will collaborate on a strategy to achieve a net gain of one million acres of wetlands by the year 2007, and 2 million miles of buffer strips that protect rivers and streams from agricultural runoff by the year 2002. (Information provided by National Audubon Society).
ELLEN I. PAUL has accepted the position of Executive Director of the Ornithological Council, effective 1/1/98. Ellen has a M.S. in conservation biology from the U. of Maryland and volunteers at the Smithsonian molecular systematics lab. Ellen combines conservation biology and ornithology with 10 years experience in corporate law, and several years of experience in scientific and conservation organizations (Assoc. for Parrot Conservation and American Zoo and Aquarium Assn.). Her policy expertise primarily relates to wildlife laws and treaties, particularly regarding parrots and CITES, aviculture, and trade. Past Exec. Dir. B.A. SCHREIBER, continues to represent AFO on the OC Board. Ellen Paul can be reached at 3713 Chevy Chase Lake Dr., Apt. 3, Chevy Chase, MD 20815; (301)-986-8568; <epaul@dclink.com>.
HCP STUDY: Peter Kareiva of U. Washington organized a team of 119 scientists from eight universities and conducted the "first large-scale scientific study" of voluntary habitat conservation plans (HCPs). The as-yet unpublished research found that they "suffer from a variety of problems, chief among them a lack of key biological information," reports the New York Times on 12/23. HCPs are becoming increasingly popular as a means of allowing development of endangered species habitat while still complying with the Endangered Species Act. The researchers evaluated 206 HCPs in total and 44 plans in detail. They concluded that HCPs "can work well ...when enough is known about the biology of the species involved." But for most species, "the crucial scientific information does not exist, making reliable planning difficult or impossible." For example, in 80% of the plans, data were unavailable on the rates of change in species' population sizes and habitat. Monitoring was deemed inadequate in 56% of the cases. Researchers also said the methods being used to mitigate the impacts of development were generally untested. "Worse still," in some cases, the mitigation strategies being implemented "were already known to do more harm than good." According to Kareiva, "the [HCP] process is not intrinsically bad.... [But] if you don't know this basic biology, it's sort of a delusion to think you're doing anything to help these species."
THREE NORTHERN CALIFORNIA NATIONAL FORESTS would be subject to a five-year pilot project of increased local control for forest management activities under the Quincy Library Group Bill, S. 1028, sponsored by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), which has been approved by a Senate committee. A similar bill, HR 858, passed the House 429-1. Conservation groups oppose the bill. For more information, contact Western Ancient Forest Campaign (202-897-3188).
THE 63 MILLION AMERICANS who watch wildlife and the 49 million Americans who hunt or fish pumped $101 billion into the nation's economy in 1996. Almost 40% of the U.S. population enjoyed an activity related to fish and wildlife. Completed every 5 years by the U.S. Census Bureau for the Fish and Wildlife Service, this information is found in the "1996 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation," free (304-876-7203).
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THE SALTON SEA will be the subject of a federal environmental impact study to assess options to reverse its ecological decline according to Interior Secretary BRUCE BABBITT, who also appointed a team of scientists (chaired by DR. MILTON FRIEND, Director of the National Wildlife Health Lab of USGS/BRD) to determine the cause of the sea's ailments. A haven for wintering birds, the 380-square-mile lake south of Palm Springs, CA, is subject to rising salinity, chemicals, and bacteria that have resulted in the deaths of thousands of pelicans and other birds in recent years. Several options are being considered. One plan would wall off a "huge" pond within the sea to suck in water and concentrate the salt. Less saline inflows would then replenish the sea. The other plan would divert fresh ocean water into the sea, while the existing waters would be pumped into the Laguna Salada salt flats in Baja California. That plan would require $2 billion and approval from the Mexican government (USA Today, 12/23).
SEN. LARRY CRAIG (R-ID) introduced a S. 1253, to restructure forest management policies and practices. Craig says that his bill will streamline and modernize decades-old forestry rules. The bill would allow BLM and Forest Service (USFS) to ensure that a management practice complies with the Endangered Species Act. Currently, the USFWS and the National Marine Fisheries Service monitor for compliance. Supporters say that this will save time and money because the BLM and USFS are already required to produce environmental impact statements. Opponents say that this would remove checks and balances from the process and allow the two agencies to police themselves. Environmentalists also oppose the measure that would allow the BLM and USFS to set fires to clear undergrowth and a measure that exempts federal management activities from the Clean Water Act in many cases. While environmental groups are pleased with a provision that would open many timber sales to bidding by groups that have no intention of logging and a provision that would allow agencies to fund the involvement of local interest groups in monitoring plans, they say that the negatives of the bill far outweigh the positives.
SYMPOSIUM ON FEDERAL LAND POLICY, 11 Feb 1998. The Andrus Center for Public Policy is holding an all day symposium featuring Forest Service Chief Michael Dombeck, BLM director, Patrick Shea and Park Service director Robert Stanton. For more information contact Andrus Center, Box 852, Boise ID 83701 (208-385-4218, fax: 208-385-4208).
REP. BOB SMITH (R-OR), Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, has proposed "forest health legislation" H.R. 2515, which includes a five-year plan to identify areas of damaged forest growth and prioritize and treat them. Treatment could include logging and/or restoration to reduce the chances of wildfires. A panel of four forest scientists and three state foresters would identify problem areas. The Secretary of Agriculture would then prioritize them, with the Forest Service developing treatment plans. Opponents of the bill say that the Forest Service already has the power to perform these types of projects and that the bill's funding structure would hurt other important programs. The project would initially be funded by a $50 million transfer from the wildland fire management fund. (Information provided by the Ecological Society of America: listserv@umdd.umd.edu; http://esa.sdsc.edu/)
INTERIOR APPROPRIATIONS BILL FOR FY 1998 SIGNED by President Clinton on 14 Nov. While most people, including the President, were satisfied by the amount of money in the bill, $13 billion overall, legislative riders in the bill prompted opposition. Funding includes: The Forest Service receives $2.506 billion, $138 million more than the President's request, but $413 million less than last year, due mainly to a large cut in the Wildland Fire Management account. The Bureau of Land Management receives $1.136 billion, slightly more than requested. The National Park Service gets $1.647 billion, an increase of $48 million of the request. The Fish and Wildlife Service receives $745.4 million, $57 million higher than the President's request. The U.S. Geological Survey (including the former National Biological Service) receives $759.1 million, a $14 million increase over the request. Also included is $700 million for "priority land acquisition." $315 million of this is earmarked for the purchase of the Headwaters Forest in northern California and the New World Mine near Yellowstone National Park. Both of these purchases would be made to stop controversial resource extractions. The bill also contains several amendments (riders) that brought major opposition from environmentalists. One requires that Congress be given 180 days to review and possibly change any deals made for "priority land acquisition." Other riders would weaken a 1990 ban on log exports from public lands; lift a cap on providing credit to logging companies to build roads on federal lands; prevent the Forest Service from issuing any management plan revisions until the Administration releases new planning rules; forbid the use of funds to pay for grizzly bear reintroduction in Montana and Idaho; and extend federal grazing permits in New Mexico and Arizona. Information provided by: "Ecological Society of America" http://esa.sdsc.edu/
REAUTHORIZATION AND REVISION OF THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT may be on the Senate's agenda when Congress reconvenes in January. The Senate Environment committee approved by 11-4, a bill, S. 1180, which was introduced by four leaders of the committee, Dirk Kempthorne (R-ID), Endangered Species Subcommittee Chairman, Committee Chairman John Chafee (R-RI), Ranking member Max Baucus (D-MT),; and Harry Reid (D-NV) Endangered Species Subcommittee Ranking Member. While most environmental groups still oppose the new version, the White House was involved in the revisions process and supports the bill. S. 1180 would codify safe harbor agreements, which allow landowners and DOI to develop voluntary habitat conservation plans (HCP) with the understanding that the landowners will not be subject to future ESA liability (the "no surprises" policy) even if the HCPs are ineffective. It would require a National Academy of Sciences review of every listing decision and require public hearings before a listing decision. The bill would require that the government provide a draft conservation plan within 18 months of a species being listed and requires plans to prioritize actions that will have the least economic impact. The final plan would then be due within 30 months of the original listing. The US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), which would continue to be the primary agency to monitor whether or not a project was in compliance with the ESA, would be allowed only 60 days to comment. S. 1180 does not address two controversial aspects of the Act, water rights and property rights. Some western Senators have indicated that they may introduce amendments concerning these issues, but the authors of the bill have said that they will not support them. Some environmental groups are supporting H.R. 2351, introduced by House Resources Committee Ranking Member George Miller (D-CA) (see Oct. 1997 newsletter). A copy of S. 1180 can be obtained on Senator Kempthorne's web page at http://www.senate.gov/~kempthorne/.
GRAZING LEGISLATION HR 2493, was approved by the House, 242-182, after Rep. Sherwood Boehlert (R-NY) worked with House Agric. Chair Bob Smith (R-OR) to modify the bill. Changes were made to reduce the influence of ranchers and remove property rights implications. The Clinton Admin. and a broad coalition of conservation groups oppose HR 2493, which is generally supported by ranchers. Grazing fees would rise from the current $1.35 per "animal unit month" to $1.84. Amendments which would have imposed additional increases were defeated 212-208 and 219-205. No companion legislation has been introduced in the Senate, which traditionally has supported grazing legislation.
AGRICULTURE SECRETARY DAN GLICKMAN has formed a panel of scientists to make recommendations for management of the National Forest System. The panel, headed by Norm Johnson of Oregon State University, will recommend new regulations to implement the National Forest Management Act (NFMA). New NFMA implementing regulations will have a big impact on how the Forest Service manages for endangered and threatened species and ecosystems, timber production, recreation and biodiversity. The panel consists of 12 members, all recognized leaders in forest planning, biology, hydrology, economics and other fields related to forest management. Ornithologist BARRY NOON is a member. The panel is scheduled to complete its recommendations by April. (Information provided by the Western Ancient Forest Campaign; WAFCDC@igc.apc.org).
UTAH WILDERNESS COALITION has a useful guide concerning grassroots communications in their Nov. 1997 newsletter. They rank grassroots communications and their relative effectiveness: 1) Make a personal visit with your elected official; 2) Write a personal letter; 3) Speak out at a town meeting; 4) Call Washington, D.C.; 5) Send a fax; 6)Postcards and petitions; and 7) Email a message. For a copy of the guide which offers detailed discussions of each method, contact TOM PRICE, Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (tom@suwa.org, 202-546-2215).
LOGGING AND GRAZING BAN LIFTED in national forests in Arizona and New Mexico by the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco in Dec. The US Forest Service may proceed with 16 timber sales and 715 challenged grazing leases on 11 national forests in the region. In addition, the SW region of the US Fish and Wildlife Service has faced 37 suits in the past 18 months from both environmentalists and state and local governments suing to counter the enviros' lawsuits.
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REQUESTS FOR ASSISTANCE
INFORMATION NEEDED FOR BIRDS OF NORTH AMERICA species accounts. Any unpublished information, personal observations, and obscure references will be greatly appreciated and acknowledged in the accounts:
BICKNELL'S THRUSH (Catharus bicknelli), CHRIS RIMMER, Vermont Institute of Natural Science, RR 2 Box 532, Woodstock, VT 05091 (802-457-2779; fax 802-457-2779 ext. 216; crimmer@sover.net)
CHUCK-WILL'S-WIDOW (Caprimulgus carolinensis) DR. ROBERT COOPER, School of Forest Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602 (706-542-6066, fax 706-542-8356, rcooper@smokey.forestry.uga.edu)
INFORMATION NEEDED ON SOUTHWESTERN WILLOW FLYCATCHER WINTER AND STOPOVER SITES. We would appreciate any information on Willow Flycatchers in Latin America, especially the Pacific side of southern Mexico to Panama. Please send information to MARY J. WHITFIELD, P.O. Box 1662, Weldon, CA 93283 (wifl@lightspeed.net; 760-378-2402).
DATA REQUESTED for a forthcoming paper on differences in wing length between adults and young birds in a wide range of passerines. Need wing length data from adult (i.e., aged SY or ASY) and young (i.e., aged HY or AHY) birds in fresh basic plumage (Sep-Feb). Samples of 25 individuals/class measured during fall migration or early winter are preferred. Data pooled over 5 consecutive years are acceptable. Please include the species name, adult wing lengths, juvenile wing lengths, capture location, and citation information. All contributions will be acknowledged upon publication. Please send material to STEPHEN HUDMAN, Department of Biology, P.O. Box 8042, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA 30458-8042, email: sphudman@gasou.edu.
DO BELLBIRDS (Procnias spp.) LEARN TO SING? Information is requested concerning "dialects" in bellbird song, recordings of captive-reared birds, or any other relevant information on bellbird vocalizations. DON KROODSMA, Dept. of Biology, Univ. of Massachusetts, Amherst MA 01003 (fax 413-545-3243; kroodsma@bio.umass.edu)
WINTERING BICKNELL'S THRUSHES IN LESSER ANTILLES. The March 1997 discovery of 3 Bicknell's Thrushes on Dominica suggests that the species may regularly overwinter in moist forests on this and other islands of the Lesser Antilles. We would appreciate receiving reports of any records of Bicknell's (Gray-cheeked) Thrush in the Lesser Antilles. For each record, please submit as much detail as possible, including exact location, date, number of birds, circumstance of encounter (sighting, handheld), whether and how species determination was made, habitat association, and any behavioral observations. For handheld birds, please provide demographic and morphometric data (esp. wing chord) if known. Ornithologists or birders working in or visiting the Lesser Antilles (esp. Dominica, Guadeloupe, Martinique, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Grenada) are urged to help document the status of Bicknell's Thrush by searching for birds and submitting details similar to those requested above. Tapes of Bicknell's Thrush vocalizations and recommended survey protocols are available to anyone willing to use them in searches involving playbacks. All contributions will be fully acknowledged. For more information or to report records, please contact CHRIS RIMMER or KENT MCFARLAND, Vermont Institute of Natural Science, RR2 Box 532, Woodstock, VT 05091-9720 (802-457-2779; fax 802-457-2779 ext. 216; crimmer@sover.net).
ANTING RECORDS ARE BEING SOUGHT to test the hypotheses proposed by Potter and Hauser in their 1974 Auk paper. Birders may contribute their records by reporting weather conditions and other information through a form on the web. For those without web access, reports of anting behavior can be sent to BENJAMIN LEESE, RD 5 Box 5565, Spring Grove, PA 17362. The records should include the following information if possible (all contributions are welcome): species performing the behavior, passive or active anting, time of behavior, habitat, location (town, state), weather conditions of that day and the previous three days, and molting status of the bird. The website is: http://dial50.blazenet.net/anting/.
FIVE WATERFOWL SPECIES HAVE BEEN MARKED at breeding sites in central British Columbia with right and left nasal tags. Lesser Scaup, American Green-winged Teal, Barrow's Goldeneye, Bufflehead and Eared Grebes may be sighted with the following colors: orange, red, white, light and dark green, light and dark blue, tan, yellow; and the following shapes: circle, square, rectangle, triangle, oval, cross and Y. Please report any sightings and information to: S. OGLE, Dept. of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Dr., Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada (604-291-3010; ogle@sfu.ca).
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POSITIONS AND OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE
NOTE the printed version of the Ornithological Newsletter no longer contains job advertisements. As of the August '97 issue, the Positions and Opportunities section is available only in the on-line edition. This edition can be accessed from the Ornithological Newsletter Home Page (http://www.ornith.cornell.edu/OSNA/ornnewsl.htm), or directly at http://www.ornith.cornell.edu/OSNA/ornjobs.htm. This job list is edited once a week. Consequently, submissions can be made at any time, and advertisements are maintained until approximately the due date for submissions. Expect the on-line list to change both in content and format in the near future. Also, in the near future a list-serve service will be put into operation that will send job announcements to subscribers via e-mail. Many public libraries provide free Internet access.
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READERS ARE REMINDED that information on deadlines, etc., of grants listed in the third edition of "Grants, Awards and Prizes in Ornithology" is not repeated here. Only revisions of information in that booklet can be reported here, because of space limitations.
THE WILDLIFE SOCIETY is accepting nominations for the 1998 Conservation Education Award in the category of "Audio-Visual Works." The award encompasses the broad field of renewable resources conservation and management, but wildlife is expected to be the focus of nominated works. The award may be presented to artists, photographers, lecturers, radio commentators, or other creative people whose accomplishments are outstanding in the dissemination of conservation truth to the public. The audio visual material could be from a variety of media including films, videos, CD ROMS, software, web sites, slide shows, photos, and paintings. Works produced during 1995, 1996, or 1997 are eligible. A nomination statement and 5 complete copies of the materials should be sent to: DR. JOE SCHAEFER, Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, PO Box 110430, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611-0430, 352-846-0568. Multiple copies are necessary to facilitate timely review of nominations by the committee. Nominations must be received no later than 1 Apr 1998, but submittals should be made as early as possible to facilitate adequate review. The nomination statement should include a point of contact, daytime phone number, name and affiliation of nominee, explanation of intent and application of the material, and other information considered relevant to the committee's deliberations. Materials cannot be returned.
THE FLORIDA ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY announces its 1998 Helen G. and Allan D. Cruickshank Research Award in the amount of $500 for research dealing with Florida birds. Applicants should submit 3 copies of ap proposal outlining goals, significance, feasibility and budget (including other funding anticipated) and a resume by 15 Feb 1998 to DAVE BREININGER, DYN-2, Kennedy Space Center, FL 32899. The recipient will be announced at the Florida Ornithological Society meeting in Gainesville, FL, April 1998.
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"1998 CONSERVATION DIRECTORY" lists over 3,000 organizations, agencies, colleges and universities with conservation programs, and more than 16,500 officials concerned with environmental conservation, education, and natural resource us and management. $61. Available from National Wildlife Federation, PO Box 50281, Hampden Station, Baltimore, MD 21211-4281 (410-516-6583; fax 410-516-6998). Credit card orders only for phone and fax.
"BREEDING BIRDS OF WASHINGTON STATE," 1997 by Michael R. Smith, Philip W. Mattocks, Jr., and Kelly M. Cassidy. Provides the most current status and distribution information on Washington's breeding avifauna. Combines Breeding Bird Atlas data with predicted distribution maps from the Washington Gap Analysis Project. 258 species are treated, 244 have full-page breeding distribution maps (8.5" x 11"). 538 pp (paperback), Available for $30.00 plus $4.00 UPS from Flora & Fauna Books, 121 First Ave S., Seattle, WA 98104 (206-623-4727, fax: 206-623-2001).
"IDENTIFICATION GUIDE TO NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. PART I," by Peter Pyle. Revised and much expanded edition of "Identification Guide to North American Passerines," including 395 species (doves through weavers in the AOU check-list order), detailed sections on molt and ageing of several groups, description for 857 subspecies, and bar graphs (representing the acceptance standards of the Canadian Wildlife Service and Bird Banding Laboratory) indicating the reliability of ageing and sexing each species by month. Available for $34.90 plus p&h from Slate Creek Press (415-868-1221 ext 21).
SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF NON-FEDERAL FORESTS is the subject of a new report by the National Research Council, which calls on the federal government to develop new policies that encourage use and management of non-federal forests in ways that will benefit future generations. The report proposes subsidies to private landowners and the timber industry in the form of tax incentives, conducting forest inventories and designing federal programs that recognize private rights and interests. Copies of "Forested Landscapes in Perspective" is available in January from National Academy Press for $34.95 plus $4.00 shipping (800-624-6242, http:\\www.nas.edu).
"JOHN ABBOT'S BIRDS OF GEORGIA" displays 25 watercolors of birds by John Abbot from the collection of the Houghton Library, Harvard University. These drawings, which have never been published in book form, are presented in full color and full size, with an historical introduction, extensive scholarly notes and a catalogue of Abbot ornithological drawings in American and European collections. $125 from The Beehive Foundation, 321 Barnard Street, Savannah, GA 31401 (912-236-4870). To receive a sample page and illustration, send a request and $5. If you later order the book, you may deduct $5 from the listed price.
"THE BIRD COLLECTORS" , another book by Barbara and Richard Mearns on ornithological history, in the style of Audubon to Xantus. Describes the history of bird specimen collecting with fascinating histories of the people and expeditions on five continents. The role of collecting and museums in the history of ornithological study is reviewed and he future importance of skin collections is put into perspective. 472 pp., ISBN 0-12-487440-1, $49.50 (hardback). From Academic Press (1-800-321-5068) or your bookseller.
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FOR SALE: Auk Vol. 64-113 complete. J. Field Ornith. Vol. 64-67 complete. Wilson Bull., broken numbers in Vol. 60-108 (155 issues available). E-mail best offer to bsargent@env.robins.af.mil or call (912-926-1197, ext. 156).
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* in this section indicates new or revised entry
1998 PRAIRIE CONSERVATION AND ENDANGERED SPECIES CONFERENCE, "Integrating Conservation, Society, Ethics and the Economy," 19-22 Feb 1998, Saskatoon Inn, Saskatoon Saskatchewan. For information on space for our trade show, the art show, the poster session or any other aspect of the conference visit our home page: http://www.extension.usask/conferences/pcaes.html. Contact us by e-mail (PCAES.Conference@usask.ca) or contact PETER JONKER (306-966-5552; fax 306-966-5567).
13TH ANNUAL MEETING of the U.S. Regional Association, International Association for Landscape Ecology, 17-21 Mar 1998, Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, Michigan. For information, please refer to the meeting web site: http://www.fw.msu.edu/iale98. Local Hosts: JIANGUO LIU and WILLIAM W. TAYLOR, Dept. of Fisheries & Wildlife, 13 Natural Resources Bldg., Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, MI 48824 (517-355-1810; fax 517-432-1699; iale98@ perm3.fw.msu.edu). Local Student Representative: SAMUEL RIFFELL, Dept. of Zoology, Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, MI 48824 (517-355-4640; fax 517-432-2789; riffells@ pilot.msu.edu). Scientific Program Chair: KEVIN GUTZWILLER, Dept. of Biology, Baylor Univ., Waco, TX 76798-7388 (817-755-2911; fax 817-755-3409; iale98@Baylor.edu).
*NORTH AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGICAL CONFERENCE 6-12 April 1998. THE AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGISTS' UNION, the ASSOCIATION OF FIELD ORNITHOLOGISTS', the COLONIAL WATERBIRD SOCIETY, the COOPER ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY, and the WILSON ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY will hold their annual meetings jointly in St. Louis, MO. The RAPTOR RESEARCH FOUNDATION is a co-sponsor and will hold a special session on "Natal Dispersal Patterns and Mechanisms in Raptors". Symposia and workshops will include "An Inventory/Evaluation of North American Monitoring Activities", "Conservation of Neotropical Birds", "Partners in Flight Bird Conservation Planning", "Ornithology and the Law", "Management of Ornithological Collections at Teaching Institutions and Nature Centers", "Communicating with Legislators on Ornithological Issues", "Stopover Biology and its Relevance to Bird Conservation", "The Physiological Ecology of Arid Zone Birds", "Tropical Breeding Seasonality: Proximate and Ultimate Mechanisms", "Population Biology of Song Sparrows: a Model Species", "Saving the Rarest of Rare Birds", "Avian Life Histories", "Rangewide Variation in Cerulean Warbler Ecology", and "The Biology of Wrens". Five plenary sessions are scheduled along with the general paper and poster sessions. Plenary speakers will include ELLEN KETTERSON and VAL NOLAN (M. Morse Nice Plenary Lecture), ROBERT STORER (Alden Miller Plenary Lecture), ROBERT E. RICKLEFS, LUIS F. BAPTISTA, and PAUL R. EHRLICH. For information on the Scientific Program contact JEFF BRAWN, Illinois Natural History Survey, 607 E. Peabody Dr., Champaign, IL 61820 (217-244-5937; birdmeet@mail.inhs.uiuc.edu). For information on local arrangements contact BETTE LOISELLE, Dept. Biology, Univ. Missouri-St. Louis, 8001 Natural Bridge Rd., St. Louis, MO 63121 (314-516-6224; bird_stl@umsl.edu). Visit the NAOC home page for detailed information and registration (http://www.umsl.edu/~biology/icte/bird98). This home page also can be reached via BIRDNET (http://www.nmnh.si.edu/BIRDNET/).
*EASTERN BIRD BANDING ASSOCIATION Annual Meeting, 17-19 Apr 1998, Villa Maria Conference Center, Erie, PA. Contact DAVID W. HAUBER, RD#2 Box 153, Coudersport, PA 16915 (814-274-8946; haubers3@penn.com).
APPLICATIONS OF STABLE ISOTOPE TECHNIQUES TO ECOLOGICAL STUDIES, 20-22 Apr 1998, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. The conference web page is located at http://ecsask65.innovplace.saskatoon.sk.ca/isotope or e-mail Keith.Hobson@ec.gc.ca.
ECOTOURISM AND ISLAND BIRDS, 13-16 May 1998, Miyake-jima Nature Center, Izu Islands, Japan. Symposium topics include Island Birds: Population processes and ecology and conservation; and Ecotourism. For information contact the convenors: TETSUJI HIDAKA, YUTAKA YAMAMOTO, and DR. JACK T. MOYER, Miyake-jima Nature Center, 4118 Tsubota, Miyake-mura, Miyake-jima, Izu Islands, Tokyo 100-12, Japan (phone 81-4994-6-0410; fax 81-4994-6-0458).
BIRD STRIKE COMMITTEE-USA, 8th Annual Meeting, 16-18 June 1998, Holiday Inn Lakeside, Burke Lakefront Airport, Cleveland OH. For information and registration contact RICHARD A. DOLBEER, USDA/ Wildlife Services, 6100 Columbus Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44870 (419-625-0242; 419-625-8465). For information on the scientific program contact THOMAS HUPF, FAA Technical Center, Bldg. 270, ACM 433, Room A17, Atlantic City International Airport, NJ 08405 (609-485-5841; fax 609-485-6102).
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ANIMAL BEHAVIOR SOCIETY ANNUAL MEETING, 18-22 July 1998, Southern Illinois Univ. at Carbondale. Contact Local Host, LEE DRICKAMER, Dept. Zoology, Southern Illinois Univ., Carbondale, IL 62901 (618-536-2314; Drickamer@zoology.siu.edu; http://loris.cisab.indiana.edu/animal_behavior.html).
7th INTERNATIONAL BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY CONGRESS, 27 Jul-1 Aug 1998, Asilomar Conference grounds on the Monterey Peninsula, California. Please note the correction and slight alteration in dates from those announced earlier. For further information, contact WALT KOENIG (wicker@uclink.berkeley.edu) or see our web page at http://socrates. berkeley.edu/~isbe98/
*AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES, 2-6 Aug 1998, Baltimore, MD. AIBS 1444 Eye St. NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20005, 202-628-1500, http:\\www.aibs.org. For program information contact MARILYN MAURITZ (703-834-0812 x203, mmauritz@aibs.org, rjohnson@aibs.org).
*THIRD INTERNATIONAL RAPTOR BIOMEDICAL CONFERENCE, 9-11 Aug 1998, Midrand, Republic of South Africa. The Scientific Committee of the 3rd International Raptor Biomedical Conference has developed the preliminary program of this conference which is scheduled as part of the 5th World Conference on Birds of Prey and Owls (4-11 Aug) and close to the International Ornithological Conference (16-22 Aug). The conference will start with practical labs on raptor orthopaedics, raptor ophthalmology and raptor rehabilitation techniques on Sunday 9 Aug. The main conference is scheduled for 10-11 Aug. On Monday evening 10 Aug there will be a poster and free communications session. Proposals for free communications and posters can be sent to the Chairman of the Scientific Committee: J.T. LUMEIJ, Division of Avian and Exotic Animal Medicine, University Utrecht, Yalelaan 8, 3584 CM Utrecht, The Netherlands (J.T.Lumeij@ukg.dgk.ruu.nl). For further information on registration, hotel accommodation, the social program and field trips please contact Local Arrangements Manager Dr. GERHARD H. VERDOORN, P.O. Box 72155, Parkview 2122, South Africa (tel +27-11-646-4629/8617, Fax + 27-11-646-4631, nesher@global.co.za). He can also be contacted for information on the 5th World Conference on Birds of Prey and Owls (4-11 Aug). Please consult the websites of the respective conferences http://www.uniud.it/DSPA/wildvet/rapmed/rapmed.htm and http://ewt.org.za/raptor/conference/ for updates on program and registration procedures. For information on the International Ornithological Conference (August 16-22) please contact BirdLife South Africa in Durban, Dr. ALDO BERUTTI (aldo@birdlife.org.za. or http://www.ioc.org.za/othr_org.html).
XXII INTERNATIONAL ORNITHOLOGICAL CONGRESS, 19-22 Aug 1998, Durban, South Africa. Requests to be included on the mailing list for future brochures and all inquiries for information about the congress should be sent to the Secretary-General of the 1998 Congress, DR. ALDO BERRUTI ([111 Blair Atholl Road, Westville 3630, South Africa; please note that this address will change before the end of this year]; fax + 27-31-262-6114; aldo@birdlife.org.za). Information can also be obtained from the congress home page at http://www.ioc.org.za. All information about the congress is available on this home page; it is possible to register and to submit abstracts through the home page. Please note carefully the complete tour packages that are available through Turner Travel, the organization serving as the congress organizer. The final brochure is available, and if you have not received a copy of this brochure, please contact Dr. Berruti. Deadline for early registration was 31 Oct 1998. All inquiries about the scientific program should be directed to the Chair of the Scientific Program Committee, DR. LUKAS JENNI (Schweizerische Vogelwarte, CH-6204 Sempach, Switzerland; fax + 41-41-462-97-10; jennil@ orninst.ch). The President of the congress is PROFESSOR PETER BERTHOLD (Vogelwarte Radolfzell, Schloss Möggingen, D-78315 Radolfzell, Federal Republic of Germany; fax 49-7732-15-01-34; peter.berthold@uni-konstanz.de). All inquiries about the International Ornithological Committee, but not about congress details should be sent to the Secretary of the International Ornithological Committee, PROFESSOR WALTER BOCK (Dept. of Biological Sciences, Columbia Univ., 1200 Amsterdam Ave, Mail code 5521, New York, NY 10027-7004; fax 1-212-865-8246; wb4@ columbia.edu).
*THE 1998 ANNUAL MEETING OF THE RAPTOR RESEARCH FOUNDATION, INC., 30 Sep-4 Oct 1998, will be held at the Ogden Egyptian Conference Center, Ogden, Utah. Details about the meeting and a call for papers will be mailed to members in the spring of 1998. A site on the World Wide Web contains information about the meeting, accommodations, transportation, and the geographic setting (http://www.weber.edu/rrf). Contact CARL D. MARTI for more information (801/626-6172; cmarti@weber.edu).
INTERNATIONAL FLAMINGO SYMPOSIUM, 24-26 Oct 1998, Miami Florida. This meeting will focus on the development of a Flamingo Specialist Group Action Plan. For information contact CATHY KING, Rotterdam Zoo, Postbus 532, 3000 AM Rotterdam, The Netherlands (fax 31 (0) 10-467 7811; Cathy.E.King@inter.NL.net).
*EASTERN BIRD BANDING ASSOCIATION annual meeting, 16-18 Apr 1999, in Rochester, New York. Hosted by Braddock Bay Bird Observatory.
*BIRD RINGING 100 YEARS--In 1999 it will be 100 years since the Danish teacher Hans Christian Cornelius Mortensen started to ring birds systematically. In order to celebrate the event an international scientific conference will be held at Ebeltoft, Denmark, 30 Sep-4 Oct 1999. The Conference is arranged by EURING, the Zoological Museum, Copenhagen, and the National Environmental Research Institute, Kalo, Denmark. Among the main objectives are to summarize our current knowledge concerning the history of bird ringing, bird migration, dispersal of birds, catching/ringing techniques, population dynamics, mortality/survival rates, ringing results in the management and conservation of birds, and bird ringing in future. The conference will be held in English and will include three full days of meetings with plenary sessions, symposia/workshops, as well as a poster session. Excursions to important bird areas will be arranged immediately after the closing of the conference. For more information contact IB CLAUSAGER, National Environmental Research Institute, Department of Coastal Zone Ecology, Kalo, Grenavej 12, DK 8410 Ronde, Denmark (Ph: + 45 89 20 17 00; Fax: + 45 89 20 15 14; ic@dmu.dk). The First Announcement including registration details can be found on the Internet: http://www.dmu.dk/news/birds.htm.
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Address update for ANGELA ANDERS and DON DEARBORN: USGS/BRD - Tern Island, P.O. Box 50167, 300 Ala Moana Blvd, Room 5231, Honolulu, HI 96850, instead of as given in December 1997 Newsletter.
CHRIS EBERLY has taken a position through the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation as the Department of Defense Partners in Flight Program Manager, responsible for migratory bird conservation activities on military installations in the U.S. His new address is c/o American Bird Conservancy, PO Box 249, The Plains, VA 20198-0249 (540-253-5675; fax 540-253-5782; ceberly@abcbirds.org).
BARBARA E. RAULSTON has left the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service and is now working for the Bureau of Reclamation. Her new address is: USBR-LC 2316, P.0. Box 61470, Boulder City, NV 89005-1470. (702-293-8788; BRaulston@LC.USBR.GOV).
GREGORY J. ROBERTSON has accepted a post-doctoral position at ACWERN (Atlantic Cooperative Wildlife Ecology Research Network), P.O. Box 45111, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton NB E3B 6E1, (506-447-3088; fax 506-453-3583; gregoryj@unb.ca).
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THE FLOCK - SPECIAL SECTION
THE FLOCK, the 1997 Membership directory of all six OSNA societies was mailed in June 1997. Please check your listing (especially your e-mail address). To correct your address in the membership database please send the new information to the OSNA Business Office at Allen Press, P.O. Box 1897, Lawrence, KS 66044-8897 (913-843-1221; fax 913-843-1274; osna@allenpress.com). To alert your colleagues of your new address information contact the Ornithological Newsletter Editor, CHERYL L. TRINE (address below).
CHANGES/ADDITIONS:
COULSON, JENNIFER O. EM: jacoulson@aol.com
DUNNING, JOHN B. EM: bdunning@fnr.purdue.edu
EVANS, ROGER M. EM: rmevans@cc.umanitoba.ca
GERWIN, JOHN A. PH: 919-715-2600; FX: 919-715-4040 or -2614; EM: ncs1416@interpath.com
HESS, STEVEN C., Fish and Wildlife Management Program, Montana State University, P.O. Box 173460, 301 D Lewis Hall, Bozeman, MT 59717-3460. EM: shess@trex2.oscs.montana.edu
MALLORY, ELIZABETH P. EM: EPMallory@compuserve.com
MONGOLD, ROGER, P.O. Box 63, Orogrande, NM 88342. EM: rogmong@zianet.com
SHARP, BRIAN EM: bsharp@TRANSPORT.COM
SWANSON, DAVID L. EM: dlswanso@sunfish.usd.edu
WALLACE, GEORGE E. EM: wallace@javanet.com
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All contents copyright © 1998 The Ornithological Societies of North America. All Rights Reserved.