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NUMBER 146, February 2002
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.osnabirds.org
AOU - http://www.aou.org
AFO - http://www.afonet.org/index.html
COS - http://www.cooper.org/
WS - http://www.nmnh.si.edu/BIRDNET/CWS/index.html
RRF - http://biology.boisestate.edu/raptor
WOS - http://www.ummz.lsa.umich.edu/birds/wos.html
BIRDNET - http://www.nmnh.si.edu/BIRDNET/index.html
ART EXHIBIT FOR 2002 NAOC in New Orleans. We are planning a show with the theme "The Audubon Legacy: The Ornithologist as Artist." If you are an ornithologist who is also a bird artist or illustrator we would like to include your work. To qualify as an ornithologist, one must have authored as well as illustrated at least one paper, article, or book of a technical or semi popular nature. We want to show a variety of items including field guide plates, technical illustrations, new species portraits, and even purely decorative pieces. We will be able to show several works from each artist, the number depending on number of participants. Artists may offer their works for sale. If you wish to participate, further details are available from H. DOUGLAS PRATT (EM: hpratt@unix1.sncc.lsu.edu) or JOHN P.O'NEILL (EM: PARDUSCO@aol.com).
NOMINATIONS FOR MEMBERSHIP CLASSES OF Fellow and Elective Member of the AOU are due 26 Apr 2002 (5 months prior to the Stated Meeting). Fellows and Elective Members are encouraged to submit nominations of deserving colleagues. Following its official charge to supplement nominations, the Committee on Nomination of Fellows and Elective Members will prepare only a few nominations, and thus timely submissions from members are imperative. Facsimiles and late nominations will not be accepted. Nominations and full supporting information are to be supplied by the nominators, and without the candidates' participation. Nominators seeking to endorse a nominee must first obtain the instructions and forms for 2002 from one of three sources: the Chair of the Committee on Nomination of Fellows and Elective Members, KEITH L. BILDSTEIN, Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, 1700 Hawk Mountain Road, Kempton, PA 19529-9449 (PH: 610-756-6961, FX: 610-756-4468, EM: bildstein@hawkmountain.org), or from the Secretary, M. ROSS LEIN, Department of Biology, University of Calgary, 2500 University Dr NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, CANADA (PH: 403-220-6549, FX: 403-289-9311, EM: mrlein@ucalgary.ca), or from any AOU officer. For ELECTIVE MEMBER nominations, the Secretary will compile and prepare ballot packets to be sent to current Fellows and Elective Members by early Jun 2002. Ballots will be returned by mail to the Secretary by three weeks before the Stated Meeting, i.e., by 5 Sep 2002, and the names announced at the Business Meeting of Members on 26 Sep 2002 at the Hotel Intercontinental in New Orleans, LA. For FELLOW nominations, the Secretary will compile and prepare packets to be sent to current Fellows by early Aug 2002. Voting will take place at the Fellows Meeting on 24 Sep 2001.
NOMINATIONS FOR AOU OFFICERS AND ELECTIVE COUNCILORS must be received by the Secretary three months before the Stated Meeting. Thus, this year nominations are due 26 Jun 2002. Officers to be elected at the 2002 Business Meeting of the Members (26 Sep 2002 at the Hotel Intercontinental in New Orleans), will be President-Elect, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and three Elective Councilors. The Bylaws of the AOU require that the Vice-President be elected annually and serve only one term, and the Secretary and Treasurer be elected or re-elected annually. At the conclusion of the 120th Stated Meeting, John W. Fitzpatrick will finish his two-year term as President, and Fred Cooke will begin the first year of his two-year term as President. The incumbent Secretary (M. Ross Lein) and the incumbent Treasurer (Jeffrey D. Brawn) are willing to stand for re-election. Of the total of nine Elective Councilors, three are elected annually to serve terms of approximately three years, beginning at the close of the Stated Meeting. Elective Councilors to be replaced at the conclusion of the 120th Stated Meeting in 2002 are Kenneth P. Able, Susan J. Hannon, and Scott K. Robinson. Continuing to serve in 2002-2003 will be Elective Councilors Edward H. Burtt, Jr., Carla Cicero, Richard O. Prum, Peter Arcese, Rebecca L. Holberton, and John M. Marzluff. The procedure for nominating AOU officers and Elective Councilors is outlined in the Bylaws (Art IV, Sec 2). "Each Fellow and Elective Member shall be invited in advance of the Stated Meeting at which an election is to be held, to nominate, in writing to the Secretary, one person for President-Elect, one person for Vice-President, one person for Secretary, one person for Treasurer, and three persons for Elective Councilors. These nominations shall be received by the Secretary three months before the Stated Meeting [26 Jun 2002] and shall be presented at the business session of the Stated Meeting. Nominations for all officers must be accompanied by written consent of the nominee."
AFO CALL FOR PAPERS--Submissions are welcome on any ornithological topic for presentation at the meeting, either orally (15 minute time slot) or as a poster (no larger than 4X4'). For more information call for abstracts visit the AFO web site at http://www.afonet.org/. (Invited speakers are also asked to submit an abstract.) Deadline for receipt of abstracts is 1 March. Send it to ERICA DUNN, preferably by e-mail (EM: Erica.Dunn@ec.gc.ca), although regular mail is acceptable (Canadian Wildlife Service, National Wildlife Research Centre, 100 Gamelin Blvd., Hull, Quebec K1A 0H3). Abstracts will be reviewed by the Scientific Program Committee (Alicia Craig, Erica Dunn, Scott Sutcliffe and Doris Watt). Authors of abstracts accepted for the program will be contacted by 15 March 2002.
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WOODPECKERS EVACUATED FROM KENTUCKY In March 2001, the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service expatriated the last known colonies of the Red-cockaded Woodpecker from the Daniel Boone National Forest in Kentucky. This action was necessary due to an invasion of the southern pine beetle, which aggravated the continued loss of habitat for these birds. The invasion of the southern pine beetle in the National Forest became an epidemic beginning in 2000. Within 12 months, from 70-80% of the woodpecker habitat had been destroyed. During the same time period a corre-sponding decline occurred in the Kentucky population from 22 to 17 birds. With the loss of the remaining habitat certain, it was decided to relocate the birds to the Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge, SC and the Ouachita National Forest, AR. Both of these locations now have active Woodpecker clusters and would support Kentucky in future reintroduction efforts. Currently there is no suitable Red-cockaded habitat in Kentucky. However, the USFS plans to manage lands for eventual reintroduction. For more information, please contact scdorsett@home.com. (Excerpted from "ESA Today", Endangered Species Coalition.)
KIRTLAND'S WARBLER COUNT INCREASES -Biologists conducting the 2001 Kirtland's Warbler census got some unexpected results. The singing male census count for the endangered bird had reached 1085. This is the largest number of warblers ever recorded and is an increase of about 200 over last year's census. To mimic the effects of frequent wildfire that historically created young jack pine stands, state and federal wildlife biologists and foresters now conduct a combination clearcutting, burning, seeding, and replanting on about 150,000 acres. Because additional habitat will become available each year for the next several years, the population is expected to continue to increase. (Excerpted from "The Spotting Scope" Natural Heritage Program of the Michigan Dept. of Natural Resources.)
THE NORTH AMERICAN WATERBIRD CONSERVATION INITIATIVE is continuing its work facilitating planning and implementation of waterbird conservation in Canada, USA, Mexico, Caribbean and Central America. The second draft of the North American Waterbird Conservation Plan - Colonial Waterbirds is available for review and comment at http://www.nawcp.org. Comments on the plan should be sent by email to WaterbirdComments@usgs.gov, or to the addresses given below. Regional planning is underway across the Plan area. NAWCI sponsored a workshop on Marshbird Conservation in Aug, 2001, which will lead to the development of a marshbird component to the continental plan. Ornithologists and conservationists interested in participating in the Regional Waterbird Planning Task Forces or in the development of a continental plan for marshbirds should contact JIM KUSHLAN (EM: Jkushlan@aol.com), MELANIE STEINKAMP (EM: Melanie_Steinkamp@usgs.gov), or JENNIFER WHEELER (EM: Jennifer_A_Wheeler@fws.gov).
AMERICAN BIRDING ASSOCIATION ANNOUNCES 2002 IFO WORKSHOP SCHEDULE The American Birding Association has announced its 2002 schedule for the Institute for Field Ornithology. The schedule includes seven workshops designed to provide a comprehensive look at bird biology, including life history, ecology, behavior, and field identification. Most workshops include an emphasis on field identification and the natural history and conservation of birds. Instructional time is split approximately equally between field and classroom sessions. The Institute for Field Ornithology (IFO) is operated by the American Birding Association, a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization, with the goal of teaching birders about birds in their natural habitat. The IFO has a proven track record of successful workshops in the United States and in other countries in the western hemisphere. IFO workshops are for anyone interested in learning more about birds in their natural environment. Workshop attendees do not need to be expert birders, but because of the intensive nature of our events, a keen interest in the subject is important. Previous workshop participants have ranged from age 12 (accompanied by a parent) to age 87 and have come from most US states, several Canadian provinces, Mexico, and the United Kingdom. Skill levels have ranged from rank beginner to highly experienced field observer. For more information about the Institute for Field Ornithology, the 2002 Workshops, or to register, visit the American Birding Association website at http://americanbirding.org or call (800)850-2473.
COME BACK CALL FOR BOBWHITES-A draft of the first-ever large-scale recovery plan for Northern Bobwhite Quail was released in Oct 2001, for public review and comment, reports the Wildlife Management Institute. The Northern Bobwhite Conservation Initiative (NBCI) was developed by numerous state, federal and private biologists affiliated with the Southeast Quail Study Group, a technical committee of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. NBCI is especially timely because bobwhite populations and harvests have declined 70-90 percent across most of their range since 1966. Three states-Louisiana, Mississippi and South Carolina-have suffered greater than 90 percent bobwhite population declines during that period. The plan basically aims to restore quail populations to their 1980s level. The draft recovery plan can be viewed and downloaded from the Southeast Quail Study Group's website (URL: http://seqsg.qu.org/seqsg/index.cfm). A complete reference version of the plan should be ready by late Jan 2002, and a shorter, popular treatment is expected by April. For more information on NBCI or the draft plan, contact DON MCKENZIE (PH: 501-941-7994), or MARK GUDLIN (PH: 615-781-6614). (Excerpted from "Outdoor News Bulletin" by the Wildlife Management Institute.)
FRANK MCKINNEY ENDOWMENT-- The ornithological community suffered a tremendous loss with the death of Frank McKinney who passed away on 12 Jun 2001. Frank was an internationally renowned scientist, considered the dean of waterfowl behavior, and recipient of the 1994 William Brewster Award from the AOU. On 8 September, many of his friends gathered at the Bell Museum to tell stories and to celebrate Frank's life. One common theme that ran through all of the remarks was the importance of students in Frank's life and indeed the importance of Frank McKinney in the lives of his students. In order to recognize this important connection, the Bell Museum has established an endowment to support graduate students in Frank's name. I am pleased to announce that the University of Minnesota has agreed to provide a 1:1 match to contributions to this endowment, but to take advantage of this we must raise $25,000. Please help us to honor Frank in this manner by making a donation to the Frank McKinney Memorial Fund, Bell Museum of Natural History, 10 Church Street S.E., Minneapolis, MN 55455.
"THE BIRD COURSE", a 5-day course on ornithology and birding is being held 13-17 May 2002 by Profs. David Bird and Rodger Titman of McGill University, Montreal. $250 U.S. plus very low dorm and parking rates; max. enrol. 25 adults. For more information, contact DAVID BIRD, 21,111 Lakeshore Rd., Ste. Anne de Bellevue, Quebec H9X 3V9 (PH: 1-514-398-7760, FX: 398-7990; EM: bird@nrs.mcgill.ca URL: http://www.nrs.mcgill.ca/ascc).
CALL FOR PAPERS and ANNOUNCEMENT for Vertebrates in Salt Marsh Symposium. The tidal marshes on North America support a fauna of birds and other terrestrial vertebrates that is comprised of a high proportion of endemic species and subspecies that are imminently threatened with habitat loss and change. Although there are a number of focused studies and conservation efforts, these efforts are local and largely directed towards single species. This symposium takes a first step in developing a more global approach. The symposium will feature research on the evolution, ecology, and conservation biology of terrestrial vertebrates in tidal marshes in 26-28 Oct 2002 at the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center in Laurel Maryland. We intend to publish the proceedings. The Symposium is sponsored by the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center, US Fish and Wildlife Service, and USGS. The symposium will receive financial support from USFWS. We are seeking high quality papers that summarize research results on passerines, rails, small mammals, and reptiles that live in tidal marshes. Papers should focus on the ecological and conservation challenges that face these organisms. The symposium will include studies focused on single species, but we are also emphasizing comparative overviews of more general topics including: adaptations to tidal cycles; adaptations to salinity; trophic relationships; evolutionary history and historical biogeography; social systems and demography; morphological adaptations; real and potential environmental threats. In addition, to formal paper sessions, we will be having a workshop on future monitoring and research efforts and setting conservation priorities. Please send abstracts to RUSSELL GREENBERG at antbird@erols.com. In order to make sure we get as complete coverage as possible, we are extending the deadline for abstracts to 15 Mar 2002. Also, interested participants can e-mail concepts for papers prior to committing to a formal abstract. We also welcome the participation of those who do not have papers to present. For on-going updates on the symposium please check the SMBC website at: http://natzoo.si.edu/smbc/Notesandnews/Sparrowsymposium/sparrowsymposium.htm
STUDY ABOUT GRADUATE STUDENTS--What makes an undergraduate student an outstanding candidate for graduate school in ornithology? Please help answer this question by contributing to a study being carried out for the Wilson Ornithological Society. Students in Ph.D. programs or persons who already have the Ph.D., including advisors of graduate students in ornithology, are requested to answer a questionnaire posted on the internet at http://nhm.ku.edu/komar/questionnaire.doc. It should only take a few minutes of your time (most questions are yes/no or multiple choice). The results will be compiled and analyzed, and presented at a symposium on education in ornithology organized by the Wilson Ornithological Society for the North American Ornithological Conference, during 25-28 September 2002, in New Orleans.
CALL FOR PAPERS AND POSTER ABSTRACTS--Abstracts for papers and poster sessions are invited for the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Restoration Conference, Omni Inner Harbor Hotel, Baltimore, Maryland, 24-26 Sep 2002. Deadline for abstract submissions: Must be received by 25 Feb 2002 . Conference overview: In the Chesapeake Bay region, vital efforts are underway to work at a watershed scale to protect and restore critical wetland and riparian systems. This conference will provide an unparalleled opportunity to participate in a forum highlighting the current state of knowledge on riparian buffer and wetland protection and restoration. Invited speakers and submitted papers will provide valuable perspectives and state-of-the-art information on a variety of issues affecting restoration success. Topics will provide information of interest to professionals and volunteers. Decision makers also will learn useful policy and program options. Conference registration materials will be mailed in May 2002. The conference registration fee, to be listed in registration materials, covers the Welcome Reception on 24 Sep, as well as daily luncheons and morning and afternoon refreshment breaks. Opening session speakers for each day will be listed in the conference registration materials, along with details on all presentations. If you have questions about abstract submission or receipt of your submission, please contact HANNAH KIRCHNER, conference coordinator (EM: hannahk@kiva.net, PH: 812-723-0088). Abstract submission information is provided on The Potomac Conservancy website, http://www.potomac.org. Abstracts may be submitted on the web, by email, or by surface mail. Applicants will be notified whether their abstracts have been accepted, as well as the times and date of your presentation, by 25 Mar 2002. Questions about the call for papers process--ALISON MCKECKIE, Program Chair, Potomac Conservancy, 1730 North Lynn Street, Suite 403, Arlington, VA 22209 (PH: 703-267-2777 x 206, EM: mckeckie@potomac.org). Questions about the conference or how to register--HANNAH KIRCHNER, Conference Coordinator, Chesapeake Bay Conference, POB 144, Paoli, IN 47454 (PH: 812-723-0088, FX: 812-723-2078, EM: hannahk@kiva.net).
BANDER EVALUATION SESSION--Eastern Bird Banding Association will conduct a North American Banding Council bander evaluation session 17-19 Apr 2002 at Niagara Falls, NY immediately preceding the EBBA Annual Meeting. This session will accept up to 12 candidates already possessing a U. S. or Canadian banding permit or sub-permit. Successful candidates will receive NABC certification, valid for five years. Applications are available from Prof. Sara R. Morris at Dept. of Biology, Canisius College, 2001 Main St., Buffalo, NY 14208-1098 (PH: 716-888-2567; EM: morriss@canisius.edu). Completed applications should be returned to her by no later than 20 Feb 2002. Applicants will be notified by 28 February 2002, and accepted applicants will receive NABC manuals and further information on the written examination and April field evaluation. Candidates wishing to take the written examination prior to the field evaluation have until 1 Aprl 2002 to do so, otherwise take it at the site on 17 April. Further information available from ROBERT P. YUNICK, (PH: 518-377-0146, EM: anneboby@aol.com)
WOODCOCK TASK FORCE-A new consortium of state, federal and private conservation concerns has formed to effect recovery of the American Woodcock. Co-chaired by Jim Kelley (woodcock specialist for the US Fish and Wildlife Service) and Wayne MacCallum (Director of the Massachusetts Division of Wildlife), the consortium is organized under the auspices of the International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. Since the late 1960s, "timberdoodle" populations have been experiencing a gradual decline throughout their range. Most experts attribute the decline to loss or degradation of prime woodcock habitat, as abandoned farmlands mature into heavily stocked forests or are removed as habitat by development. Recent studies in the Northeast suggest that the mortality rate of woodcock is not significantly different between hunted and non-hunted sites. The Woodcock Task Force will be developing strategies to return woodcock to earlier levels of abundance. Subsequent investments will be closely integrated into existing bird conservation initiatives, especially the habitat joint ventures developed under the North American Waterfowl Management Plan and regional planning efforts of the North American Bird Conservation Initiative (NABCI). For more information, contact JIM KELLY (PH: 612-713-5409, or SCOT WILLIAMSON (PH: 603-636-9846). (Excerpted from "Outdoor News Bulletin" by the Wildlife Management Institute.)
CHINA--Jack Hailman and Fred Lohrer have posted on the web comments and tips about China based on the former's recent visit there (October 2001). The notes were written especially for those who will be attending the International Ornithological Congress in Beijing next August. (URL: http://209.26.79.3/abs/staff/jhailman/jhailmanchina.htm).
THE ON-LINE GUIDE TO GRADUATE STUDIES IN ORNITHOLOGY (URL: http://www.ummz.lsa.umich.edu/birds/studies.html), maintained by the Wilson Ornithological Society Committee on Undergraduate Outreach, has been updated. If the ornithological graduate program at your institution has an entry, please check it for accuracy. Contact Herb Wilson at whwilson@colby.edu if you have corrections or questions.
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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.
NOTE NEW ADDRESS - Ellen Paul and the Ornithological Council have moved to 8722 Preston Place, Chevy Chase, MD 20815. All other contact information - phone, e-mail - remain the same. The legal address of the Ornithological Council, including the office of OC Chair David Blockstein, will continue to be 1725 K St., N.W., Ste. 211, Washington, D.C. 20006.
USFWS PUBLISHES DRAFT MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS - The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has published a draft management plan for Double-crested Cormorants in the contiguous 48 states. The plan, which can be found at http://migratorybirds.fws.gov/issues/cormorant/cormorant.html,* basically calls for the issuance of a depredation order (to be known as a Public Resource Depredation Order or PRDO) that will allow state, tribal, and federal land management agencies to take cormorants to protect biological resources (fish, wildlife, plants, and other wild species) on public lands and waters. A depredation order is basically a standing permit - in other words, the applicant (be it USDA Wildlife Service, the New York State Dept. of Environmental Conservation, or a tribal wildlife management organization) need not apply for permits each year. In addition, the proposed plan would expand the existing depredation order - issued in 1998 to 13 states where aquaculture facilities are concentrated - to include winter roost sites. This is a significant expansion of the existing depredation order, which limits the take to daytime hours and commercial aquaculture facilities. Neither the proposed PRDO nor the expansion of the existing depredation order preclude the issuance of permits to private landowners. Under the current system (depredation order in 13 states, permits in others), the estimated take in 2000 was 46,683 birds, not including eggs (2.4% of the population in the contiguous US). The USFWS estimates that under this proposed management plan, the annual take will increase to 204,500 birds, assuming that the 48 contiguous states and federal land management agencies in all 48 states take advantage of the PRDO. The deadline for comments is 28 Feb 2002. Send comments to: Chief, Division of Migratory Bird Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 4401 N. Fairfax Dr., Room 634, Arlington, VA 22203. Written comments on the DEIS can be sent by the following two methods: (1) By mail to the above address; or (2) By email to: cormorant_eis@fws.gov*. Include your name and mailing address in all comments submitted; anonymous comments will not be considered. The American Ornithologists' Union and the Waterbird Society have formed a joint committee to review the draft management plan; the Ornithological Council is facilitating the work of this committee.
*AT THE TIME THIS ISSUE WENT TO PRESS, most Department of the Interior (DOI) websites were still off-line, in compliance with an order of the U.S. District Court, which required DOI to disconnect its computers from the internet in order to protect Indian Trust Fund data.
USFWS TO CREATE ON-LINE DATABASE OF RESEARCH NEEDS; OC and USFWS Explore ways to expand research partnership - Reid Goforth, Research Coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, informs OC that the USFWS is in the process of developing an easily accessible, web-based information needs identification system. The database will contain up-to-date, reliable data on USFWS information needs which will provide the research community at large a source for recognizing precisely what information is being sought. The USFWS relies on both the USGS and external research programs to develop new information for its resource management efforts. Although there has been a need for a central repository for Service information needs identification for some time, it has now become imperative for the Service to have an effective and efficient mechanism to communicate its information needs to the USGS and other research organizations that can help meet those needs. The system is expected to be on line early in 2002. The system is one of several tools that will help expand the partnership between the USFWS and the academic research community. OC Executive Director Ellen Paul, Reid Goforth, and Paul Dresler, who is the USGS-BRD have been working together to develop ways to bring much-needed researchers to the wildlife refuges. In particular, they are looking for ways to remove the very substantial barriers that the compatibility and appropriate use regulations pose. Ideas under consideration include a cooperative agreement between the researcher and the refuge that would entail technical assistance and/or information transfer to the refuge. Should the researcher enter into such an agreement, then the research would be tantamount to research management activity (the standard that applies to refuge-identified research conducted by government scientists) which would then bypass the burdensome regulations. Another possibility would entail involvement by the research community with the refuges on an ongoing basis, or what might be called "adopt-a-refuge." Some refuges have established relationships with local universities, and, not surprisingly, researchers affiliated with those universities seem to have ready access to the refuges for their research projects. This could be in the form of occasional seminars, a consultation process, or other outreach by researchers to refuges in their area.
OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET Proposes to Shift Smithsonian Research Programs, Sea Grant Funding, and portion of USGS funding to NSF. Although the Administration's proposed budget for FY2003 will not be sent to Congress and released to the public until February, scientific organizations learned in early December that the Office of Management and Budget has proposed to take the federal funding that provides base support for the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC), Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI), and the Astrophysics Lab and assign it to NSF. Subsequently, we learned that OMB also proposes to move Sea Grant funding and a significant portion of the USGS Water Resources Division's national research program funding to NSF. The Ornithological Council, along with other scientific societies, has concerns about the merits of these proposed transfers and is also greatly concerned that the decisions were made without careful consideration to the potential costs and benefits to these research programs. Along with the American Institute of Biological Sciences, the Ecological Society of America, the National Council for Science and the Environment, and the Society for Conservation Biology, OC has urged OMB to withdraw these proposals. Letters to OMB from these organizations and others point out that, with regard to the Smithsonian, there is an independent Science Commission advising the Smithsonian on the reorganization of the SI scientific research programs. That commission has only started on what is likely to be a year-long effort, and we suggested that OMB might wish to await the commission's findings. The letters also pointed out that the NSF may not be the best home for Sea Grant and the USGS national research program, which fund applied research. There is also concern that OMB plans to offer these transfers - which amount to $120 million of funding - in lieu of an increase for NSF or for the NSF Biology Directorate.
OC CO-ORGANIZES SYMPOSIUM AT PARTNERS IN FLIGHT MEETING - At the Mar 2002 meeting of Partners in Flight, to be held in Asilomar, California [see http://www.partnersinflight.org], OC, together with Robert Cooper of the University of Georgia, will present a symposium on new opportunities for bird conservation research and research applications. Speakers will include Janet Ruth, USGS (Science for Avian Conservation: Understanding, Modeling and Applying Ecological Relationships); Tom Martin, Assistant Unit Leader, USGS BRD Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit (The Breeding Biology Research and Monitoring Database); Robert Cooper, Associate Professor of Forest Resources, University of Georgia (Approaches to cooperative research on conversation and management of migratory birds in the southeast); Larry Norris, National Park Service, Desert Southwest CESU (Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units); and Ken Williams (Ken Williams, Chief, Cooperative Research Units, USGS (the USGS NABCI Research Initiative, the Cooperative Research Units). The symposium will be held in the morning session on Saturday, 23 Mar 2002.
GUIDELINES TO USE OF WILD BIRDS IN RESEARCH - The Ornithological Council is pleased to announce that Guidelines to the Use of Wild Birds in Research is now available in Portuguese on BIRDNET. Like the English and Spanish translations, it can be browsed online or downloaded in .pdf format. Also note that for the English and Spanish translations, we will soon be substituting a .pdf format in lieu of the Word and WordPerfect downloadable versions currently available on-line. Due to the fact that there are many different versions of these programs in use, many users were having difficulty downloading, or finding that the formatting was problematic. Therefore, the only downloadable version will be in .pdf. The Ornithological Council is grateful to Carla Fontana and Bill Belton for providing this Portuguese translation.
DEPT. OF INTERIOR STRATEGIC PLAN STAKEHOLDER SESSION - OC Chair David Blockstein, representing the National Council for Science and the Environment, and OC Executive Director Ellen Paul, were invited by Dept. of the Interior (DOI) Assistant Secretary for Policy, Management and Budget P. Lynn Scarlett to participate in two-day meeting convened by DOI to obtain stakeholder input into the DOI strategic plan. Prior to this time, DOI strategic planning comprised a collection of bureau and agency strategic plans. Now, DOI intends to develop its own strategic plan, consistent with Secretary Gale Norton's "Four C's" conservation through communication, cooperation, and consultation. This session - one of six - focused on the preservation and restoration of natural resources, although it also touched on resource use and recreation, which are the themes of future meetings. Ultimately, DOI will use the input and resulting strategic plan to shape its FY2004 budget request. A prior stakeholder session (the USGS Listening Session, held in October) was also attended by Blockstein and Paul.
USFWS RELEASES DRAFT REVISIONS TO REHABILITATION REGULATIONS FOR COMMENT - On December 1, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service published a proposed regulation that would create a permit category to specifically authorize rehabilitation activities involving migratory birds. Currently, in the absence of a permit specifically for this purpose, migratory bird rehabilitation activities are authorized by issuance of a special purpose permit. In addition, this proposed regulation would create a permit exception for public officials responsible for tracking infectious diseases. Comments are due by March 6, 2002. You may mail or deliver written comments to the Division of Migratory Bird Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 4401 North Fairfax Drive, Room 634, Arlington, Virginia 22203-1610. Please reference ``RIN 1018-AH87'' at the top of your letter. Alternatively, you may submit your comments via the Internet to: migbird_rehab@fws.gov*. Please submit Internet comments as an ASCII file avoiding the use of special characters and any form of encryption. Please also include your name and return address in your e-mail message. The impetus behind creating a rehabilitation permit category is threefold: to codify permit conditions through the public rulemaking process; to clarify what is expected from migratory bird rehabilitators by providing more specificity and detail to permit requirements; and to bring greater consistency nationwide to the regulation of migratory bird rehabilitation. The proposed rule provides an exemption to the permit requirements for vets who treat listed migratory bird species, under certain conditions. The rule exempts employees of federal, state, and local wildlife agencies from the permit requirements, but they are not permitted to take (kill or euthanize) birds without a permit. Under the regulation, birds may be held no longer than 180 days without additional authorization, and all recuperated birds must be released to the wild. Any bird that has sustained injuries requiring amputation of a leg, a foot, or a wing at the elbow (humero-ulnar joint) or above must be euthanized. Any bird that, after medical treatment, is blind, cannot feed itself, perch upright,or ambulate must be euthanized; prior permission for euthanasia is required. Unreleasable live birds that are suitable for use in educational programs, foster parenting, research projects, or other permitted activities may be placed with persons permitted or otherwise authorized to possess migratory birds, with prior approval from your issuing Migratory Bird Permit Program Office. OF KEY INTEREST TO ORNITHOLOGISTS: Rehabbers are authorized to donate dead birds and parts thereof, except threatened and endangered species and bald and golden eagles, to persons authorized by permit to possess migratory bird specimens or exempted from permit requirements under Sec. 21.12. However, rehabbers must obtain approval from the issuing Migratory Bird Permit Program Office before disposing of or transferring any dead endangered or threatened migratory bird specimen, parts, or feathers. All dead bald and golden eagles, and their parts and feathers, must be sent to the National Eagle Repository. In the case of Permit oil or hazardous material spills, rehabbers are permitted to temporarily possess healthy, unaffected birds for the purpose of removing them from imminent danger. This permit does not authorize salvage of dead migratory birds [Note: OC continues to press for formalization of the policy authorizing any individual to donate salvaged birds to museums].
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PIPING PLOVERS (Charadrius melodus) were banded at Lake Diefenbaker, Saskatchewan in 2001. Each bird has a stainless steel USFWS band plus some combination of color bands. A white band or white flag on the upper left leg identifies the banding location of the bird. Observers are asked to record, for each bird, the colors and precise sequence of all bands and indicate which leg carries the particular color(s). Please send all information about sightings to J. PAUL GOOSSEN, Canadian Wildlife Service, Room 200-4999 98 Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6B 2X3 (PH: 780-951-8679; FX: 780-495-2615; EM: paul.goossen@ec.gc.ca).
RING-BILLED GULLS with flourescent dye on their breasts have been spotted on Lake Hefner, Oklahoma. It is possible these birds are part of an ongoing research project and if these are your birds and you would like information about where and when these birds were spotted, please contact me; SCOTT CARLETON, University of Wyoming (EM: scarlet@uwyo.edu, PH: 307-766-2753).
BBIRD REQUEST FOR INFO/DATA: The BBIRD (Breeding Bird Research & Monitoring Database) program is requesting data submission from researchers and land managers that have used the BBIRD Field Protocols to study avian breeding biology. BBIRD is a cooperative, data-sharing effort among biologists studying nesting biology and habitat needs of land birds. The program now includes more than 200 plots at 50 sites throughout the Americas. Over 50,000 nests of 410 species were monitored during the first 10 years of the program. BBIRD has proven to be a valuable resource for researchers and land managers. In an effort to expand the utility of the BBIRD database, we are working to provide an interactive web site that will allow researchers and land managers to gain access to nesting success, nest predation, and cowbird parasitism estimates by species, habitat, and year. In addition, we have been characterizing the landscapes of all BBIRD sites at a detailed level. However, the BBIRD database needs to continue to grow to provide greatest utility for future research and management actions. Data are protected for the first five years after collection; you will be contacted first to request permission if another contributor wishes to utilize your data (to protect publishing rights). Data older than 5 years will be made public on the interactive web site under development. In addition, contributors will get the GIS data for their site for free. The GIS data include ArcInfo coverages and grids for plot locations, hydrography, roads, land cover types and areas, and topography. If you would like more information about BBIRD please visit our web site at http://pica.wru.umt.edu/BBIRD/. If you have used BBIRD protocols, please contact us to allow us to track the sites and habitats that have been studied using BBIRD protocols (even small sample sizes are very useful) - please contact the BBIRD data manager, RON BASSAR, at Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, 205 Natural Science, Missoula, MT, 59812 (PH: 406-243-6007, FX: 406-243-6064, EM: rdb@selway.umt.edu).
SURVEY GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLERS FOR CONSERVATION-The Golden-winged Warbler Atlas Project is a citizen-science project of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Ithaca College. It is designed to determine the population status, habitat, and area requirements of the Golden-winged and Blue-winged Warblers as well as their hybrids. This study engages volunteer birders and professional biologists to survey and conduct point counts at known and potential breeding sites of Golden-winged Warblers. Participants receive a research kit, which includes instructions, data forms, a color poster of golden-wings, blue-wings, and their hybrids as well as a GOWAP tape that will be used in the field for playback and point counts. For more information and to sign up to help conduct surveys and/or point counts visit http://www.birds.cornell.edu/gowap or contact SARA BARKER, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, 159 Sapsucker Woods Rd., Ithaca, NY 14850 (PH: 607-254-2465, EM: forest_birds@cornell.edu)
PARTICIPATE IN FIELD RESEARCH, JOIN THE BIRDS IN FORESTED LANDSCAPES PROJECT-Birds in Forested Landscapes (BFL) is a citizen-science project of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the USDA Forest Service which needs volunteer birders to help examine the effects of disturbance from recreational development as well as forest fragmentation on North American forest birds. Help answer questions such as "How much habitat do forest birds require for successful breeding?" and "How do habitat requirements of a species vary across its range?" Findings from this study will be used to develop management recommendations, with descriptions about the kinds and amounts of habitat required to sustain healthy bird populations. Volunteers will receive a research kit full of instructions and data forms as well as a CD with songs, calls, and other sounds of the BFL study species for field use. Participants choose their own study site(s) in a forest or forest fragment of any size. They make two visits to their site(s) during the breeding season to conduct the BFL bird protocol as well as to record habitat data and landscape variables. For more information, visit http://www.birds.cornell.edu/bfl or contact SARA BARKER, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, 159 Sapsucker Woods Rd., Ithaca, NY 14850 (PH: 607-254-2465, EM: forest_birds@cornell.edu).
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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 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.
A LISTSERVE SERVICE has been set up at Cornell University. Subscribers to this list will receive the new job announcements on a regular basis. These are the same announcements as will appear on-line. To subscribe send the following message to: listproc@cornell.edu, "subscribe BirdJobs-L your name". When sending your message, please send using the "plain text only" format option and be sure to include your name in the message. You leave by sending to listproc@cornell.edu "unsubscribe BirdJobs-L".
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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. 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.
BREWSTER AND COUES AWARDS. Nominations are invited for the Brewster and Coues Awards for 2002. These awards are given annually by the AOU in public recognition of avian research of special significance. The Brewster Award is given for the most important work on birds of the Western Hemisphere published in the last ten years. The Coues Award is for work that has had a major impact on ornithology in the Western Hemisphere, and has no time restriction. To qualify for the Brewster Award, the work must have been done entirely, or nearly so, on birds of the Western Hemisphere; for the Coues Award, the work may have been on birds anywhere in the world. The Coues Award may be given in recognition of important or innovative work or new techniques that may have been published in relatively brief articles or in non-ornithological journals. Each nomination must include (1) the name and institution of the nominee; (2) a written description of the contributions of the nominee to ornithology; and (3) a bibliography that documents these contributions. The Auk (89: 436-438, 1972) describes the important differences in qualifications necessary for the Brewster and Coues Awards. Nominations should be submitted by 1 Mar 2002 to: DR. KENNETH P. ABLE, Dept. of Biology, State University of New York, Albany, NY 12222 (PH: 518-442-4330; FX: 518-442-4767; EM: preferred: kpa@csc.albany.edu).
JOSEPH GRINNELL STUDENT RESEARCH AWARD FOR 2002 - The Cooper Ornithological Society invites beginning doctoral students to apply for up to two $1000 awards to support "basic" research in any aspect of avian biology. Projects that deal with conservation issues in avian biology should be directed to the Mewaldt-King Research Awards Committee of the Cooper Ornithological Society. Only graduate students originally enrolled in a doctoral program AFTER August, 2000 are eligible for the award. To apply for the award, students should submit three copies of: 1) a short research proposal (no longer than 1600 words), 2) their most current curriculum vitae, and 3) a letter of support from their major faculty advisor to: CAMERON GHALAMBOR, Department of Biology, University of California-Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521. Faxes and electronic submissions are NOT acceptable, EXCEPT for applications or letters originating outside the continental United States, in which case they can be faxed to 909-787-4286 or sent to camerong@citrus.ucr.edu. For specific details of the proposal format and supporting materials visit the Cooper Ornithological Society website at http://www.cooper.org/. The deadline for receipt of applications is 16 Mar 2002.
AOU MEMBERSHIP GRANTS NOW AVAILABLE FOR STUDENTS. The American Ornithologists' Union will provide several hundred grants in the form of a three year AOU membership to qualifying graduate students in the Western Hemisphere interested in pursuing a career in ornithology. To qualify, students must: 1) Have no current or prior membership in the AOU; 2) Send a letter of interest and a 2-3 page CV to the AOU Membership Chairman (see below). Letters of interest should outline ornithological interests and professional goals, clearly specify the degree program in which the student is registered, his/her expected date of completion, and the name and email address of the academic advisor. 3) Provide a one-page letter of support from an academic advisor on letterhead from the institution in which the student is currently enrolled. Membership grants will provide full membership in the AOU (including subscription to The Auk) for three consecutive years and are not renewable. Deadline for materials is 10 Mar 2002. Mail all materials together to DR. SUSAN HAIG, AOU Membership Committee, USGS/FRESC, 3200 SW Jefferson Way, Corvallis, OR, 97331.
STUDENTS - FREE MEMBERSHIP!! - The Cooper Ornithological Society is always interested in getting more graduate students involved and provides free student memberships each year. These student awards cover costs of membership for 2 years (beginning in 2003) and carry full membership benefits, providing an important launch into ornithological careers at an early stage. To apply, simply send a CV of the student and a cover letter from the major professor that describes why the student deserves the award. Deadline for receipt of applications is 1 Apr 2002. Send application materials by e-mail or post to: BETTE A. LOISELLE, Department of Biology, University of Missouri-St. Louis, 8001 Natural Bridge Road, St. Louis, MO 63121-4499 USA (EM: loiselle@umsl.edu).
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"BIRDS OF THE LAHONTAN VALLEY: A GUIDE TO NEVADA'S WETLAND OASIS," by Graham Chisholm and Larry A. Neel. 2001. University of Nevada Press. 256 pp, 60 illustrations, 5 maps. ISBN: 0-87417-479-1, paper, $21.95.Ten thousand acres of wetlands within the Lahontan Valley offer homes to more than 290 species of resident a migratory birds, and are one of Nevada's richest and most threatened wildlife resources. This reference for bird watchers and natural historians offers a comprehensive study of the geologic history of the valley as well as an explanation of the carefully balanced ecology, climate, and water issues. The primary focus of the book is the detailed account of each of the species of birds to be found in the region throughout the year. Information about specific species includes viewing locations and dates, records of annual bird counts, the rarity of sightings, migratory patterns, and habitat information. Sixty of the birds are illustrated with pen-and-ink line drawings by ornithological artist Mimi Hoppe Wolf. To order, call toll free 1-877-NVBOOKS or visit http://www.nvbooks.nevada.edu.
AAZN PUBLICATIONS AVAILABLE FOR SALE: "International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, 4th edition" (1999).-- List price is $65.00, but individual members of any scientific society or students are eligible for a 25% discount, or $48.00, on single copies purchased for personal use. Institutions or agencies ordering 5 or more copies also receive a 25% discount ($48.00 each). Individual members of AAZN receive a 40% discount, or $39.00, for single copies for personal use. Available from AAZN through DAVID G. SMITH, MRC-159, National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC 20560-0159 (PH: 202-633-9786).
"WILDLIFE OF THE SOUTHERN FORESTS," edited by Dr. James G Dickson, 2001. Hancock House. This is 480 pages & over 250 color & b&w photos of the ecology of the South, the species behavior, habitat and conservation data for managing these species. Essential reference for managing your native species in the pen or assisting with the wild populations. Covers most endangered species as well as game & non-game species: $50.00 (free NA surface freight on all orders of $100 or more). Visit our website: http://www.hancockwildlife.org.
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FREE to good home: Auk volumes 52-82 (pay shipping). DAVE KING, Northeastern Research Station, USDA Forest Service, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003 (PH: 413- 545-6795, FX: 413-545-1860, EM: dking@fs.fed.us).
FOR SALE: Amer. Midland Nat., Vol. 102-137 (1979-1997); Bird-Banding, Vol. 42-50 (missing 44(3) and 45(2)) (1971-1979); J. Field Ornithol., Vol. 51-67 (1980-1996), with supplements; Condor, Vol. 73-98 (1971-1996); Conserv. Biol., Vol. 1-4 (1987-1990); Ecology, Vol. 46-61 (1965-1980); Ibis, Vol. 115-119 (1973-1977), plus Vol. 120(1) and (2); Wilson Bull. Vol. 82-108 (1970-1996), missing 92(3) and 107(1). Best offer exceeding shipping costs. BERT MURRAY, 249 Berger Street, Somerset, NJ 08873 (EM: bmurray@rci.rutgers.edu).
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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
PACIFIC SEABIRD GROUP, 29th Annual Meeting (20-23 Feb 2002) will be held at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History in Santa Barbara, California. The meeting will feature symposia on "Oil and California's Seabirds" and "Biology and conservation of the White Pelican", within a full scientific program on 21-23 Feb; committees will meet on 20 Feb. Plenary speakers will be David Ainley and Hugh Drummond; Philip and Myrtle Ashmole will receive Lifetime Achievement Awards. Student travel awards are available. Field trips to the Channel Islands will be offered before (19-20 Feb) and after the meeting (24 Feb). For general information, contact HARRY CARTER, U.S. Geological Survey, 6924 Tremont Road, Dixon, CA 95620 (PH: 707-678-0682 x625; EM: Harry_Carter@usgs.gov) or SARAH FANGMAN, Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary, 113 Harbor Way, Santa Barbara, CA 93109 (PH: 805-884-1473; EM: sarah.fangman@cinms.nos.noaa.gov). For information about the scientific program, contact LISA BALLANCE, NOAA, NMFS, SW Fisheries Science Center, 8604 La Jolla Shores Drive, La Jolla, CA 92037 (PH: 858-546-7173; EM: lisa.ballance@noaa.gov). For information on meeting details, travel, all field trips (also including condors, Salton Sea, and Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology), accommodations, awards, registration, and abstract submission, check the PSG web page (URL: http://www.pacificseabirdgroup.org).
BIRDS OF TWO WORLDS: ADVANCES IN THE ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION OF TEMPERATE-TROPICAL MIGRATION SYSTEMS 6-10 Mar 2002, National Conservation Training Center in Sheperdstown, WV. The Smithsonian Environmental Research Center and Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center at the National Zoo are hosting a conference to synthesize cutting-edge findings about the basic ecology and evolution of migratory birds. The 6 main symposium topics are: 1) Evolution of Migration Systems, 2) Adaptations for Two Worlds, 3) Migration Itself: When, Where, and How to Go, 4) Social Systems: Bridging the Seasons, 5) Population Structure of Migrants throughout the Annual Cycle, and 6) Population Limitation and Regulation in Migratory Birds: When and Where is the Crunch?. For additional information and to register for the conference please visit our website: http://www.si.edu/Smbc/birdsof2worlds.htm.
THE 9th ALASKA BIRD CONFERENCE, hosted by the Alaska Bird Observatory, will be held at Wedgewood Resort in Fairbanks, Alaska, 6-8 Mar, 2002. The conference will follow the Alaska Shorebird Working Group Meeting on Mar 4 and the regional North American Bird Conservation Initiative All Bird Workshop on Mar 5, both at Wedgewood Resort. For conference information, visit the ABO web site: http://www.alaskabird.org. Registration materials and a call for abstracts will be mailed in Nov. Questions should be directed to NANCY DEWITT (PH: 907-451-7159; EM: ndewitt@alaskabird.org).
THIRD INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS IN FLIGHT CONFERENCE: a Workshop on Bird Conservation Implementation and Integration, 20-24 Mar 2002, at the Asilomar State Park Conference Center near Monterey, California. The focus will be on implementing all-bird conservation actions identified by Partners In Flight, the North American Waterfowl Management Plan, the U. S. Shorebird Conservation Plan and the North American Waterbird Conservation Plan. The conference will have a strong international component with session chairs and presenters from the U. S., Canada, Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean. Please visit the conference web site (URL: http://www.prbo.org/PIF/NPIF2002.htm) and read through the Draft Program (URL: http://www.prbo.org/PIF/program.htm) to better understand the scope and intent of this conference. For additional details, visit the conference web site at http://www.prbo.org/PIF/NPIF2002.htm.
AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES 53rd Annual Meeting, 22- 24 Mar 2002, "Evolution: Understanding Life on Earth."Register and/or submit a poster via http://www.aibs.org or direct at http://www.aibs.org/meeting2002/index.ldml. Need help registering? Call 703-790-1745 or 800-992-2427, email: meeting2002@aibs.org. Early registration prices in effect until 1 Mar 2002. All sessions take place in the Key Bridge Marriott Hotel (across the Key Bridge from Georgetown DC, in the Washington DC metro area). The 2002 AIBS Annual meeting presents an excellent opportunity for biologists to share the latest developments in evolution research, education, and applications to today's world. Attendees will hear distinguished plenary speakers present synthesizing lectures from the forefront of their fields, then will join those speakers and other equally notable scholars in informal discussion groups. Group topics include the plenary subjects as well as broader pedagogical and social aspects of contemporary evolutionary biology. The rest of the AIBS meeting's program is rounded out by events such as a session on online resources for research and education; a session on the central role of organismal biology; contributed posters; a diversity scholars competition; and a presentation by Darwin scholar and stage performer Richard Milner of his popular musical, "Charles Darwin: Live and in Concert." Speakers and discussion leaders include: Francisco Ayala, Rodger Bybee, Joel Cracraft, Niles Eldredge, Douglas Futuyma, Peter and Rosemary Grant, Alison Jolly, John Jungck, Joe Levine, Paula Mabee, Kenneth Miller, Loren Rieseberg, Eugenie Scott. Topics include: evolutionary mechanisms and patterns, replication studies, genomics and development, conservation and population biology, formal education K-16, public education, anti-evolution, public policy and politics, and faith-based issues. Contact the Key Bridge Marriott Hotel directly to arrange for accommodations: 1401 Lee Highway, Arlington VA 22209, http://www.marriotthotels/waskb, 1-703-524-6400 or 1-800-228-9290.
67TH NORTH AMERICAN WILDLIFE AND NATURAL RESOURCES CONFERENCE, 3-7 Apr 2002, at the Hyatt Regency, Dallas. The theme is "Compassionate, Conservative Conservation through the Lens of T.R.'s Legacy."Among the six special sessions are: "Amending the Endangered Species Act: Is ESA Threatened or Endangered?", "Energy and Conservation: Does Big Oil Mix with Big Game?", and "Conservation and the 2002 Farm Bill: Plowing New Ground." For additional information about the conference contact JAMES WOEHR or RICHARD MCCABE, Wildlife Management Institute, 202-371-1808. For detailed information sessions, go to http://www.wildlifemgt.org/wmi.
*THE ASSOCIATION OF FIELD ORNITHOLOGISTS annual meeting will be held jointly with the Wilson Ornithological Society 11-14 Apr at Florida Gulf Coast University in Ft. Myers, Florida. Opening Reception: Corkscrew Swamp evening of the 11th. Poster Session and Reception: Friday night , Whitaker Hall, FGCU Banquet: Saturday in the Sprint room at Whitaker Hall , FGCU Scientific Paper Sessions: These will be held in Whitaker Hall on the FGCU campus. Field Trips: Field trips scheduled Friday, Saturday & Sunday mornings to some of the premier birding areas in North America including: Corkscrew Swamp Audubon Sanctuary and Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge. The Everglades National Park, Big Cypress National Preserve, and Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve area are within easy driving distance. Lodging: At exit 21 on I-75: Comfort Suites Airport, 13651 Indian Paint Lane, Ft. Myers 33912, (PH: 941-768-0005); Sleep Inn Airport, 13651 Indian Paint Lane, Fort Myers, FL 33912 (PH: 941-561-1117) For more information and updates about registration and call for abstracts visit the AFO web site at http://www.afonet.org/
THE 83RD ANNUAL MEETING OF THE WILSON ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY, 11-14 Apr 2002, will be held in conjunction with the Association of Field Ornithologists at Florida Gulf Coast University in Ft. Myers, Florida. The meeting will be held in the new Whitaker Center for Science, Mathematics, and Technology Education. The meeting will be co-hosted by Florida Gulf Coast University, Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, and the Florida Ornithological Society. The local host, JEROME A. JACKSON, can be reached at picus@fgcu.edu
EASTERN BIRD BANDING ASSOCIATION annual meeting 19-21 Apr 2002 at the Comfort Inn "The Pointe" at Niagara Falls, New York. For information please contact MARY & JOHN FORNESS, 3086 Haskell Road, Cuba, New York 14727-9432 (PH/FX: 716-968-1978, EM: rlhawk@eznet.net).
*The ANIMAL BEHAVIOR SOCIETY's 39th annual meeting will be held 13-17 Jul 2002 at Indiana University, in Bloomington, Indiana. We have an exciting schedule planned including a keynote address by Felicity Huntingford, a special talk by E.O. Wilson, winner of the ABS Distinguished Animal Behaviorist Award, and ABS Fellows lectures by Michael Beecher and Kay Holekamp. Symposia include 'Animal behavior and multilevel selection', 'New perspectives on mechanisms of evolution in communication systems', 'Applied animal behavior and the integration of behavioral knowledge' and 'The ultimate (and proximate) infant: What we know, what we do not'. For further information see http://www.animalbehavior.org/ABS/Program, or contact the local hosts EM LIA MARTINS (EM: emartins@bio.indiana.edu) and MEREDITH WEST (EM: mewest@indiana.edu).
23rd INTERNATIONAL ORNITHOLOGICAL CONGRESS, Beijing, 11-17 Aug 2002: The first brochure for this congress has been posted on the congress home page which can be reached at URL: http://www.ioc.org.cn. A copy of this brochure can be obtained by contacting MR. LIEU FENG, Assistant Secretary-General of the 23rd Congress, China International Conference Center for Science and Technology, Xueyuan Nan Road, Beijing 100081, CHINA. (PH: + 861062174952; FX: +861062180142; EM: liufeng@public.bta.net.cn. All ornithologists are encouraged to take part in this first ornithological congress of the millennium and the first in Asia.
*CHESAPEAKE BAY WATERSHED RESTORATION CONFERENCE: RIPARIAN AND WETLAND STEWARDSHIP, 24-26 Sep 2002, at the Omni Inner Harbor Hotel,Baltimore, Maryland. You are invited to attend as an attendee or speaker! Vital efforts are underway in the Chesapeake Bay region to work at a watershed level to protect and restore wetland and riparian habitats. This conference will allow people to share critical information regarding watershed conditions, riparian and wetland restoration science, and the tools and techniques used for watershed restoration. Much information applies to wetlands nationwide. Attendees: Attendees are from state and federal agencies, universities, conservation organizations, firms, and citizen groups. Topics focus broadly on: *assessment and characterization of watershed conditions; *riparian and wetland restoration science *approaches, tools and techniques for protection and restoration. Exhibits will feature products, services and assistance in wetland restoration. Poster sessions highlight the latest science. Breakouts will facilitate discussions and solutions. The Chesapeake Bay Conference is sponsored by the Potomac Watershed Partnership (Ducks Unlimited, USDA Forest Service, Maryland DNR Forest Service, Virginia Department of Forestry), in conjunction with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and Stroud Water Research Center. For more info: 1. Visit The Potomac Conservancy website at http://www.potomac.org or 2. send your name, address, phone and email address to hannahk@kiva.net. You will receive information on registration AND how to respond to the call for papers. Deadline for call for papers response is 25 Feb 2002. Registration info will be available May 2002. Chesapeake Bay Watershed Conference, c/o HANNAH KIRCHNER, POB 144, Paoli, IN 47454 (PH: 812-723-0088, EM: hannahk@kiva.net).
*3RD NORTH AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGICAL CONFERENCE, New Orleans, Louisiana, 24- 30 Sep 2002. Hosted by Tulane University and The Audubon Institute, the theme is "Birds on the Bayou: In the footsteps of Audubon". The main venue will be the Intercontinental Hotel, located just 3 blocks from the famous French Quarter. The Conference is sponsored by The American Ornithologists' Union, The Cooper Ornithological Society, The Raptor Research Foundation, the Society for Canadian Ornithologists/ Société des Ornithologistes du Canada, The Society of Caribbean Ornithology, and Sección Mexicana del Consejo Internacional para la Preservación de las Aves (CIPAMEX). A number of other ornithological societies such as The Wilson Ornithological Society will be Co-sponsors, but will be holding their annual meeting at another time. Other groups wishing to meet in conjunction with the 3rd NAOC should contact the Chair of the Scientific Program Committee, PHIL STOUFFER (EM: stouffer@selu.edu) as soon as possible. The Conference will consist of symposia, workshops and roundtables, contributed oral presentations, and poster sessions. The circular and call for papers and posters for the meeting will be mailed in early Feb. Deadline for early registration, paper and poster abstracts, and applications for student travel and presentation awards is 3 May 2002. Plenary addresses will be presented by: Thomas E. Martin, University of Montana, A New View of Avian Life History Evolution Applied to Parental Care, Clutch Size, and Developmental Patterns Across the World; Theo Colborn, World Wildlife Fund, On a Wing and a Prayer: Is Endocrine Disruption Affecting Birds?; John Avise, University of Georgia, The Ongoing Transformation to Molecular- genealogical Thought in Avian Microevolution: Conceptual Springboard, Quicksand, or Both; Kenneth Able, State University of New York, Albany, Migratory Orientation: Development and Adaptive Plasticity. Symposia and workshops will be announced in the April issue of the Ornithological Newsletter. Social events will showcase the rich traditions of New Orleans: great food, wonderful music, and the arts. The Tuesday night opening reception will be at the Audubon Institute's Aquarium of the Americas, featuring a variety of Cajun dishes. Thursday night is a "picnic" at the House of Blues, featuring Blues and Zydeco music and traditional New Orleans fare. Saturday night's banquet will be followed by dancing to a traditional Cajun French band, Les Freres Michot. A highlight of the meeting will be an art exhibition featuring the works of artists who also are research ornithologists. September in New Orleans features the beginning of fall migration, which will complement the rich avifauna of its abundant wetlands, bottomland hardwoods, and pine woods nearby. A variety of field trips will be designed to highlight both typical and distinctive birds. As more information becomes available, it will be posted on the Conference homepage at http://www.tulane.edu/~naoc-02/. For more information concerning the Conference, contact the co-organizers: TOM SHERRY (EM: tsherry@tulane.edu) or KIMBERLY SMITH (EM: kgsmith@uark.edu).
*THE VIITH NEOTROPICAL ORNITHOLOGICAL CONGRESS will take place in Puerto Varas (Xth Region), Chile, from Sun, 5 Oct through Sat,11 Oct 2003. Puerto Varas, a friendly town of about 35,000, is 10 km N of Puerto Montt, an easy to reach, economical, and well-known travel destination in the beautiful Lake District of Chile. The Puerto Varas Congress Center, with its meeting rooms and related facilities perched on a hill overlooking Lake Llanquihue and the Volcano Osorno, is only an 800-meters walk from downtown Puerto Varas, where participants will lodge and dine in their selection of hotels, hostels, and eating facilities. A variety of pre- and post- tours throughout Chile, including Easter Island and Patagonia, will be offered. The scientific program will include plenary lectures, concurrent symposia sessions, oral papers, poster sessions, and round-table discussions. In addition, special evening sessions with talks and films are planned. English and Spanish will be the working languages of the congress. Members and non-members of the Neotropical Ornithological Society are encouraged to plan on attending this 2003 quadrennial meeting in Chile. Membership in the NOS is inexpensive and open to all with interests in the study of birds of the Neotropics, both resident as well as wintering migratory birds. See our webpage for more information (URL: http://www.neotropicalornithology.org). Some funds to help defray travel expenses will be available for NOS members needing financial support. Scientific Program details will be announced in future issues of our quarterly journal Ornitología Neotropical, in the NOS webpage, and in the VIIth Congress webpage (URL: http://www.geocities.com/kewawoman/NeoOrnSocChile2003.html). A formal Call for Papers will appear in the April OSNA Newsletter. The Proceedings of the VII Neotropical Ornithological Congress will be published after the congress as a special issue or supplement of Ornitología Neotropical. This publication will be peer-reviewed and edited and will include the full texts of the plenary lectures and of the symposia papers, and abstracts of the contributed papers. The VIIth Neotropical Congress Officers are as follows: President: François Vuilleumier (EM: vuill@amnh.org); Secretary General: Luis Espinosa G. (legpvar@entelchile.net), Congress Organizer for North America: M. Victoria McDonald (EM: vickiem@mail.uca.edu); Co-chairs of the Scientific Program Committee: Jaime Jiménez (EM: jjimenez@ulagos.cl), and Cristina Y. Miyaki (EM: cymiyaki@usp.br); Proceedings Committee: Editor: Raymond McNeil (EM: Raymond.McNeil@umontreal.ca); and Assistant Editor: Ivan Lazo (EM: bubo@entelchile.net).
*VERTEBRATES IN SALT MARSH SYMPOSIUM, 26-28 Oct 2002 at the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center in Laurel Maryland. The symposium will feature research on the evolution, ecology, and conservation biology of terrestrial vertebrates in tidal marshes. The Symposium is sponsored by the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center, US Fish and Wildlife Service, and USGS. The symposium will receive financial support from USFWS. For on-going updates on the symposium please check the SMBC website at: http://natzoo.si.edu/smbc/Notesandnews/Sparrowsymposium/sparrowsymposium.htm
*BIRDS OF TWO WORLDS: ADVANCES IN THE ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION OF TEMPERATE-TROPICAL MIGRATION SYSTEMS, 6-10 Mar 2002, at the National Conservation Training Center in Sheperdstown, WV.Don't miss out!!! Time is running out for contributing posters and registering for what should prove to be an eye-opening event! The Smithsonian Environmental Research Center and Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center at the National Zoo are hosting a conference to synthesize cutting-edge findings about the basic ecology and evolution of migratory birds. The conference will include a series of invited talks organized into symposia, round table discussions, and an evening session of contributed posters. The 6 main symposium topics are: 1) Evolution of Migration Systems, 2) Adaptations for Two Worlds, 3) Migration Itself: When, Where, and How to Go, 4) Social Systems: Bridging the Seasons, 5) Population Structure of Migrants throughout the Annual Cycle, and 6) Population Limitation and Regulation in Migratory Birds: When and Where is the Crunch? The underlying question of each topic is how is the ecology and evolution of birds affected and constrained by long distance migration. We are currently soliciting POSTER ABSTRACTS and ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION TOPICS. Although the announced deadline has passed, we are flexible and open to ideas and contributions. Please register as soon as possible so we can make this the best event possible. For additional information and to register for the conference please visit our website: http://www.si.edu/Smbc/birdsof2worlds.htm.
*INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON NEOTROPICAL RAPTORS AND HARPY EAGLE SYMPOSIUM (24-27 Oct 2002). The Peregrine Fund and Fondo Peregrino Panamá invite you to join scientists, conservationists, resource managers, falconers, representatives of zoos, government and non-governmental organizations, and other persons and institutions with an interest in research and/or conservation of birds of prey in Latin America and the Caribbean to participate in a meeting to share knowledge, interests, and concerns and help develop a network of practitioners in the fields of raptor conservation, research, captive-breeding, and falconry. For further information contact: Neotropical Raptor Conference, The Peregrine Fund, 5668 West Flying Hawk Lane, Boise, Idaho 83709 USA (PH: 208-362-3717, FX: 208-362-2376, EM: tpf@peregrinefund.org). Details and registration forms are also available on The Peregrine Fund's Web-site at: http://www.peregrinefund.org/nrconference.html.
*NORTH AMERICAN SEA DUCK CONFERENCE AND WORKSHOP, Victoria, British Columbia, 6-10 Nov 2002. Sponsored by Sea Duck Joint Venture partners, this meeting will gather researchers, managers, and administrators with an interest in sea duck biology and conservation, with the intent of providing a focal point for initiating and furthering the goals of the Sea Duck Joint Venture. Activities will include science presentations to define where we are in our understanding of sea duck biology and population status, and workshops on specific issues. For more information, or to propose workshop topics or special sessions, please contact: DAN ESLER, Centre for Wildlife Ecology, Simon Fraser University, 5421 Robertson Road, Delta, BC V4K 3N2, Canada (EM:desler@sfu.ca). A web site with general information and instructions for contribution of presentations will be online soon.
THE NINTH NORTH AMERICAN CRANE WORKSHOP will be held 21-25 Jan 2003 in Sacramento, California. Scientific sessions and a field trip to the Sacramento River Delta are planned. A proceedings will be published immediately following the meeting. Abstracts are due 1 Dec 2001. For information and updates, including instructions on the CALL FOR PAPERS contact SCOTT G. HEREFORD (EM: Scott_Hereford@fws.gov, PH: 228-497-6322 ext 28).
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BEAU LIDDELL is now the Area Wildlife Supervisor for MNDNR, responsible for managing a 3-county area around Little Falls, MN. He can be reached at DNR Area Wildlife Office, 16543 Haven Road, Little Falls, MN 56345. PH: 320-616-2468, EM: beau.liddell@dnr.state.mn.us.
GEORGE K. PECK was the fourth recipient of the Distinguished Ornithologist Award, of the Ontario Field Ornithologists, presented at Leamington, ON at their Annual General Meeting on 29 September 2001.
OLIN SEWALL PETTINGILL, JR., a member of the AOU since 1930, elected Elective Member in 1937 and Fellow in 1947; Member AFO since 1983, COS since 1934, and WOS since1930; died in Bedford, TX on 11 Dec 2001 at the age of 94.
REX SALLABANKS has taken the position of State Nongame Bird Biologist with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game in Boise, Idaho. His new contact information is: Nongame and Endangered Wildlife Program, Idaho Department of Fish and Game, P.O. Box 25, Boise, Idaho 83707; PH: 208/938-4804; EM: rsallaba@idfg.state.id.us.
TOM SMITH has accepted a new position as Professor of OBEE and Director of the Center for Tropical Research at University of California at Los Angeles: Center for Tropical Research, Institute of the Environment, University of California at Los Angeles, PO Box 951496, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1496 USA. EM tbsmith@ucla.edu
CHERYL STRONG has joined the San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory. She can be reached at SFBBO, P.O. Box 247, Alviso CA 95002. PH: 408-946-6548, EM: cstrong@sfbbo.org.
GEORGE E. WALLACE has accepted the position of Executive Director of the Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory. He can be reached at: Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory, 14500 Lark Bunting Lane, Brighton, CO 80601. PH: 303-659-4348. EM: george.wallace@rmbo.org.
JOHN A. WIENS has accepted a position as one of three Lead Scientists with The Nature Conservancy, effective 1 January 2002. He can be reached at his present address until 1 June 2002, after which he will be located at The Nature Conservancy, 4245 North Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22203.
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THE FLOCK - SPECIAL SECTION
THE FLOCK, the 1999 Membership directory of all six OSNA societies has been mailed. 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:
HARRIS, SYLVIA D. 275 Ashton Court, Quincy, FL 32352. PH: 805-627-2682.
JOHNSGARD, PAUL A. EM: pjohnsga@unlserve.unl.edu.
JOHNSTON, JASON. 5751 Murray Hall, Dept. of Biological Sciences, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469-5751. EM: Jason_Johnston@umit.maine.edu.
MARSHALL, JOE T. EM: jtmvz1@juno.com
MICALI, GIUSEPPE. EM: xeaym@tin.it.
RIVERS, JAMES W. EM: rivers@ksu.edu.
SHERRY, THOMAS W. Dept. Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, 310 Dinwiddie Hall, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118. PH: 504 862-8296, EM: tsherry@tulane.edu.
STEVENSON, GRANT. 912 W. Walnut Street, Apt. 1, Allentown, PA 18102-4800. PH: 610-841-4300.
WOOLFENDEN, GLEN. EM: gwoolfenden@archbold-station.org.
ZUROVCHAK, JOSEPH. Orange County Community College, 115 South St., Middletown, NY 10940-6404. PH: 845-341-4147, EM: jzurov@frontiernet.net.
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