Return to Ornithological Newsletter main page.
NUMBER 130, June 1999
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/index.html
AOU - http://pica.wru.umt.edu/AOU/AOU.html
AFO - http://www.afonet.org/index.html
COS - http://www.cooper.org/
WS - http://www.nmnh.si.edu/BIRDNET/CWS/index.html
RRF - http://catsis.weber.edu/rrf
WOS - http://www.ummz.lsa.umich.edu/birds/wos.html
BIRDNET - http://www.nmnh.si.edu/BIRDNET/index.html
REQUEST FOR AIRLINE INFORMATION. The AOU, BOU and SCO are holding a joint Millennium Meeting in St. John's Newfoundland from 14 -20 Aug, 2000. St. John's is beautiful but somewhat remote location for many North American ornithologists. The planning committee is attempting to minimize the airfare and difficulty involved in traveling to St. John's through charter flights. We are trying to organize these special meeting flights from a few key cities in the United States (e.g., San Francisco, Chicago, Boston, etc.) and Canada (Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, etc.). We also hope to encourage as many ornithologists, especially students, as possible to attend this meeting. We need to collect information on how many people are interested in these charter flights so that we can bargain with the airlines for the best prices. We have developed a web page at http://swift.anselm.edu/web/bio/jaypage.nsf/aouboupage/?OpenForm which contains a form for collecting information on your interest in fares and flights from several major sites. If you are interested in participating in this program, please let us know by filling out this form. If you do not have access to a web browser, then you can e-mail JAY PITOCCHELLI at jpitocch@anselm.edu or call at 603-641-7379. We are looking forward to hearing from you.
NOMINATIONS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED FOR AOU OFFICERS AND ELECTIVE COUNCILORS to be elected at the 1999 Business Meeting of the Members (12 Aug 1999) at Cornell University. To be elected are a Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and three Elective Councilors. The Bylaws of the AOU require that the President-Elect be elected bi-annually, that the Vice-President be elected annually and serve only one term, and that the Secretary and Treasurer also be elected or re-elected annually. During the next cycle (1999-2000), Frank B. Gill will continue the second of his two-year term as President, and John W. Fitzpatrick will continue the second of his two-year term as President-Elect. The incumbent Treasurer (Frederick H. Sheldon) is willing to serve a final one-year term if re-elected. The incumbent Secretary (M. Victoria McDonald) announced last year that she will conclude her 8-year tenure at the end of the 1999 meeting. Because nominations are allowed up until 12 May, after this newsletter deadline, a list of nominees is not being printed. The list can be obtained, however, by calling or emailing the Secretary at 540-635-6546, or by email: vickiem.fs.uca@mail.uca.edu.
AOU ELECTIVE MEMBERS AND FELLOWS ARE REMINDED that ballots (sent in late March) for Elective Members must be returned to the Secretary by 20 July 1999. The deadline for nominations for EMs and Fellows has already passed. Newly elected ELECTIVE will be announced at the Business Meeting for Members, 12 Aug 1999 at the 117th Stated Meeting at Cornell University. In early July 1999, FELLOWS will be sent balloting and other information related to their upcoming meeting (11 Aug 1999 at Cornell University), during which they will elect new Fellows and conduct other business. Contact Secretary M. Victoria McDonald for more information.
SOCIETY RESOLUTIONS provide the science-based views of the ornithological community on public issues affecting birds and ornithology. These resolutions form a large part of the agenda of The Ornithological Council, which transmits these resolutions and related scientific information to legislators and agency decision makers. Draft resolutions or suggested topics, including literature references, for the 1999 AOU meeting should be sent to: AOU Resolutions Chair DAVID BLOCKSTEIN, 1725 K. St. NW #212, Washington, DC 20006-1401, 202-530-5810, fax 202-628-4311, ( OC@CNIE.org).
THE COOPER ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY Nominations Committee is in the process of identifying potential candidates to run for election to the COS Board-of-Directors (3-year term beginning 2001 2002). The committee would welcome input regarding possible candidates from the society's general membership. Names and qualifications of potential nominees should be sent to DON POWERS, Biology Department, George Fox University, 414 N. Meridian St., Newberg, OR 97132 ( powers@georgefox.edu).
THE COOPER ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY still has t-shirts available from its recent annual meeting in Portland. Shirts feature a full-color, stylized Varied Thrush on the front and the COS logo on the sleeve. Shirts are heavy duty, pre-shrunk cotton, in white or light grey. Only size XL remains. Send color choice and a check for $8.00 made out to the Cooper Ornithological Society to TERRY RICH, 1387 S. Vinnell Way, Boise, ID 83709 USA.
Return to Top
Return to Issue Index .
CALL FOR PAPERS--a Neotropical Waterfowl Symposium will be held at the VI Neotropical Ornithology Congress, which takes place 4-10 Oct 1999 in Monterrey, Mexico. Sessions include behavior, ecology, evolution, natural history, conservation, and management of neotropical Anatidae. The objectives of the symposium are to facilitate communication among researchers and managers, to consolidate existing information, to stimulate further research, and to encourage conservation of this little-studied group. Abstract deadline is 5 July. For more information, contact SARAH M. STAI, Dept. of Biology, University of Miami, P.O. Box 249118, Coral Gables, FL 33124 U.S.A. (EM: sstai@fig.cox.miami.edu, FX: 305-284-3039).
CALL FOR PAPERS, Western Section of the Wildlife Society. The annual conference will be held 27-29 January 2000 at the Riverside Convention Center in southern California. Members and nonmembers are invited to present an oral or poster presentation at the Annual Conference. All topics that concern research, management, and policy related to wildlife are encouraged, including studies of marine vertebrates. Several awards for the best student paper or poster will be given, thanks to a grant provided by Pacific Gas and Electric Company. The conference is well attended, with registration exceeding 500 in the past several years. For details on the meeting site, registration, and instructions on abstract submittal, visit the Section's website at www.tws-west.org or contact the program chair, MICHAEL MORRISON, at wildmlm@worldnet.att.net. Deadline for receipt of abstracts is 15 Oct 1999.
THE NORTH AMERICAN BANDING COUNCIL (NABC) will be testing the process of banding certification at the joint Inland Bird Banding Association and Association of Field Ornithologists meeting in Ottumwa, Iowa, on 9-12 Sep 1999, and at the Western Bird Banding Association meeting in Reno, Nevada, on 24-26 Sep 1999. To test the certification process, we would like to invite landbird (passerine and near passerine) banders who are interested in being certified by the NABC to apply for admission to the first classes of candidates; the application fee will be waived. The initial certification workshops will offer a limited number of openings for banders to be certified at the Permittee level and smaller number of openings for the Trainer level. Any other banders who are interested in attending the meeting, but not applying for certification, are welcome to attend the workshops on Friday and Saturday and to comment on the NABC materials and certification process. The Permittee level of NABC certification recognizes that an individual has achieved a level of competence in removing birds from nets; identifying, sexing and ageing birds; handling birds; taking appropriate measurements; and keeping appropriate records. NABC recognizes that both sub-permittees and master/station permittees need the same basic level of knowledge and skill and therefore provides the Permittee level of certification for both. Certification at the Trainer level recognizes permittees that (1) have the basic knowledge and skills associated with the permittee level of certification, (2) have demonstrated considerable banding experience, and (3) have demonstrated teaching skills such that he or she can teach and evaluate proficiency in the basic knowledge and skills associated with all levels of certification. Banders interested in participating in the certification workshop will be asked to: (1) read the training materials NABC has prepared (to be mailed to participants around 1 Aug), (2) attend an all day certification workshop on Thursday, 9 Sep 1999, or Friday, 24 Sep 1999, at which they will (a) be given a multiple choice/short answer test based on the training materials (this information should be a review for experienced banders), and (b) asked to demonstrate a variety of hands-on banding skills including identifying birds, banding, removing bands, use of mist nets, use of age/sex keys, and taking measurements. Applicants for trainer certification will be asked to complete the permittee certification process and present a half-hour workshop on some aspect of banding during this meeting (on Friday or Saturday). Application forms will be available beginning on 1 May; applications will be due by 1 Jul; and notification letters will be sent by 15 Jul. Applications will include questions about the applicant's skills and level of experience. Preference for positions in these workshops will be given to experienced banders who will be able to provide feedback on the certification process. Although this certification test is limited to a small number of banders, additional opportunities for certification to band landbirds, raptors, and other specialty groups will be offered in the near future. For additional information, or to request an application, please visit the NABC web page at http://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/bbl/resource/nabc.html or contact: MARK SHIELDCASTLE, Black Swamp Bird Observatory, P.O. Box 228, Oak Harbor, Ohio 43449 (EM: bsbobird@dcache.net).
THE CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF TROPICAL BIRDS, INC. is soliciting manuscripts for its Miscellaneous Publication Series. Previous publications (and those planned) include; No. 1 Proceedings of the First MesoAmerican Workshop on the Conservation and Management of Macaws-Tegucigalpa, Honduras (1991), No. 2. Natural History of the Plate-billed Mountain Toucan Andigena laminirstris in Colombia. (1994), No. 3. Natural History of the Muscovy Duck (1999) and No. 4. Proceedings of the Workshop on Quail and Cracids in Mexico and adjacent Central America (2000). Individuals and organizations with proceedings or manuscripts for possible publication should contact the Center for the Study of Tropical Birds, Inc. (PH: 800-858-CSTB, FX: 210-828-9732, EM: CSTBInc1@aol.com).
SMITHSONIAN'S NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AMERICAN HISTORY commemorates the 100th Anniversary of the American Conservation Movement by exploring the beginnings of the conservation movement of the 1800s in a showcase titled "The Feather Trade and the American Conservation Movement" The showcase opened 27 Feb and runs until Aug 1999. It highlights feather adornment in millinery fashions, bird hunting and collecting, and the Audubon movement. Bird skins, feathered hats, fashion advertisements, Seminole imagery, pamphlets and magazines, and a pro-nature letter written by President Theodore Roosevelt are among the items on view. An online version of the showcase is at http://www.si/edu/nmnh. For more information, call (202)357-2700.
CALL FOR PAPERS: SHOREBIRD SYMPOSIUM, Neotropical Ornithological Congress, 9 Oct 1999, Monterrey, Mexico. We are pleased to invite you to participate in the Shorebird Symposium to be conducted on October 9, 1999 at the 6th Neotropical Ornithological Congress (October 4-10, 1999) in Monterrey, Mexico. The special symposium will be organized by the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network (WHSRN) in cooperation with the Instituto Tecnologico de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (ITESM) and the Consejo Internacional para la Conservacion de las Aves. Seccion Mexico (CIPA-MEX), organizers of the congress. WHSRN invites abstracts for oral and poster presentations on shorebird biology, ecology, and conservation relevant to the Western Hemisphere. Special preference will be given to presentations that address the following topics: a) Identification of shorebird population limiting factors, b) Habitat use, quality, and dynamics, c) Life-history research with conservation implications, d) Evaluation of habitat management practices, e) Global climate change and shorebirds, and f) Research on monitoring techniques. SUBMISSION GUIDELINES Abstracts should be no longer than 300 words and must include 1) title, 2) author(s)/presenter & affiliation, 3) statement of objectives, 4) methods, 5) results, and 6) discussion/ conclusions. Abstracts may be submitted by mail on paper, on a 3.5 inch computer diskette formatted in DOS, or by e-mail as an attached document. Electronically formatted abstracts must be in either MS Word or ASCII/RTF format. No MAC formatted disks can be accepted. All submissions must include the authors full name, title, postal address (including country and postal codes), telephone, fax numbers, and e-mail address. All authors will be notified of receipt of their abstracts. Acceptance of presentations will be made until the session is filled and authors will be notified once their paper is accepted or declined. All accepted authors will be asked to submit a complete printed version of their presentation no later than 1 Sep 1999 for distribution and inclusion in the Proceedings. Guidelines will be provided. Papers will be organized into associated themes for presentation during the Symposium. Please submit proposed abstracts (or letters stating your intention to submit) to: JIM CORVEN, Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences, P.O. Box 1770, Manomet, MA 02345, U.S.A. E-mail: jmcorven@manomet.org For further information on the Congress visit the Website: http://www-cestec1.mty.itesm.mx/vicon/
FINANCIAL SUPPORT is available to students and young professionals interested in presenting scientific papers at the Neotropical Ornithological Congress (4-10 Oct 1999). Whereas preference will be given to Latin American and Caribbean nationals, partial grants will be available to US and Canadian students. Applications are available through the NOC homepage http://www-cestec1.mty.itesm.mx/vicon or through ROBERTO PHILLIPS, Local Arrangements Committee Coordinator, c/o ITESM (CCA-CEDES), Av Eugenio Garza Sada 2501 Sur, Col. Tecnológico, CP. 64849, Monterrey, Nuevo León. (PH:52(8)3284033, FX:52(8)3875815, EM: aves@cestec1.mty.itesm.mx). Financial aid has been made available through support of the NOC´s main sponsor, Fundación ARA http://www.ara.com.mx/ and the Association of Field Ornithology, American Bird Conservancy, Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, USFWS.
THE PACIFIC SEABIRD GROUP held its 26th Annual Meeting, 24-28 Feb 1999, at the Inn at Semi-Ah-Moo near Blaine, Washington. The tally of registered participants was 220, including 40 students. The scientific program began with plenary presentations by JOHN WARHAM ("Petrel puzzles and problems") and FRED COOKE ("Survival and fecundity of Marbles Murrelets at Desolation Sound, B.C."). Highlights of the program included two day-long symposia: "Seabird By-catch: Trends, Roadblocks and Solutions", chaired by ED MELVIN, and Climate Variability and Seabird Response", chaired by WILLIAM SYDEMAN. Overall, there were 98 oral and 29 poster presentations. MICHAEL A. LITZOW was chosen for the "Best Student Paper" award for his oral presentation on "Consequences of variability in prey abundance and prey energy content for breeding Pigeon Guillemots". MYRA FINKELSTEIN won the "Best student Poster" award for her poster entitled "Immune function as a biomarker for contaminant exposure in seabirds: development of sample storage and analysis methods". JOHN WARHAM was presented with PSG's highest honor, the Lifetime Achievement Award, for his extensive and pioneering contributions to our understanding of petrels and other Pacific seabirds. The program and abstracts can be viewed on PSG's webpage: http://www.nmnh.si.edu/BIRDNET/PacBirds/index.html. Next year's meeting will be held in February in Napa Valley, California.
NATIONAL LIBRARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT < www.cnie.org> UPDATE. Over the past month the online National Library for the Environment has added many new free resources: 1) Reference Tools: A new scroll-down menu of reference resources includes bibliographies, chambers of commerce, Congress, databases, daily e-mail delivered news services, environmental dictionaries/glossaries, environmental groups, Environmental Protection Agency resources, federal agencies, general dictionaries, international organizations, international treaties, maps, newsletters, non-U.S. environmental agencies, photographs, population organizations, search engines, state environmental agencies, universities and community colleges and other resources. 2) New Population and Environment Linkages materials: thousands of full text source materials on all aspects of population & environment linkages; from the simple to the technical. http://www.cnie.org/pop/pophome.htm 3) Expanded Environmental Science Conferences & Meetings service 4) Summaries of Laws Administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 5) New and updated Congressional Research Service reports 6) Send us your comments and suggestions KEVIN HUTTON, Webmaster Committee for the National Institute for the Environment, 1725 K St. NW Suite 212 Washington, DC 20006 khutton@CNIE.org; http://www.cnie.org
MOLLIE BEATTIE BOG. A 76-acre black spruce bog in the Nulhegan Basin of northeastern Vermont was named in 1997 in memory of Mollie Beattie, former Director of the US Fish & Wildlife Service and native of Vermont. The Service is now proposing to purchase the area where the bog is located, formerly owned by a paper company. A short boardwalk gives visitors access to the bog. Information about the Beattie Bog in northeastern Vermont can be obtained from the Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge, The Great Falls Discovery Center, 38 Avenue "A", Turners Falls, MA 01376 (PH: 413-863-0209; FX: 413-863-3070; EM: R5RW_SOCNWR@mail.fws.gov; Web: http://www.fws.gov/r5soc/index.html under Special Places.
Return to Top
Return to Issue Index
NEWS FROM THE ORNITHOLOGICAL COUNCIL
Provided by DAVID E. BLOCKSTEIN, Chair, and ELLEN PAUL, Executive Director, 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.
THE ORNITHOLOGICAL COUNCIL REGULARLY PROVIDES UPDATES about legislative and regulatory developments that affect birds that other organizations are addressing. These include the "Teaming with Wildlife" legislation, Endangered Species Act reauthorization, and the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act. Updates are posted on the BIRDNET (http://www.nmnh.si.edu/BIRDNET) page that is now called "Ornithology and Society." In addition to providing an overview of these issues, links to other sites are provided. You can also receive information of this nature by subscribing to OCNET-L, an e-mail listserve edited by Irene Pepperberg. Send a message to listserv@umdd.umd.edu. Leave the subject line blank. The body of the message should read, "subscribe OCNET-L <your name>." (omit the punctuation marks).
THE NEOTROPICAL MIGRATORY BIRD CONSERVATION ACT, S. 148, introduced by Sen. Spencer Abraham (R-MI) passed the Senate by unanimous consent on 14 Apr 1998. The House Committee on Resources approved a similar bill (H.B.39, introduced by Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska), with an amendment restricting any land purchases made with funding from this program to purchases from "willing sellers." The Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act would authorize $8 million per year for three years for projects to promote the conservation of Neotropical migratory birds in Latin America or the Caribbean. The program would be managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), Office of International Affairs (OIA). Project proposals will be submitted to the OIA, which will be required to develop guidelines for the proposals. The bills also authorize OIA to convene an advisory group consisting of individuals representing public and private organizations actively involved in the conservation of neotropical migratory birds.
DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), in response to requests from wildlife agencies in New York and Vermont, proposes to issue permits authorizing each state to limit the reproduction of cormorants in the major nesting colony within its boundaries beginning 1 May 1999. According to Ronald E. Lambertson, FWS Northeast Regional Director, the permits would allow the states to oil cormorant eggs, but not to destroy adult birds or chicks, on Little Galloo Island in eastern Lake Ontario, N.Y., and Young Island in Lake Champlain, Vt. Since 1994, FWS has issued permits to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) to destroy cormorant nests, eggs, and adult cormorants as they have started to establish colonies on Lake Ontario islands other than Little Galloo island. This new request would allow NYSDEC to oil the eggs in up to 7,500 cormorant nests on Little Galloo Island in order to improve the Eastern Basin adult smallmouth bass population and to increase and maintain nesting opportunities for Black-crowned Night Herons, Caspian Terns, Common Terns, waterfowl, and shorebirds, and to reduce impact to vegetation. In mid-April, the Service released draft environmental assessments for New York and Vermont on its proposals to issue depredation permits to the states. The environmental assessments were available for public review and comment through Thursday, 29 April 1999.
EXXON VALDEZ TRUSTEE COUNCIL establishes permanent research and monitoring fund. At the North American Ornithological Conference (St. Louis, Apr 1999), AOU, AFO, COS, and WOS approved a resolution calling on the Exxon Valdez Trustee Council to a) establish a permanent fund for competitive, peer-reviewed research and monitoring of the northern Gulf of Alaska ecosystem and b) allocate all or nearly all of the restoration reserve fund for this purpose. It also suggested a set of principles for an ongoing marine conservation biology and monitoring program, including the need for: competitive, peer-reviewed proposal process; review of the overall monitoring and research program by an appropriate scientific body; ecosystem-oriented studies designed to conserve biodiversity; and long-term research. Last month, the Exxon Valdez Trustee Council voted to devote $115 million of its Restoration Reserve funds to marine research, and $55 million to additional upland habitat purchases. This $115 million endowment is estimated to provide about $5 to $6 million per year for research and monitoring -- the level we indicated in our April 1998 letter to the Trustee Council was necessary to sustain a meaningful program. Details about how this program will be administered and implemented in the future are yet to be determined. Chief Scientist Bob Spies will be working with Trustee Council Science Coordinator Stan Senner in the coming months to produce a blueprint for the future science program. They anticipate a draft available for public comment in September 1999.
TEAMING WITH WILDLIFE (TWW) is a national campaign to prevent species from becoming endangered and to nurture a new generation of wildlife stewards by securing funding for state-level nongame wildlife conservation and related education and recreation programs. Led by the International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, a national legislative initiative was developed. It was designed to provide much-needed funding for nongame wildlife conservation along with related education activities, and for recreational programs. TWW originally proposed to fund these goals by extending the existing user fee on hunting and fishing gear to additional outdoor gear used by birders, hikers and other outdoor enthusiasts. The funds would go to state-based conservation programs. This original TWW user fee funding mechanism received broad support from a national coalition of 3,000 organizations and businesses, but has been met with considerable opposition in Congress. Now, TWW TAKES ON A NEW FORM... Members of Congress recognized the need for funding these programs and proposed to address the goals of TWW with an alternative funding solution in the Conservation and Reinvestment Act (CARA), S.25 . This legislation may offer a way around the deadlock. It would dedicate a portion of federal income from offshore oil and natural gas leases for a variety of purposes, including the goals of TWW. CARA enjoys strong bipartisan support in the House and Senate and offers a tax-free funding alternative to the original TWW proposal. No legislation is perfect, and CARA is no exception. Some environmental and conservation groups have expressed concerns about some aspects of the legislation, and there are also some who object to the use of monies obtained from the depletion of natural resources, and especially from projects that have created environmental problems. The TWW website ( http://www.teaming.org) addresses these issues, and also answers commonly asked questions about CARA. (A note about names, nicknames, and acronyms: CARA is often referred to as "the OCS legislation" because it involves revenue from oil and gas leases on the Outer Continental Shelf.) WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH CARA? S. 25 was introduced in January by Senators Landrieu (D-LA) and Frank Murkowski (R-AK). A 4 May 1999 hearing is scheduled in the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. H.R.701, authored by Rep. Don Young (R - Alaska) was introduced on 10 Feb 1999. The House Committee on Resources held a hearing on 9 Mar 1999. On 21 Apr 1999, leading Republicans identified CARA as one of the 10 environmental bills they want to pass this session.
SUMMARY OF CARA provided by Paul Baicich, of the American Birding Association: CARA dedicates a significant percentage of federal offshore oil and gas revenues (estimated at $2.8 billion of OCS revenues) to states for conservation and wildlife programs under three "titles." TITLE I has 27% of the OCS revenues dedicated to coastal impact assistance -- wetlands, estuary, air and water quality, and related conservation; infrastructure and public service funds and only available for states where OCS production occurs. TITLE II has 23% for land-based conservation -- Land and Water Conservation Fund (federal and stateside), Urban Parks and Recreation Recovery (UPARR) TITLE III has 10% for fish- and wildlife-based conservation, education, and recreation. The fish and wildlife portions most closely resemble the goals of Teaming With Wildlife (the 10% of OCS revenues is currently estimated at about $459 million annually). Some provisions in this legislation address some of the concerns raised by conservation organizations: no OCS funding can come from areas subject to oil/gas leasing moratoria (this is intended to remove the incentive to open these areas to leasing), and there is the inclusion of an important pubic participation segment in the wildlife portion (Title III). But . . .
ANOTHER CONTENDER FOR TWW FUNDING is on the table now. House members George Miller (D-CA) and James Maloney (D-CT) along with Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Robert Torricelli (D-NJ) announced the introduction of their own version of a conservation funding bill, called Permanent Protection for America's Resources 2000 (H.R. 798 -called Resources 2000 for short). It would provide approximately $2.3 billion in permanent and automatic conservation funding using receipts derived from OCS oil and gas drilling. Resources 2000 parallels the CARA legislation in many ways. However, Resources 2000 provides funds in different ways and has additional categories of conservation activity. It also removes additional questions about "incentives" for increased offshore oil and gas drilling by delinking the amount of conservation funding that a state receives from the amount/proximity of OCS drilling occurring off its coasts. The Resources 2000 bill's provisions include: WILDLIFE PROTECTION--This is the TWW-type portion of Resources 2000 and will eventually provide $350 million to states to help develop comprehensive, balanced plans that protect and restore native fish and wildlife species. This part of Resources 2000 would use the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act of 1980 as the delivery vehicle for the TWW-type wildlife portion of the bill (unlike Young/Dingell and Landrieu/Murkowski which uses the Pittman-Robertson program). While this bill does not have specific language that would indicate an emphasis on nongame vs. game species (indeed, most of the specific nongame language from the FWCA of 1980 would be removed by Resources 2000), it directs that the states inventory their wildlife resources, identify the most pressing conservation needs, and use the funds accordingly. The Miller bill also would provide a degree of accountability by withholding the funds until the Secretary of Interior approves the state plans. The $350 million is phased-in over six years (the first year's amount is only $100 million), and the nongame emphasis is, as noted above, worded weakly. LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND (LWCF)--$900 million, full and permanent funding of $450 million each for federal and stateside programs, without geographic restriction. OCEAN, FISH AND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT-$300 million, (with a six-year phase-in starting at $100 million) to support studies and management of fisheries/marine resources; these funds are not intended to directly offset the impacts of OCS drilling; they are intended for conservation purposes and not for infrastructure. ENDANGERED SPECIES-$100 million to support incentives for landowners to go above and beyond the requirements of the ESA to contribute to the recovery of listed species. This would not fund HCP land acquisition, nor would it fund candidate conservation agreements. Restoration of Public Lands-$250 million for restoration projects on current federal public lands (under NPS, BLM, FS, F&WS), projects would include facilities improvement, trail maintenance, and direct habitat restoration. URBAN PARKS-$100 million. FARMLAND/OPEN SPACE-$150 million. The allocations in the Resources 2000 bill are not based on percentages (as is the case with CARA), but on flat amounts.
MORE NEWS ON SNOW GEESE. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced April 2 that it will begin work this spring, one year earlier than originally planned, on an environmental impact statement that will evaluate long-term options for managing mid-continent light goose populations. By accelerating the EIS process, the Service seeks to more fully analyze information and alternatives, broaden the already strong consensus for action, and minimize disruptions to state wildlife agency planning efforts. In concert with the compilation of an EIS, the Service will withdraw final rules designed as a short-term measure to reverse ongoing destruction of arctic breeding habitats caused by exploding light goose populations. The withdrawal will occur after the end of the current spring migration and will not affect existing state conservation actions authorized by the rules. In response to a legal challenge filed by the Humane Society of the United States, Judge Thomas Francis Hogan ruled in favor of the Service on 19 Mar and denied a request by the group for a preliminary injunction blocking implementation of the rules. "In his opinion, Judge Hogan acknowledged the thorough scientific analysis the Service and its partners conducted to help resolve this problem and the widespread support in the scientific and conservation community for the rules we are implementing," said Service Director Jamie Rappaport Clark. "We will build on this analysis by completing the EIS that he has suggested." The rules, which were implemented 16 Feb, gave 24 states the flexibility to allow the use of normally prohibited electronic goose calls and unplugged shotguns during the remaining weeks of their light goose seasons this year, provided that other waterfowl and crane seasons have been closed. States were also given the authority to implement a conservation order under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act that would allow hunters to take light geese outside of traditional migratory bird hunting season frameworks after the closure of all other waterfowl and crane seasons. While the EIS process is a lengthy one, the Service will complete its analysis as quickly as possible. The Service cannot assure that the EIS will be completed in time to support potential management actions in the spring of 2000.
FOREST SERVICE COMMITTEE OF SCIENTISTS Releases Final Report--In Dec 1998, the Secretary of Agriculture appointed a federal advisory committee known as the Forest Service Committee of Scientists. The purpose of this advisory committee was to provide scientific and technical advice to the Secretary of Agriculture and the Chief of the Forest Service on improvements that can be made in the National Forest System Land and Resource Management planning process. The Committee was asked to address such topics as how to consider the following in land and resource management plans: biological diversity, use of ecosystem assessments in land and resource management planning, spatial and temporal scales for planning, public participation processes, sustainable forestry, interdisciplinary analysis, and any other issues that the Committee identifies that should be addressed in revised planning regulations. The committee of scientists unveiled its report 15 Mar 1999. The scientists said in their report that sustainability--the preservation of plants, animals and habitats-- should be the first priority in managing Forest Service natural resources. They also recommended more partnerships with outside groups such as industry, recreation, environmental as well as other government agencies, in making management decisions. The full report can be found at http://www.fs.fed.us/news/science/ Many of these recommendations are already Forest Service policy. However, the Forest Service intends to use the scientists' report as a framework for new forest planning regulations which are expected to be proposed this summer. Along with doing extensive research, the group of 13 scientists held forums in each region of the country, gathering information from Forest Service employees, tribal representatives, members of state and local governments, other federal agencies and the public.
THE SOCIETY OF CANADIAN ORNITHOLOGISTS/Société des Ornithologistes du Canada has become the 10th member of the Ornithological Council. Representatives to the OC Board from SCO/SOC (to distinguish this society from the Society of Caribbean Ornithology - SCO) will be SCO/SOC president Tony Diamond and Keith Hobson of the Canadian Wildlife Service.
AMERICAN INSTITUTE FOR BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES (AIBS) has created a new web page on its website (http://www.aibs.org). Look for the "Government Affairs" entry on the opening page. This will take you to the new Government Affairs section. Included here is a link to a new Legislative Information Center, which is an important new web resource that AIBS is making available to all web visitors. Here you will find interactive screens that give you, e.g., a searchable directory of members of Congress (by name, state, zip code, committee, etc.), a bill-tracking mechanism linked to the LOC's Thomas, committee schedules, and templates for writing to your Congressional rep (under your name, not AIBS's).
NEW EXECUTIVE ORDER ON NON-NATIVE INVASIVE SPECIES. President Clinton signed Executive Order 13112 on 3 Feb 1999, to increase federal coordination and action to address the growing environmental and economic threat of invasive species, plants and animals that are not native to the ecosystems of the United States. The order establishes a strategic framework to bring science and technology advances to the management of the nation's infested lands and waters by enhancing collaboration between governmental and non-governmental stakeholders. (The entire text, plus additional information can be found on BIRDNET - http://www.nmnh.si.edu/BIRDNET on the "Ornithology and Society" page). The Executive Order aims to prevent the introduction of invasive species and provide for their control, and to minimize the economic, ecological, and human health impacts which invasive species cause. The order directs agencies not to authorize, fund or carry out any action likely to cause or promote the introduction or spread of invasive species in the United States or elsewhere. Of course, agencies can make a public determination that the benefits outweigh the potential harm and then make sure that prudent measures to minimize harm will be taken concurrently. An Invasive Species Council to be co-chaired by the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of Agriculture, and the Secretary of Commerce will oversee implementation of the Order and assure that Federal agency activities concerning invasive species are coordinated, cost-efficient, and effective. It will also prepare and issue a national Invasive Species Management Plan. The National Invasive Species Management Plan will be developed through a deliberative public process, and it will be issued in eighteen months. It will include (1) a review of existing and prospective approaches and authorities for preventing introductions, including those for identifying pathways, (2) research needs, and (3) recommend measures to minimize the risk that introductions will occur utilizing a science-based process to evaluate risks. If the recommended measures are not authorized by current law, the Council will develop and recommend to the agencies legislative proposals for necessary changes.
Return to Top
Return to Issue Index
INFORMATION NEEDED FOR BIRDS OF NORTH AMERICA species account. Any unpublished information,
personal observations, and obscure references will be greatly appreciated and acknowledged.
CACTUS WREN (Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus). All information will be helpful, information from Mexico
especially helpful. DAWN A. SHERRY, ksdas05@tamuk.edu or MSC 218 Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute,
Texas A&M University-Kingsville, Kingsville, TX 78363.
GRAY-CHEEKED THRUSH (Catharus minimus). All information beyond systematics and general natural history
would be valuable. WALTER G. ELLISON, Department of Biological Sciences, SUNY at Albany, Albany, NY 12222
(518-442-4320; we1190@cnsunix.albany.edu or wgellison@earthlink.com)".78363.
GRAY THRASHER (Toxostoma cinereum). BOB WHITMORE, Division of Forestry, West Virginia University, PO
Box 6125, Morgantown, WV 26506-6125 (304-293-4797 ext 2491; rwhitmor@wvu.edu).78363.
WESTERN SCREECH-OWL (Otus kennicottii). RICHARD CANNINGS, cannings@vip.net or 1330 Debeck Road,
S11 C96 RR1, Naramata, BC V0H 1N0.78363.
XANTUS HUMMINGBIRD (Hylocharis xantusii). CHRISTINE A. HOWELL, 105 Tucker Hall, University of
Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211 (314-882-4854; c626888@showme.missouri.edu) or BOB WHITMORE, Division of
Forestry, West Virginia University, PO Box 6125, Morgantown, WV 26506-6125 (304-293-4797 ext 2491;
rwhitmor@wvu.edu).
REQUEST FOR BANDS--We are requesting size 8 lock-on bands for the continuation of a long-term Osprey study in southcentral Florida. All of our bands ordered from the bird banding laboratory are on backorder, some for over two years. Anyone with extra size 8 bands please email MIKE MCMILLIAN at mmcmillian@archbold-station.org or phone me at 941-699-0242. Any help would be greatly appreciated. We will handle the official transfer of bands and pay all shipping costs.
INFORMATION NEEDED FOR NEST PREDATION STUDY. I am collecting information on the propensity of flying squirrels (Glaucomys spp.) to act as nest predators, especially on nests of cavity-nesting birds. Regional or local publications, other obscure published reports, or unpublished information or data regarding predation by flying squirrels would be appreciated. Please specify habitat studied, whether natural nests or nest boxes, whether predation on nestlings or only on eggs, and method used to attribute predation to flying squirrels. Contributions gratefully acknowledged. KARL E. MILLER (352-377-5940, karlos@gnv.ifas.ufl.edu) at Dept. Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, P.O. Box 110430, Univ. Florida, Gainesville, FL 32605.
THE NORTH CAROLINA MUSEUM OF NATURAL SCIENCES is in search of a mountable Painted Bunting specimen for use in an exhibit on animal migration. It will be one of a dozen real creatures on display with their migration routes, breeding range and non-breeding range highlighted. We heard that there were quite a number of specimens collected last year, I think from South Padre Island, which had died from the rigors of migration. Our population here is small enough that we rarely have birds show up from window strikes or other accidental death. Call BILL HASSE (PH: 919-733-7450 ext.603; EM: Bill_Hasse@mail.enr.state.nc.us).
HELP WANTED/DONATIONS--The Allan R. Phillips Library will be dedicated during the VI Neotropical Ornithological Congress. Donations for this library, to be housed at the Mexican Bird Museum in Saltillo are kindly being requested. To make a donation or solicit more information contact ROBERTO PHILLIPS, c/o ITESM (CCA-CEDES), Av Eugenio Garza Sada 2501 Sur, Col. Tecnológico, CP. 64849, Monterrey, Nuevo León. (PH:52(8)3284033, FX:52(8)3875815, EM: aves@cestec1.mty.itesm.mx) Donations can be arranged through the registration form for the VI NOC.
THE BIRDERS' EXCHANGE (BE) collects new and used optics, reference books, and field equipment for distribution to researchers and conservationists in Latin American and the Caribbean. BE is conducting a special drive to deliver donations during the VI Neotropical Ornithological Congress. If you would like to donate materials or can act as a courier for (BE) to transport materials to Monterrey this coming October, please contact: BETTY PETERSEN, Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences, Birders' Exchange, 81 Stage Point Road, PO Box 1770, Manomet, MA 02345. (PH: 508/224-6521, EM: bpetersen@manomet.org) or PAUL GREEN, American Birding Association, Birders' Exchange, 720 West Monument Street, Colorado Springs, CO 80904. (PH: 719/578-9703, EM: paulgrn@aba.org). You can also indicate your interest to act as a courier or donate materials through the registration form for the VI NOC. Visit the website at: http://www.americanbirding.org/consbex.htm
Return to Top
Return to Issue Index
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 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.
Return to Top
Return to Issue Index
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.
FOR INFORMATION ON CONTINUING GRANTS PROGRAMS relevant to ornithological research, visit the new electronic home of the Grants, Awards, and Prizes booklet (http://www.nmnh.si.edu/BIRDNET/Grants/index.html).
The SALIM ALI INTERNATIONAL AWARD FOR NATURE CONSERVATION has been instituted as a biannual award by the Bombay Natural History Society to be awarded to an individual of any nationality for outstanding contributions and achievements in the field of protection, management and conservation of natural resources including population, wildlife, pollution and hazardous materials control, education, information and legislation. The award is of Rs 1,00,000/- with a citation. The candidate for the award may be associated with a university, foundation, corporation or other type of organization involved in nature conservation activities. Nomination forms may be obtained from: The Director, Bombay Natural History Society, Hornbill House, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Road, Mumbai 400,023, India (PH:(91-22) 2821811, FX: (91-22) 2837615, EM: bnhs@bom3.vsnl.net.in). Nominations for the Award, related credentials and information in support of the nomination and letters of reference must be received no later than 30 Jun 1999.
2000-2001 FULBRIGHT AWARDS for U.S. Faculty and Professionals. Opportunities for lecturing or advanced research in nearly 130 countries are available to college and university faculty and professionals outside academe. U.S. citizenship and the Ph.D. or comparable professional qualifications are required. For lecturing awards, university or college teaching experience is expected. Foreign language skills are needed in some countries, but most lecturing assignments are in English. Deadlines: 1 Aug 1999, for lecturing and research grants in academic year 2000-2001; 1 Nov 1999 for international education and academic administrator seminars; 1 Jan 2000 for NATO advanced research fellowships and institutional grants. For more information: USIA Fulbright Scholar Program, Council for International Exchange of Scholars, 3007 Tilden St., NW, Suite 5L, Box GNEWS, Washington, DC 20008-3009 (PH: 202-686-7877; EM: apprequest@cies.iie.org (requests for application materials only); WEB: http://www.cies.org).
USGS SCIENTIST TO BE HONORED FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY - DR. CHANDLER S. ROBBINS, USGS scientist at Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, will be presented the 1999 Edward T. LaRoe III Memorial Award for his life time of work in conservation biology. Dr. Robbins initiated the Breeding Bird Survey, the largest bird monitoring program in the world, and was one of the first to bring the problem of the effects of habitat fragmentation on forest-interior birds to scientific attention. He is the author of the best-selling field guide to the birds of North America. Chan Robbins has spent most of his highly successful career at Patuxent Wildlife Research Center in Laurel, Maryland. The Edward T. LaRoe III Memorial Award is given to an individual who has been a leader in translating principles of conservation biology into real-world conservation. Preference is given to individuals who have spent at least part of their career in public service. The Society of Conservation Biology will present the LaRoe Award to Dr. Robbins at the Society's annual banquet and awards ceremony on Sunday, 20 Jun 1999 at the National Zoological Park.
THE GEORGIA ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY research grant has been named the "H. Branch Howe, Jr., Graduate Student Research Grant" in memory of Dr. Howe who died in Kenya 24 Oct 1998, while on tour. Dr. Howe helped establish the research grant in 1990 and served as chairman of the selection committee until the time of his death. A member of GOS since 1942 and AOU since 1943, he served as President of GOS from 1989 to 1993. The 1999 recipient of the award is Mr. William A. Mackin, a doctoral student at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His research proposal is "Mate choice and mate recognition in a monogamous burrowing petrel, Audubon's Shearwater (Puffinus lherninieri)." His work is being carried out on the nesting grounds in the Bahamas.
MAURICE AND IRMA BROUN STUDENT TRAVEL AWARDS for the 25th Anniversary Meeting of the Hawk Migration Association of North America, Split Rock Resort, Pocono Mountains, Pennsylvania (8-11 Jun 2000). Hawk Mountain Sanctuary announces the availability of several Maurice and Irma Broun Student Travel Awards for students planning to give oral or poster presentations at the 25th Anniversary meeting of the Hawk Migration Association of North America on 8-11 June 2000 in Split Rock Resort, Pennsylvania. Split Rock Resort is in the Pocono Mountains of eastern Pennsylvania about one and one-half hours from Hawk Mountain Sanctuary. Applicants must be students planning to present a paper at the meeting. The paper can have more than one author, but the first author must be the awardee and presenter. Applicants should send the following: (1) an expanded abstract of the paper (maximum 2 pages, double-spaced), (2) a curriculum vitae, (3) an estimated travel budget, (4) and two letters of recommendation from academic supporters of the work (to be mailed separately). Applicants must apply for a position on the meeting's scientific program separately. Funds will be made available to awardees before the meeting. Awardees will be announced at the meeting's banquet. Applications are due no later than 1 Mar 2000. Questions regarding travel awards should be sent to KEITH L. BILDSTEIN, Director of Research and Education, Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, Kempton, PA 19529 USA, e-mail: bildstein@hawkmountain.org Questions regarding the meeting itself should be directed to LAURIE J. GOODRICH, Senior Naturalist, at the same address (e-mail: goodrich@hawkmountain.org).
Return to Top
Return to Issue Index
"HANDBOOK OF THE BIRDS OF THE WORLD, VOL. 5: Barn Owls to Hummingbirds," del Hoyo, Josep, Andrew Elliott, & Jordi Sargatal, eds. will be published July 1999. c. 750 pp. ISBN 84-87334-25-3. Covers owls, nightjars and all other nocturnal birds, swifts and hummingbirds. Over 1600 birds illustrated on 75 original plates, close to 400 photographs, 756 distribution maps. Full reviews and several sample plates, photographs and texts of the first five volumes may be seen at: http://www.hbw.com. To Order: contact Lynx Edicions, Passeig de Gracia, qw, 08007 Barcelona-Spain (PH:+34 93 301 07 77; FX: +34 93 302 14 75; EM: hynx@hbw.com; Web: http://www.hbw.com).
"THE TANAGERS: Natural History, Distribution, And Identification," Isler, Morton L. & Phyllis R. Isler. 1999. ISBN 0-87474-553-5. 406 pp. 27 tables, 32 color plates. Forward by Theodore A. Parker III. $39.95/paper. Books may be ordered from Smithsonian Institution Press, P.O. Box 960, Herndon, VA 20172-0960 (PH: 1-800-782-4612). Please include $3.50 postage and handling for the first book and $1.00 for each additional book.
"BIRDS OF WISCONSIN, REV. EDITION", Gromme, Owen J. 1998. Back in print. $75.00 jacketed cloth. University of Wisconsin Press, PH: 1-800-82909559; FX: 1-800-473-8310.
Return to Top
Return to Issue Index
WANTED TO BUY: graduate student in search of copy of H. M. Stevenson and B. H. Anderson's "The Birdlife of Florida" at a reasonable price. Please contact KARL E. MILLER (352-377-5940, karlos@gnv.ifas.ufl.edu) at Dept. Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, P.O. Box 110430, Univ. Florida, Gainesville, FL 32605.
WANTED: Misc. issues of the Condor (Vol. 11-29, 42-82). Please contact GREG WAGNER (403-652-7134 or wagnere@cadvision.com).
WANTED in any condition, fair market prices paid: Henshaw, "Birds of the Hawaiian Islands" 1902,; Sharp, D. "Fauna Hawaiiensis" 3 vols. 1899-1913; Rothschild, W. "Avifauna of Laysan," 1890-1900; Wilson & Evans, "Aves Hawaiiensis," 1890-99; Sinclair, I., "Indigenous Flowers of the Hawaiian Islands" 1887; Also early works by Pilsbry & Rock. Contact DAVID HUTCHINSON, PH/FX 206-623-2001.
FOR SALE: Large personal natural history library including numerous publications on birds (many out of print). Best serious offer+postage. Send SASE (postage for 3 oz.) for list. GEORGE T. AUSTIN, Nevada State Museum and Historical Society, 700 Twin Lakes Dr., Las Vegas, NV 89107
FOR SALE: Auk Vol. 7-22 (1890-1905), 30-36 (1913-1919), 38-47 (1921-1930, incl. 10-yr. index). All the above are hardbound and in excellent condition. Unbound: Vol. 48-106 [missing Vols. 62-65, 95 and 100; missing issues 1933(3), 1944(3,4), 1949(4), 1952(3), 1979(1,2,3)] all in excellent condition. Contact WILLIAM PLATT, 3500 W. Chester Pike, Newtown Square, PA 19073 (PH: 610-325-4219, FX: 610-359-4466).
FOR SALE: Auk Vols 94-present; Southwest. Nat. Vols 23-present; Can. Field Nat. Vols 88097; Ecology Vols 52-56; Ecol. Monog. Vols 41-43; J. Wildl. Manage. Vols 9-23 (several missing issues). Best offer plus shipping; partial sales considered. LAMAR WINDBERG, P.O. Box 921, Blackfoot, ID 83221 (208-684-4152).
Return to Top
Return to Issue Index
A 'permanent' meeting list is maintained on BIRDNET (http://www.nmnh.si.edu/BIRDNET/BIRDMEET.html) that focuses mainly on meetings of the Societies that are members of the OC, showing the planned sites and dates of ornithological meetings as far into the future as possible. Note that BIRDNET also maintains a site for the International Ornithological Committee, which includes links to past and future Congresses, at: http://www.nmnh.si.edu/BIRDNET/IOC/index.html.
* in this section indicates new or revised entry
WESTERN FIELD ORNITHOLOGISTS will hold their 24th Annual Conference in Anchorage, Alaska, 3-6 Jun 1999. THEODORE G. TOBISH, JR. (2510 Foraker Dr, Anchorage 99517; 907-248-2153; tobishtg@ci.anchorage.ak.us), ROBERT E. GILL, JR. (NBS, Alaska Research Center, 1011 East Tudor Rd, Anchorage 99503; 907-786-3514; robert_gill@usgs.gov), and STANLEY E. SENNER (P.O. Box 102264, Anchorage 99510-2264; 907-278-8012; stan_senner@oilspill.state.ak.us) will chair the Local Organizing Committee. Details about meeting and field trips, and registration information, will be posted on the WFO Web Site (http://www.wfo-cbrc.org).
SOUTH DAKOTA ORNITHOLOGISTS' UNION 1999 Spring Meeting, 4-6 Jun 1999, in Hot Springs, SD, will be held in conjunction with the dedication of The Nature Conservancy's Nathaniel and Mary Whitney Preserve at Cascade Creek. For further information, please contact JOCELYN BAKER at jociebk@hills.net or 3220 Kirkwood Drive, Rapid City, SD 57702.
ANNUAL MEETING OF THE WILSON ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY, 10-13 Jun 1999, will be held in Waterville, Maine, at the invitation of Colby College. The local host, W. HERBERT WILSON, may be reached at Dept. of Biology, Colby College, Waterville, ME 04901 (207-872-3432, Fax: 207-872-3555, whwilson@colby.edu). WILLIAM E. DAVIS is the Program Chair for the meeting. Anyone with questions about the scientific program or symposia may contact him by e-mail at wedavis@bu.edu or by phone at 617-353-2886.
DESIGN AND ANALYSIS OF DISTANCE SAMPLING SURVEYS. Two workshops 14-17 Jun and 21-24 Jun 1999, in Fort Collins, Colorado. Presented by Research Unit for Wildlife Population Assessment (University of St Andrews, Scotland) and Colorado Co-operative Fish and Wildlife Unit. For details, contact RHONA RODGER, Workshop Organizer (rhona@dcs.st-and.ac.uk).
SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY, 1999 annual meeting, will be held 17-21 June at the University of Maryland, College Park, MD. For information visit www.inform.umd.edu/SCB, or contact DAVID INOUYE (di5@umail.umd.edu; 301-405-6946).
THE ANIMAL BEHAVIOR SOCIETY ANNUAL MEETING will be held 26 Jun - 1 Jul 1999 at Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. Plenary speakers include Gail Michener, Lynne Houck, and Steve Nowicki. Symposia include "Educating about Animal Behavior: A Broader Perspective". For further information contact local host, MICHAEL PEREIRA [mpereira@bucknell.edu, (717) 524-1430] or see http://www.cisab.indiana.edu/ABS/index.html].
2ND INTERNATIONAL WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT CONGRESS; Wildlife, Land, and People: Priorities for the 21st Century;(28 Jun - 2 Jul 1999) Godollo University of Agricultural Sciences (Hungary) and The Wildlife Society (USA). For information, please contact The Wildlife Society, 5410 Grosvenor Lane, Bethesda, Maryland 20814 USA (301-897-9770; Fax: 301-530-2471; tws@wildife.org; web: www.wildlife.org/2iwmc.html).
III CONGRESS, MESOAMERICAN SOCIETY FOR BIOLOGY AND CONSERVATION: All researchers are invited to participate in this week-long congress, 4-9 Jul 1999, in Guatemala City, Guatemala. Field trips are offered on 10-12 July. Information can be seen at the Society's webpage: http://ccb.stanford.edu/mesoamericana/CONGRESO.htm. The Congress hosts include Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala, Universidad del Valle de Guatemala, Centro para la Conservacion de la Biodiversidad de Guatemala, and Fideicomiso para la Conservacion de Guatemala. For more information, contact MERCEDES BARRIOS (Congress Coordinator), Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala, or PILAR NEGREROS (Scientific Program Coordinator), Universidad del Valle de Guatemala, or ANA CAROLINA ROSALES ZAMORA, Country Representative for Guatemala of the Sociedad Mesoamericana para la Biologia y la Conservacion, Avenida La Reforma 0-63 zona 10, Guatemala. C.P. 01010, (EM: cecon@usac.edu.gt, PH: 502-334-6064; 331-0904 Fax: 502-334-7664. You may also contact the Society's US representative for the latest information in English: MARK BONTA, Louisiana State University (PH: 504-383-1073; EM: mbonta@ibm.net).
SOCIETY OF CARIBBEAN ORNITHOLOGY MEETING will be held 29 Jul - 5 Aug 1999, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Meeting features workshops on environmental education, exotic birds in the Caribbean, and monitoring Caribbean birds. Also, meetings of working groups (West Indian Whistling Duck, Carib. Seabirds), technical sessions, and field trips. For information contact KATE WALLACE (809 238-5345; WALLACEKATE@hotmail.com).
5th WORLD CONGRESS, INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR LANDSCAPE ECOLOGY (IALE), 29 Jul-3 Aug 1999, Snowmass Village, Colorado, USA. The theme is "The Science and the Action." For information, e-mail iale@lamar.colostate.edu, see http://lamar.colostate.edu/~iale/Congress.htm, or fax: 970-491-2204.
ENDANGERED SPECIES: 1999 Annual Meeting of the Society of Canadian Ornithologists. The meeting will be held at McGill University, Montreal, 5-7 Aug 1999. For information on any aspect of this meeting, contact GILLES SEUTIN, Dept Geography, McGill Univ., 805 Sherbrooke W, Montreal, QC, Canada H3A 2K6 (Fax: 514- 398-7437; seutin@felix.geog.mcgill.ca).
THE AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGISTS' UNION will hold its 117th Stated Meeting at Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 8 - 14 Aug 1999. Circular of Information was mailed to AOU members in March. Plenary speaker will be Glen E. Woolfenden on Thu, 12 Aug. There will be four half-day symposia, concurrent with contributed paper sessions, on Fri, 13 Aug, and Sat, 14 Aug: Impact of bird predation on arthropod populations and its implications for ecosystems (organized by Russell Greenberg and Robert Marquis); Citizen Science: Two decades of progress and prospects for the volunteer in ornithology (organized by Richard Bonney); Urbanization and birds: Impacts at multiple ecological scales (organized by Reed Bowman and Kevin McGowan); and Behavioral ecology: Foundations and prospects (organized by Andre Dhondt, Paul Sherman and Stephen Emlen). Any individual or group wishing to conduct a workshop or round table discussion should contact the Local Committee as soon as possible to arrange for space and equipment needs. These activities will be scheduled for Wed, 11 Aug. Organized round-tables include: Data management and access in avian collections (organized by Kevin Winker; ffksw@uaf.edu). North American Ornithological Atlas Committee (contact Sally Laughlin, NORAC Chair, PO Box 157, Cambridge, VT 95444-0157, (802) 644-5651; Chan Robbins, Vice Chair; chan_robbins@nbs.gov), a loose committee of states and provinces involved in atlasing, will hold a full day session Wed with round-tables on various topics, including the repeat atlases now beginning in the Northeast. Avian mortality at communication towers (organized by Bill Evans and Albert Manville; contact Julie St. Louis; Julie_St._Louis@fws.gov) to be held Wed, 11 Aug, 13:00-17:30. See Circular of Information and web page for additional details and for meeting information: http://www.fmnh.org/aou/aoupage.htm. For information on local arrangements contact AOU Local Committee, ATTN: DAVID WINKLER, Section of Ecology and Systematics, Corson Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853-2701(dww4@cornell.edu). For information on the Scientific Program contact PETER E. LOWTHER, AOU Program Coordinator, The Field Museum, Roosevelt Rd at Lake Shore Dr, Chicago, IL 60605-2496, ( lowther@fmnh.org).
THE VIII BRAZILIAN ORNITHOLOGICAL CONGRESS changed dates to 22-27 Aug 1999. Additional information at our web address : http://ultra.pucrs.br/museu/ornito.
THE WILDLIFE SOCIETY 6TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE: Excellence in Wildlife Stewardship through Science and Education (7-11Sep 1999); Austin, Texas USA. For information, please contact The Wildlife Society, 5410 Grosvenor Lane, Bethesda, Maryland 20814 USA (301-897-9770; Fax: 301-530-2471; tws@wildife.org; web: www.wildlife.org/2iwmc.html)
3RD EURASIAN CONFERENCE OF RAPTOR RESEARCH FOUNDATION. Date: 21-26 Sep 1999. Place: Txebor, Czech Republic. Contact address: PETR VOXM ek, Czech Society for Ornithology, Hornomlcholupska 34, CZ-102 00 Prague 10, Czech Republic (phone/fax ++420-2-7866700; cso.vorisek@bbs.infima.cz). Contact person for scientific program: KEITH L. BILDSTEIN, Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, 1700 Hawk Mountain Road, Kempton, Pennsylvania, 19529-9449, phone 610-756-6961, fax 610-756-4468; bildstein@hawkmountain.org.
WESTERN BIRD BANDING ASSOCIATION, 1999 annual meeting, Reno, NV 24-26 Sep, hosted by University of Nevada, Reno, Lahontan Audubon Society, and Great Basin Bird Observatory. For information contact ALAN GUBANICH, Department of Biology/314, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557 (775-784-6652; aag@scs.unr.edu).
BIRD RINGING 100 YEARS 1899 -1999 International Conference on Results and Perspectives of Bird Ringing, Helgoland /Germany (29 Sep - 03 Oct 1999). The Scientific Program will comprise 6 plenaries, 10 symposia, and poster presentations. The Conference will be held in the NORDSEE-Halle on the Island of Helgoland. Financial aid will be offered by reduced registration rates. A bird ringing fair will offer exhibitions on ringing materials, radio transmitters, books, optics, etc. It will be on show within the main conference area. The plenaries and the two invited papers of each symposium will be published as an special issue of the journal ARDEA. The joint editor of the Proceedings is LUKAS JENNI, Switzerland. Papers not published in the Proceedings are invited to be submitted to the journal DIE VOGELWARTE which plans to publish a jubilee issue on the occasion of the 100 years of bird ringing. Abstracts of plenaries, symposia papers and poster papers will be published in a conference volume as well as on the conference home page. Abstracts must be submitted to the Local Organizers by 30 June 1999. All abstracts must be in English and should not contain figures or tables. Local Organizing Committee Chair: FRANZ BAIRLEIN & OMMO HÜPPOP, Institut fuer Vogelforschung, 'Vogelwarte Helgoland', An der Vogelwarte 21, D-26386 Wilhelmshaven, Germany (Phone: (int) 49-4421-96890; Fax: (int) 49-4421-968955; E-mail: ifv@ifv-terramare.fh-wilhelmshaven.de. Scientific Programme Committee Chair: ARIE VAN NOORDWIJK, Netherlands (noordwijk@cto.nioo.knaw.nl). EURING The European Union for Bird Ringing, President: Fernando Spina, Italy (infsmigr@iperbole.bologna.it). The 2nd Announcement is available on the 100 Years Bird Ringing home page: http://home.t-online.de/home/O.Hueppop-IFV/ifv_hp.htm
*THE 1999 MEETINGS OF THE NORTH AMERICAN LOON FUND are being held 1-3 Oct 1999 at the Sigurd Olson Environmental Institute of Northland College in Ashland, Wisconsin. The general membership meeting is on Saturday morning, 2 Oct, and the Board of Trustees will meet on Sunday morning, 3 October. For information, contact TED GOSTOMSKI at (715) 682-1220, or LIN O'BARA at (603) 528-4711.
*VI NEOTROPICAL ORNITHOLOGICAL CONGRESS (NOC) (4-10 Oct 1999) will take place in Monterrey & Saltillo, México. Information on the NOC and events being held in conjunction with it can be found at http://www-cestec1.mty.itesm.mx/vicon. Early registration is encouraged in order to benefit from lower fees. For more information contact the VI NOC Secretary and Chair of the Local Organizing Committee, DR. ERNESTO ENKERLIN, c/o ITESM (CCA-CEDES), Av Eugenio Garza Sada 2501 Sur, Col. Tecnológico, CP. 64849, Monterrey, Nuevo León (PH:52(8)3284033, FX:52(8)3875815, EM: aves@cestec1.mty.itesm.mx). The NOC is convened by the Neotropical Ornithological Society; organized by ITESM and CIPAMEX; and hosted by PRONATURA and the Museo de las Aves de México. Organizers kindly acknowledge the support of the NOC´s main sponsor, Fundación ARA http://www.ara.com.mx/
*BIG THICKET SCIENCE CONFERENCE: Biodiversity, Ecology and Conservation of Natural Areas in the West Gulf Coastal Plain (7-10 Oct 1999), Beaumont Hilton, Beaumont, Texas. First Announcement and Call for Abstracts Sponsored by: The Big Thicket Association, The Big Thicket Conservation Association, The Nature Conservancy, Rice University, Entergy, Texas Parks and Wildlife, USGS Biological Resources Division, USDA Forest Service, Texas Parks and Wildlife, and Big Thicket National Preserve. What is the significance of the Big Thicket and surrounding West Gulf Coastal Plain? The Big Thicket is an area of spectacular biodiversity within the West Gulf Coastal Plain where the biological influences of swamps, eastern deciduous forests, central plains, pine savannas, and xeric sandhills meet and intermingle. This region provides habitat for numerous rare species, and favors unusual combinations of plants and animals. The Big Thicket and surrounding West Gulf Coastal Plain contain a significant patchwork of public and private lands that are managed either to conserve or to preserve the region's outstanding biological diversity. Taken together, these lands provide living laboratories for a diverse array of research that contributes to our understanding and management of the region's unique ecology and biodiversity. This conference will provide a forum for scientists, natural resource managers, students and the public to share the results of current research on the biodiversity and ecology of the region. The conference will also highlight efforts of natural resource managers in the West Gulf Coastal Plain to maintain, restore and enhance natural resources in the region. Finally, the conference is intended to foster communication among researchers and resource managers, and to help build regional partnerships to achieve mutual conservation goals. Conference Topics: Ecological processes influencing the distribution and dynamics of terrestrial and freshwater environments; Baseline biological inventories and taxonomic/systematic treatments of the region's biota; Investigations of rare communities and organisms; Management of natural resources including running waters, wetlands, forests, fisheries, and wildlife; Environmental monitoring programs and GIS applications; Case studies of partnerships in resource conservation and ecosystem restoration projects, and integration of ecosystem management principles with land use and development practices. Conference Information: Full days of invited and contributed paper presentations will take place on Friday and Saturday, with a banquet and keynote speaker(s) on Friday evening. Several field trips to the Big Thicket National Preserve and surrounding area are planned for Sunday. For more information, please contact ROY ZIPP, Publication Committee Chairperson at (409) 839-2689 ext. 225, or e-mail at roy_zipp@nps.gov.
*INTERNATIONAL WILDLIFE REHABILITATION COUNCIL, 22nd annual wildlife care conference, "Your Piece of the Puzzle. Exploring Complementary Fields of Endeavor", will be held 13-17 Oct 1999 in Tucson, Arizona at the DoubleTree Hotel at Reid Park. We will also be holding pre-conference skills seminars, basic through advanced. Featuring papers, workshops, discussion groups and panels on wildlife rehabilitation and related topics. For further information contact IWRC, 4437 Central Pl., Ste. B-4, Suisun, CA 94585, USA (PH: 707-864-1761; FX: 707-864-3106; EM: iwrc@inreach.com; or check website at http://www.iwrc-online.org). Deadline for abstracts is 30 Jun 1999.
BIRDLIFE INTERNATIONAL'S XXII WORLD CONFERENCE will be held 14-17 Oct 1999 and will be preceded by the BirdLife Global Partnership Meeting, both to be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
SCALE AND ACCURACY FOR WILDLIFE HABITAT MODELING SYMPOSIUM, 18-22 Oct 1999, Snowbird, Utah, sponsored by Biological Resources Division of the USGS, US Forest Service, Potlatch Corporation, Boise Cascade Corporation, and the Idaho Chapter of the Wildlife Society. For information contact KATHY MERK, Idaho Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Dept. of Fish and Wildlife, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID 83844-1141 (208-885-2750; kmerk@uidaho.edu).
THE RAPTOR RESEARCH FOUNDATION 1999 meeting will be held on 3-7 Nov at the Araiza Inn and/or Los Arcos hotel in La Paz, Baja California, Mexico. For further information about the meeting contact RICARDO RODRIGUEZ ESTRELLA, Local Chair, Centro de Investigaciones Biologicas del Noroeste (CIBNOR), km 1 carr. San Juan de la Costa, P.O. Box 128, La Paz, Baja California Sur, 23000 MEXICO. Telephone (112-536-33; Fax: 112-553-43 or 536-25). A probable associated symposium is related to "GIS, Ecology and Conservation of Raptors". For information about this symposium contact Ricardo Rodriguez Estrella or JAVIER BUSTAMANTE, CIBNOR, P.O. Box 128, La Paz, Baja California Sur, 23000 Mexico (112-536-33, Fax: 112-553-43 or 536-25; estrella@cibnor.mx).
*THE WATERBIRD SOCIETY (formerly, Colonial Waterbird Society) will hold its annual meeting, 8-12 Nov, 1999, at the Congress Center located in Grado, Italy. These dates have been changed from the October dates previously announced. Grado is a small town located on the Mediterranean Ocean between Venice and the ex-Yugoslavian border, and preliminary information concerning this meeting can be obtained from the Web Page http://www.mp2-pwrc.usgs.gov/cws/italmeet.htm. One symposium has been scheduled: Monitoring Waterbirds in the Mediterranean. Other symposia and workshops will be announced shortly. Questions concerning the scientific program should be addressed to: DR. ROB BUTLER, Canadian Wildlife Service, Pacific Wildlife Research Centre, 5421 Robertson Road, RR #1, Delta, BC, Canada V4K 3N2 (PH: 604-940-4672; EM: rob.butler@ec.gc.ca).
*THE WESTERN SECTION OF THE WILDLIFE SOCIETY will hold is annual conference 27-29 Jan 2000 at the Riverside Convention Center, southern California. The meeting features scientific papers, workshops and symposia, a career workshop, student-mentor program, and related activities. The meeting theme is "Field Biology in the New Century: changing roles for the pubic and private sector". Visit the Section's website, http://www.tws-west.org, for details on accommodations, registration, and membership and contact the program chair, MICHAEL MORRISON (wildmlm@worldnet.att.net; 209-267-1840) for information on the scientific program, student travel and paper awards, and to arrange small group meetings.
THE 23RD INTERNATIONAL ORNITHOLOGICAL CONGRESS will be held in Beijing, China, on 11-17 Aug 2002. Information can be obtained via e-mail <infocenter@ioc.org.cn>, via the internet at: http://www.ioc.org.cn, or via the home page of the 22nd congress at <http://www.ioc.org.za>. You may register and to submit abstracts via the internet. The following are contact addresses of people responsible for the 23rd Congress in Beijing. Professor XU WEISHU, Secretary-General of the 23rd Congress, Beijing Natural History Museum, 1-1-302, Beijing Science and Technology Commission Apt., Balizhuang, Haidian District, Beijing 100037, CHINA. (PH & FX:+ 86-10-6846-5605; EM:
s-g@ioc.org.cn). The Honorable LIU FENG, Assistant Secretary-General of the 23rd Congress, China International Conference Center for Science and Technology, Xueyuan Nan Road, Beijing 100081, CHINA. (PH:+ 86-10-6217-4952; FX: +86-10-6218-0142; EM: liufeng@public.bta.net.cn). Requests to be included on the mailing list for brochures and for information on the 23rd Congress should be sent to the Secretary-General or Assistant Secretary-General of the 23rd Congress. All inquiries about the scientific program of the 23rd congress, as well as comments and suggestions for the general program, plenary lectures, and symposia should be sent to Dr. FERNANDO SPINA, Chair, Scientific Program Committee, 23rd Congress, Instituto Nazionale per la Fauna Selvatica, Via Ca' Fornacetta 9, I-40064 Ozzano Emilia (BO), ITALY (PH:+39-51-65-12-111; FX: +39-51-79-66-28; EM: infsioc@iperbole.bologna.it). General questions and comments should be sent to Dr. WALTER J. BOCK, President of the 23rd Congress, Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, 1200 Amsterdam Avenue, Mail Box 5521, New York, NY 10027-7004, USA. (PH: +1-212-854-4487; FX: 1-212-865-8246; EM: wb4@columbia.edu). Inquiries about the International Ornithological Committee should be sent to Dr. DOMINIQUE G. HOMBERGER, Secretary of the International Ornithological Committee, Department of Biological Sciences, 508 Life Sciences Building, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803-1715, USA. (PH: +1-504-388-1747; FX:: +1-504-388-2597; EM: zodhomb@lsu.edu).
Return to Top
Return to Issue Index
DONALD CATANZARO graduated with a Ph.D. from the University of Arkansas in May 1998. He has accepted a permanent position with the National Park Service's Long Term Ecological Monitoring Program and will be stationed in the Virgin Islands. He can be contacted at Don_Catanzaro@nps.gov.
H. ELLIOTT MCCLURE, age 88, AOU Fellow, and member of AFO, COS, and WOS died on Dec. 27, 1998 from complications of heart and lung disease. Dr. McClure banded more than 100,000 birds of 550 species during his 60 year career and published more than 150 articles and 8 books.
J. MICHAEL MEYERS has been selected as Station Leader of the USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center - Athens, Warnell School of Forest Resources, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602-2152. His new E-mail address is: joe_meyers@usgs.gov
KEVIN OMLAND has moved to the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. from the University of Minnesota. He has been awarded a two year Smithsonian Fellowship for a phylogenetic study of the evolution of migration in orioles. New address: National Zoological Park, Genetics Lab, 3001 Connecticut Ave., NW Washington, DC, 20008-2598. (PH: 202-673-4781; FX: -4686 EM: komland@nzp.si.edu).
PATRICK W. ZWARTJES has accepted a post-doctoral scientist position at: Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research, Dept. of Genetics, P.O. Box 760549, San Antonio, TX 78245 (PH: 210-258-9543, EM: zwartjes@darwin.sfbr.org).
Return to Top
Return to Issue Index
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:
ANTAS, PAULO DE TARSO ZUQUIM. EM: ptzantas@tba.com.br
GREGOIRE, DR JOHN, Kestrel Haven Avian Migration Observatory, 5373 Fitzgerald Road Burdett, NY 14818-9626 PH: 607-546-2160; EM: khmo@att.net
GRIER, DOUGLAS. Sector "G" room 213, D.C Moscow State University, Sparrow Hills, Moscow, 117234 RUSSIA EM: canadian@canadians.msk.ru
HALKIN, SYLVIA. EM: halkins@ccsu.edu
MARSHALL, DR. JOE T. P.O. Box 30890, Alexandria, VA 22310 EM: jtmvz@juno.com
OLSON, STORRS L. EM: olson.storrs@nmnh.si.edu
RIVERS, JAMES W., Division of Biology, Kansas State University, Manhattan KS 66506. PH: 785-539-7683; EM: jwr9285@ksu.edu
ROBINS, C. RICHARD. PH: 785-887-6907
SPECTOR, DAVID A. EM: spectord@ccsu.edu
STRAUCH, JOSEPH G., JR. EM: strauch@vgernet.net
WELLER, MILTON W., P.O. Box 280, Sanibel, FL 33957. PH: 941-472-4569.
WUNDERLE, JOSEPH M. EM: Wunderle@coqui.net
Return to Top
Return to Issue Index
Return to top
Return to Issue Index
All contents copyright © 1999 The Ornithological Societies of North America. All Rights Reserved.