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NUMBER 152, February 2003
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
PLEASE NOTE: NEW ADDRESS FOR ONLINE ORNITHOLOGICAL NEWSLETTER AND POSITION
ANNOUNCEMENTS-The new Newsletter address: (URL: http://birds.cornell.edu/osna/ornnewsl.htm ) and job
announcements address (URL: http://birds.cornell.edu/osna/ornjobs.htm ) have been running simultaneously with the
old address. The old address, however, has been discontinued. Please update you bookmarks.
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 7 May 2003. Officers to be elected at the 2003 Business Meeting of the Members (7 August 2003 at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Campaign, Champaign, IL), will be 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 121st Stated Meeting, Fred Cooke will begin the second year of his two-year term as President, and James A. Kushlan will begin the second year of his two-year term as President-Elect. 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 121st Stated Meeting in 2003 are Edward H. Burtt, Jr., Carla Cicero, and Richard O. Prum. Continuing to serve in 2003-2004 will be Elective Councilors Peter Arcese, Rebecca L. Holberton, John M. Marzluff, Bette A. Loiselle, Jeffrey S. Marks, and Erica Nol. 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 (7 May 2003) 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".
FULLY ELECTRONIC SUBMISSION OF MANUSCRIPTS TO The Auk--Beginning in Jan 2003, The Auk will begin accepting fully electronic submission of manuscripts through a new website managed by Cadmus Professional Communications (see below for URL). Authors will register at the site and will be issued a password and login ID, and manuscripts can then be uploaded to the system through an easy, step-by-step process. The system is called Rapid Review and it will serve as the center for editorial staff to communicate with authors, editors, and reviewers electronically, and will function as the platform for the review process. Rapid Review will enable a more streamlined review and publication process by centralizing all files and communications online. Reviewers, authors, and editors need only have web access, anywhere in the world, to access files and track manuscripts, communicate with each other, and perform tasks associated with the journal. Questions concerning the new system may be directed to the editorial staff at auk@uark.edu . Manuscripts can be submitted through the American Ornithologists' Union homepage (URL: http://www.aou.org ) or through Rapid Review's homepage (URL: http://www.rapidreview.com ). Beginning 1 Jun 2003, all submissions to The Auk must be must be made electronically
THE ORNITHOLOGICAL NEWSLETTER has been online for some time now at: http://birds.cornell.edu/osna/ornnewsl.htm ). It is our hope that in the interests of conservation of natural and financial resources more members will choose to use the online edition rather than to receive a hardcopy in the mail. To facilitate this, whenever a new issue is posted to the web we will send email notification to members who have provided an email address, along with a direct link to the current issue. If you have provided an email address but would prefer not to receive this notification on a regular basis, you may opt out. If you would like to receive notification but have not provided an email address to OSNA, please go to http://osna.allenmm.com and update your address information.
AOU FELLOWS AND ELECTIVE MEMBERS ARE REMINDED that nominations for new members of these classes must reach the Secretary five months before the Stated Meeting, i.e. by 6 March 2003. Nominators must first obtain instructions and forms for 2003 from the Chair of the Committee on Nomination of Fellows and Elective Members, JAMES N. M. SMITH, Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, 6270 University Blvd., Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, CANADA (PH: 604-822-3363, FX: 604-822-2416, EM: smith@zoology.ubc.ca , 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 additional information, see the Dec 2002 Ornithological Newsletter.
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THE AVIAN ENERGETICS LAB is continuing its services. While currently located at the University of Western Ontario, it is relocating to BIRD STUDIES CANADA, situated in Port Rowan, Long Point, Ontario. While the lab will not open under the supervision of BSC for several months, we invite you to look at our services and book your work in advance. Our unique services include: (focused on, but not limited to birds) Composition of carcass or specific tissue(i.e. breast, leg, liver), Custom necropsies, Upper digestive tract contents, Feathers, Reproductive tissue analysis, Data entry and calculations. Special rates for graduate students. For further information, reasonable prices, and references, please contact: ANDREA FLOWERS, Head Technician for Dr. C. D. Ankney (EM: cdankney@uwo.ca , Department of Biology, Rm 232 Biological and Geological Sciences Building, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada, N6A 5B7 (PH: 519-661-2111 ext. 86731, EM: aflowers@uwo.ca ).
"THE BIRD COURSE", a 5-day course on ornithology and birding is being held 19-23 May 2003 by Profs. David Bird and Rodger Titman of McGill University, Montreal. $350 CDN (or $250 U.S.) plus very low dorm rates; max. enrollment: 25 adults. No qualifications necessary. 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 ).
DATABASE OF ORNITHOLOGISTS WORKING IN NEOTROPICS--You are invited to be part of the new database of "Ornithologists working in the Caribbean, Central and South America". This database will be a medium to improve the communications among us, and will give the national and international institutions interested in ornithology a way to contact experts in these regions. If you wish to have an idea about the way the database is organized, you can visit the version for Mexico (URL: http://www.huitzil.net/baseornitologos.html ). The Mexican version has more than 450 ornithologists and has been visited nearly 4500 times per year over the past five or six years. It has been visited by individuals and national and international institutions (e.g., Birdlife International, Ornithological Neotropical Society, Lynx Editions, Partners in Flight, Association of Field Ornithologists) for the purpose of contacting and consulting colleagues, asking professional advice and sending information about meetings, funding opportunities, and announcements about international projects, among other things. It is expected that the expanded database will be consulted even more frequently than the original database, which listed only Mexican ornithologists. If you wish to be included, send the following information to ortizrau@uaeh.reduaeh.mx : Full name, Mail address, Phone, Fax, E-mail, Country (where you work with birds), Specialty in ornithology and species, or group of species, worked (in the past and currently), Name of the specific areas of study in every country worked (past and present, and if you can send me geographic coordinates of every site, it will be perfect). Those without e-mail access can send their information to: DR. RAUL ORTIZ PULIDO, Laboratorio de Ecología de Poblaciones, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo, A.P. 69, Pachuca, Hidalgo, 42001, México.
STATUS OF BIRD CONSERVATION EFFORTS IN NORTH AMERICA to be addressed--Nearly four years after the formation of the North American Bird Conservation Initiative (NABCI), the status and direction of integrated bird conservation in North America will be reviewed Saturday morning, 29 Mar 2003 at the 68th North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Ken Babcock of Ducks Unlimited will open by reviewing how bird conservation got to the point it is now. Charles Baxter and Rex Johnson of the US Fish and Wildlife Service then will present the "state of the art" in landscape planning for conservation. Ken Williams of USGS-Biological Resources Division will identify science information needs. David Waller of Georgia Wildlife Resources Agency will present state agency needs. Ellie Cohen of Point Reyes Bird Observatory will provide an assessment from a nongoverment organization viewpoint, and Bob McLean of the Canadian Wildlife Service will provide international perspectives on the bird conservation movement. USFS Director Steve Williams will explain how the Service will respond to the call for national leadership in bird conservation, and Wildlife Management Institute President Rollin Sparrow will provide a vision for all-bird conservation and beyond. For additional information go to http://www.wildlifemanagementinstitute.org . (Excerpted from Outdoor News Bulletin, Wildlife Management Institute.)
CAVNET is a global forum to facilitate scientific discussions concerning cavity-nesting birds via email. The list was established in 1995 and currently has over 400 subscribers from over 35 countries. The moderated mailing list (i.e. no junk mail or off-topic postings) provides a forum for the announcement of new publications, discussion of research techniques, general inquiries, and other topics related to cavity-nesting birds. To view previous postings on CAVNET, you can visit the CAVNET archives (URL: http://www.escribe.com/science/cavnet/index.html ). To subscribe to CAVNET, send a message to listserv@uvvm.uvic.ca and in the body of the message write "subscribe CAVNET yourfirstname yourlastname". Further information can be obtained from the CAVNET website (URL: http://bio.fsu.edu/~jameslab ) or by contacting the list moderator, ERIC L. WALTERS (EM: ewalters@bio.fsu.edu ).
*RAPTOR WORKSHOP: A 5-day workshop entitled "Introduction to Raptor Field Techniques" will be held 1-5 June 2003 in Stevens Point, WI by Eugene Jacobs of the Linwood Springs Research Station, and Loren Ayers of the Wis. Dept. Natural Resources. Receive first hand experience working on live raptors: capturing and handling techniques, broadcast call surveys, tree climbing and rappelling, habitat sampling techniques, telemetry equipment and more. Cost is $365 and space is limited. For more information visit http://www.raptorresearch.com . For reservations contact EUGENE JACOBS (EM: lsrs@raptorresearch.com ).
ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY ENERGY SOURCE may blow ill for certain wildlife-Wind power offers hope for a clean and sustainable energy source. It may be one of the most ecologically benign means for generating electricity. Nevertheless, it also may entail serious environmental impacts, reports the Wildlife Management Institute. Those impacts are focused on birds of the central and northern Great Plains, where most the United State's wind energy potential occurs. The vast, open plains already arguably represent the most ecologically impaired region of the United States. Early concerns about wind energy development focused on bird mortality resulting from collisions with wind generator blades, towers, support structures and power lines. This was a readily observable and documentable phenomenon, so was easy to garner support for studies and for corrective actions. Wind power industry leaders generally responded responsibly and effectively to this matter by supporting monitoring and implementing improved designs. However, evidence now suggests that wind power development poses other, less easily detected but equally as insidious threats to some rare wildlife species and fragile ecosystems. The greatest of these threats may come in the forms of landscape fragmentation and habitat abandonment by grassland birds. Studies indicate that some grassland birds abandon habitat within a mile or more of tall artificial structures, such as wind turbine towers. Birds that exhibit behavioral avoidance of such structures include species of major management concern, such as the Lesser Prairie-chicken-a candidate for protection under the Endangered Species Act. Scientists are concerned that even a single large wind power facility could result in the functional loss of thousands of acres of grassland bird habitat. The Lesser Prairie-chicken, with current population declines steeper than those of the nearly-extinct Attwater's Prairie-Chicken, could be pushed to threatened or endangered status by just a few ill-placed wind energy facilities. Other grassland species could be threatened as well, including Henslow's Sparrow and the Greater Prairie-Chicken. For now, wildlife professionals in the Great Plains are working to establish a dialogue and ensure cooperation with wind energy developers, who have been responsive on structural modifications but have yet to address the significant behavioral avoidance issue. More information regarding wind energy and wildlife issues is available on the Wildlife Management Institute website at http://www.wildlifemanagementinstitute.org/wmi/pages/windpower.html , or from ROB MANES, WMI (EM: wmimanes@prattusa.com ), or from STEPHANIE HARMON, USFWS, (EM: Stephanie_Harmon@fws.gov ). (Excerpted from Outdoor News Bulletin, Wildlife Management Institute.)
HAWK MOUNTAIN SANCTUARY ANNOUNCES the opening of its Acopian Center for Conservation Learning, at the westernmost edge of the Sanctuary, near Drehersville, Pennsylvania. The facility includes an 11,000-sq ft Research Center, a 6000-sq ft residence for graduate students and interns, and a 4,500-sq ft residence for visiting scientists. Library holdings include more than 2,500 monographs and books, active runs of 65 journals, and collections in excess of 10,000 reprints. The Acopian Center is designed to serve as a global information hub and training facility for raptor biologists and conservationists. Inquiries regarding its use should be directed to KEITH L. BILDSTEIN, Acopian Center-Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, 410 Summer Valley Road, Orwigsburg, PA 17961 (PH: 570 943 3411 ext. 108; EM: Bildstein@hawkmtn.org ).
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NEWS FROM THE ORNITHOLOGICAL COUNCIL
Provided by DAVID E. BLOCKSTEIN, Chair, and ELLEN PAUL, Executive Director, The Ornithological Council, (EM: 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.
PRESIDENT BUSH SIGNS LEGISLATION authorizing doubling of NSF budget but President's FY 2004 budget request likely to fall short of mark--President George W. Bush on 19 Dec 2002 signed legislation to double the budget of the National Science Foundation (NSF) over the next five years. The National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 2002 (H.R. 4664) authorizes a budget increase of 105 percent for the NSF, from $4.8 billion in FY 2002 to $9.8 billion in FY 2007. Like all authorizing legislation, the NSF authorization bill provides guidance for the annual appropriations process, but does not directly establish the agency's funding levels. Ultimately, NSF funding levels are determined annually by the House and Senate Appropriations subcommittees on Housing and Urban Development, Veterans Affairs, and Independent Agencies. Congress has not enacted the FY 2003 appropriations bill that provides funding for NSF, but both the House and Senate Appropriations Committee have approved bills calling for increases in line with a five-year doubling timeline. Meanwhile, Science magazine reported on 20 Dec that the budget Bush plans to propose for FY2004 includes only a 9% increase for NSF, falling short of the 15% annual increase needed to double the budget over five years. At this stage of the budget process, agencies are still negotiating with the White House, and the actual proposed numbers won't be known until the first week in February, when the President's budget request is transmitted to Congress.
OC PUBLISHES FACT SHEET ON RADIO TELEMETRY FREQUENCY DILEMMA--The Ornithological Council has published a fact sheet on the use of radio telemetry in ornithology. It can be found at http://www.nmnh.si.edu/BIRDNET/Radio_tracking.html . Copies can also be requested by sending me an e-mail (don't forget to include your regular postal address if you want a hard copy). Anyone who radio tracks, or plans to radio track birds in the United States should read this fact sheet. A seemingly simple question from an ornithologist about frequency assignment and coordination led us to realize that this was anything but simple. What we learned is that there is no current FCC frequency assignments for wildlife telemetry (for non-governmental users) that is both suitable and legal for avian radio tracking. The fact sheet explains why this is the case, suggests alternatives, and details what the Ornithological Council is doing to correct the situation. This fact sheet was made possible by virtue of the generous support provided to the Ornithological Council by its ten member societies and many individual ornithologists, who contributed to the OC when renewing their memberships via the OSNA dues notice. Thanks for supporting our work!
CANADA'S SPECIES AT RISK ACT FINALLY ENACTED - The Species at Risk Act (SARA) received Royal Assent on 12 Dec 2002, bringing to a close a nine-year legislative process to protect Canada's species at risk and their critical habitat. The new legislation will come into force in 2003. The new legislation ensures that species are assessed under a rigorous and independent scientific process that operates at arm's length from the federal government. It also requires the development of recovery action plans for species that are found to be most at risk, and recognizes the essential role of Aboriginal peoples in the conservation of wildlife by requiring the establishment of a National Aboriginal Council on Species at Risk. In the period leading up to the order in council, the Government of Canada will develop the regulations required under the Act, including regulations on compensation. Said the Honourable David Anderson, Minister of the Environment, "SARA is the result of an extensive consultation process that has seldom been seen in Canadian history and the legislation enjoys broad support among Canadians. This inclusive process will continue as the Act provides for openness and transparency at all stages." SARA is one of three elements of the government's Strategy for the Protection of Species at Risk. Under the Accord for the Protection of Species at Risk, the Government of Canada works with provinces and territories on a common approach to protecting species at risk in Canada that includes complementary legislation and programs to protect habitat and species. The other key component of the federal Strategy is stewardship, a cornerstone of the Government of Canada's approach to species protection. Canada's Stewardship Agenda, approved earlier this year by federal, provincial and territorial Ministers of Wildlife, encourages Canadians to work together in a landscape approach to protect habitat, contribute to the recovery of species at risk and conserve Canada's natural heritage. One such initiative is the federal government's Habitat Stewardship Program for Species at Risk, which funds projects that support habitat conservation and stewardship.
UPDATE ON CEC PETITIONS - In Nov 1999, a number of organizations filed a "citizens submission on enforcement" with the Commission on Environmental Cooperation, alleging that the United States government fails to effectively enforce Section 703 of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, which prohibits the killing of migratory birds without a permit. The Submission alleges that " the United States deliberately refuses, however, to enforce this clear statutory prohibition as it relates to loggers, logging companies, and logging contractors. As a matter of internal policy, the United States has exempted logging operations from the MBTA's prohibitions without any legislation or regulation that authorizes such an exception." In Feb 2000, the U.S. filed a response to the submission. The Secretariat of the Commission (the working staff) then recommended in Dec 2000 to the CEC Council that a factual record be developed. In Nov 2001, the Council instructed the Secretariat to develop a factual record - although it would be limited to two specific cases - the logging of several hundred trees by a private landowner during the nesting season of Great Blue Herons, allegedly resulting in hundreds of crushed eggs, and a logging companies alleged intentional burning of four trees on private land, one allegedly holding an Osprey nest. On 28 Nov 2002, another major step occurred - the Secretariat submitted the draft factual record to the Council. It is not publicly available yet. There is a second case of this nature pending - in which the Canadian Nature Federation, Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, Federation of Ontario Naturalists, Sierra Club (United States), Sierra Club of Canada, and others allege that Canada is failing to effectively enforce section 6(a) of the Migratory Bird Regulations (MBR) adopted under the Migratory Birds Convention Act, 1994 (MBCA) against the logging industry in Ontario. Section 6(a) of the MBR makes it an offence to disturb, destroy or take a nest or egg of a migratory bird without a permit. The Canadian petition alleges that, based on statistical data, in the year 2001 clear-cutting activity destroyed over 85,000 migratory bird nests in areas of Central and Northern Ontario. They allege that Environment Canada, through its Canadian Wildlife Service, is primarily responsible for enforcing the MBCA and that virtually no action has been taken to enforce section 6(a) of the MBR against logging companies, logging contractors and independent contractors. On 12 Nov 2002, the Secretariat informed the Council that the Canadian submission warrants development of a factual record.
CONGRESS EXEMPTS MILITARY PREPAREDNESS EXERCISES FROM MIGRATORY BIRD TREATY ACT - After the elections, Congress only came back into town for a very brief session. However, it was time enough to enact legislation giving the Department of Defense an exemption from the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. The provision gives the Defense Department an interim exemption from the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and gives the Secretary of the Interior a year to come up with regulations permanently exempting military readiness activities from the law. The provision also requires the military to take appropriate actions to avoid unnecessarily killing or harming migratory birds, and to monitor the effect of the exemption on birds. The law pertains only to military preparedness activities, not all Department of Defense activities. Military preparedness includes live-fire practice, such as the bombing on Farallon de Medinilla, which prompted the lawsuit that led to this legislation in the first place. At least one of the organizations that filed that lawsuit vowed to challenge this new exemption in the courts and in Congress. Although DOD originally sought exemptions from the ESA, Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Marine Mammal Protection Act and other environmental laws, only MBTA remained in the final bill.
ROUND-UP OF CHANGES TO NATIONAL FOREST MANAGEMENT-The Bush Administration has been issuing proposed regulations to change National Forest management practices at a dizzying speed. Most have been issued to advance the "Healthy Forests" initiative, a suite of policy and management changes intended to address the challenges posed by increased threat of severe fire; others address the problem of "process predicament" and "analysis paralysis" - two catch-phrases used by the Forest Service to describe the lengthy and often complex processes required for forest management planning under the Forest Management Planning Act. Perhaps the most significant of the pending rules was that proposing to replace the rule governing the forest management planning process issued on 9 Nov 2000. That 2000 rule culminated a decade of effort to revise the original, 1982 planning regulations. Based largely on a report("Sustaining the People's Lands;" URL: http://www.fs.fed.us/news/science/ ) drafted by a Committee of Scientists appointed by the Forest Service and finalized after a year-long public-comment process that included dozens of public hearings, the 2000 rule was premised on the need to maintain the ecological, economic, and social sustainability of the National Forests. According to the Forest Service, the new proposed rules result from "a review conducted by Forest Service personnel at the direction of the Office of the Secretary. The review affirmed much of the 2000 rule and the underlying concepts of sustainability, monitoring, evaluation, collaboration, and use of science. Although the 2000 rule was intended to simplify and streamline the development and amendment of land and resource management plans, the review concluded that the 2000 rule is neither straightforward nor easy to implement. The review also found that the 2000 rule did not clarify the programmatic nature of land and resource management planning. This proposed rule is intended to improve upon the 2000 rule by providing a planning process which is more readily understood, is within the agency's capability to implement, is within anticipated budgets and staffing levels, and recognizes the programmatic nature of planning." The new proposed rule has two options pertaining to ecological sustainability-the basic tenet of the Clinton rule was ecological, economic, and social sustainability - that will be discussed at a workshop 18-20. Feb 2003.The Ornithological Council has nominated JOHN HAGAN to participate in this workshop; OC Chair DAVID BLOCKSTEIN also plans to participate on behalf of the National Council for the Environment.
OTHER SIGNIFICANT CHANGES PERTAINING TO FOREST MANAGEMENT AND PROTECTION include a proposed rule that would eliminate the requirement for environmental impact studies of 1) Hazardous fuels reduction activities (such as thinning overstocked stands and brush); and (2) activities for rehabilitating and stabilizing lands and infrastructure (such as reseeding) impacted by wildland fires or fire suppression. The 16 Dec announcement states that the Departments of Agriculture and Interior intend to categorically exclude these activities because they "will not result in significant impacts on the environment and therefore normally do not require further analysis in either an environmental assessment or an environmental impact statement." The rule is part of a planned, coordinated program by the departments of Interior, Commerce and Agriculture to speed forest thinning, shorten the time for appeals of forest health decisions, and expedite Endangered Species Act decisions. Public comment would not be formally taken after a project is proposed, and citizen appeals would be limited or, in actions deemed to be emergencies, prohibited entirely. A new rule proposing to overturn the Clinton-era plan to reduce road-building in the National Forests can also be expected. The Forest Service was apparently relying on the federal courts to overturn this rule, which had been halted by an injunction issued by a District Court in Idaho last year. However, on 13 Dec 2002, The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit in San Francisco lifted the injunction in a strongly worded decision affirming the legal basis for the new regulation and sharply criticizing a lower court for blocking the measure in May 2001. The Bush administration had declined to defend in court the Clinton rule preserving 58.5 million acres of inventoried roadless areas in national forests from industry attacks. However, according to a 13 Dec Washington Post article, the Bush administration is going ahead with plans to open up more federal forest land to logging and other activities despite the ruling from the federal appeals court decision. "From our standpoint the rule goes back in place, but it doesn't fundamentally change our course of action," Mark Rey, the U.S. Department of Agriculture undersecretary in charge of forest policy, said Friday. He suggested that the Forest Service would simply replace the roadless rule, saying, "We'd still be obliged to pull the old rule back to do a new one."
MOUNTAIN PLOVER SOON TO BE DESIGNATED AS THREATENED, While Colorado Division of Wildlife implements new strategies-On 5 Dec 2002, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) re-opened the comment period on the proposed listing of the Mountain Plover as a threatened species. The most notable feature of the proposed listing was the intent to issue, in advance, a blanket incidental take exemption for the incidental take of mountain plovers during routine farming practices on summer fallow, cropland idle, or cropland harvested between 1 Apr and 30 June in Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Laramie and Goshen Counties, Wyoming. Ordinarily, incidental take permits require that an application must be submitted, and that the application outline mitigation measures, and a conservation plan. In support of this proposed blanket exemption for incidental take of Mountain Plovers, the USFWS cites Section 4(d) of the ESA - commonly known as the "special rule" provision - which allows the USFWS to issue such regulations as are necessary and advisable to conserve the species. The Federal Register notice stated that this special rule was proposed because research on the implications of tilling on Mountain Plover populations is still underway and not expected to be completed until 2004. The notice also suggested that the special rule would give the USFWS a chance to work with the Colorado Farm Bureau, local agricultural producers, and local government, but very little detail was given about those efforts. Responding to an inquiry from the Ornithological Council, Larry Nelson, the Species Conservationist for the Colorado Division of Wildlife (CDOW) outlined the CDOW's new management initiative to protect Mountain Plover nests on private lands. After being notified by a landowner that tilling is about to begin, the CDOW will send observers to search for and flag nests. When tilling, the participating landowner will avoid the nests. Nelson says that the special rule proposed by the USFWS to relieve landowners of incidental take liability is necessary to attract them into this voluntary program. In addition, CDOW will hold workshops that include showing landowners the economic advantages of having Mountain Plovers on private property. Some landowners derive income from guiding birdwatchers to Mountain Plover sightings on their ranches. A video, planned for Fall 2003, will give landowners general Mountain Plover information, including identification and nest avoidance information. In addition, CDOW also hopes to fund continuing important research efforts (long-term Pawnee studies, migrational movements, breeding study, wintering ground surveys, importance of black-tailed prairie dog sites, genetic studies). The shortgrass prairie is one of three focus areas for the CDOW's new Colorado Species Conservation Partnership (CSCP), a $25 million program to purchase easements and establish management agreements. The CSCP's new full-time program manger, Ken Morgan (who worked the previous 27 years for the Colorado Farm Bureau), is uniquely qualified to work with the farming community to make the new concept work. The first round easements (many will be perpetual) and management agreements will be in place by mid summer.
NATIONAL ACADEMIES OF SCIENCE ISSUES STATEMENT ON THE IMPACT OF VISA RESTRICTIONS on U.S. science--On 13 Dec 2002, the National Academies of Science issued a strong statement calling for the U.S. government to implement an effective and timely visa screening procedure for foreign scientists, engineers, and medical researchers, one that is consistent with the twin goals of maintaining the health of science and technology in the United States and protecting the nation's security. The statement asked that the Department of State and its consular officials recognize that, in addition to their paramount responsibility to deny visas to potential terrorists, the long-term security of the United States depends on admitting scholars who benefit our nation. The Academy noted that recent efforts by the U.S. government to constrain the flow of international visitors in the name of national security are having serious unintended consequences for American science, engineering, and medicine. The evidence the Academies considered reveals that ongoing research collaborations have been hampered; that outstanding young scientists, engineers, and health researchers have been prevented from or delayed in entering the U.S.; that important international conferences have been canceled or negatively impacted; and that such conferences will be moved out of the U.S. in the future if the situation is not corrected. Prompt action is needed, according to the Academy. Under current rules, consular officials send many visa applications back to the United States for sequential security clearances by several agencies, leading to long delays and backlogs. Consular officers are subject to criminal penalties if they grant a visa to someone who subsequently commits a terrorist act in the United States. Unfortunately, there are currently no offsetting incentives for consular officers to serve the national interest by facilitating scientific exchanges. The list of those who have been prevented from entering the United States includes scholars asked to speak at major conferences, distinguished professors invited to teach at our universities, and even foreign associates of our Academies. It includes research collaborators for U.S. laboratories whose absence not only halts projects, but also compromises commitments made in long-standing international cooperative agreements.
PERMIT APPLICATIONS-It isn't too early too apply for research permits for next spring and summer. An increasing workload that has not been matched by an increase in staff has made it more difficult to process permits rapidly. Some ornithologists (and especially graduate students) wait until the late spring to apply for permits for research that is planned to start in a few weeks. Filing your application well in advance of the research season is to your advantage, particularly if the USFWS has questions about the application that might take some time to resolve.
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RESEARCH SITES FOR BLACKBIRDS AND DUCKS--I am looking for places to attract Rusty Blackbirds to feeders for some behavioral experiments. Preferably this is an area where Rusty Blackbirds already visit with predictability. Also, I am looking for sites where Mallards and American Black Ducks come in for feed together. Any clues will be greatly appreciated. Also, I would like to correspond with anyone who has had experience attracting blackbirds to feed. RUSS GREENBERG (EM: antbird@erols.com ), Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center.
HELP US FIND COLOR-BANDED CASPIAN TERNS: Adult and juvenile Caspian terns have been banded at several tern colonies throughout the Pacific Northwest in order to measure survival, post-breeding dispersal, and movements among colonies. Each tern was banded with a federal numbered metal leg band and a unique combination of colored leg bands that allows for the identification of individual terns at a distance (i.e., at roosts or on colonies). A web site was developed to allow observers an easy way to report resightings of color-banded Caspian terns and immediately view the banding location and resighting history of a reported bird. These terns are part of the Pacific Coast/Western subpopulation and may be seen along the Pacific Coasts of South, Central, and North America, or at interior sites in the west. For more information or to report a resighting of a color-banded Caspian tern, please go to http://www.columbiabirdresearch.org .
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS--As part of The Pacific Lumber Company (PALCO) Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP), PALCO, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the California Department of Fish and Game are seeking proposals to conduct scientific research regarding the conservation needs for the marbled murrelet in Northern California. Successful proposals will address one or more important issues regarding the conservation needs of the marbled murrelet. Proposals should be for fieldwork within marbled murrelet conservation zones 4 and/or 5 (as described in the USFWS Recovery Plan for the marbled murrelet). Research topics that may be funded include, but are not limited to those detailed below under Research Priorities. Research projects are expected to have a rigorous, hypothesis-based scientific work plan and a strong rationale for the proposed research. Each proposal will be evaluated for its ability to contribute in a cost-effective manner to our understanding of marbled murrelet biology and conservation. Funding will be available for single-year or multi-year projects, ranging from $5,000 to $100,000. Continued funding for multi-year projects will be contingent upon satisfactory progress. Submission: Proposals are due by 15 February 2003. RON LEVALLEY, Mad River Biologists, 1497 Central Avenue, McKinleyville CA 95519 (EM: ron@madriverbio.com ).
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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://birds.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 .
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 2004) 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 April 2003. 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 ).
BREWSTER AND COUES AWARDS--Nominations are invited for the Brewster and Coues Awards for 2003. 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 published in relatively brief articles or in non-ornithological journals. Each nomination should 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. Please see The Auk (89: 436-438, 1972) for a description of the differences in qualifications between the awards. Nominations should be submitted by 1 Mar 2003 to: DR. WALT KOENIG, Hastings Reservation, 38601 E. Carmel Valley Rd., Carmel Valley, CA 93924 (PH: 831-659-5981; FX: 831-659-0148; EM preferred: wicker@uclink4.berkeley.edu ).
2002 MORLEY NELSON FELLOWSHIP--Conservation Research Foundation announces the awarding of the 2002 Morley Nelson Fellowship to Graham G. Frye, of Choteau, MT, for a study entitled "Nest Site Selection by Northern Pygmy Owls (Glaucidium gnoma) in Montana."
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 2001 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/ . Applications post-marked after 14 Feb 2003will not be considered.
LESLIE BROWN MEMORIAL GRANT 2003--In memory of one of the most inspired and productive raptor conservation biologists of recent decades, the Raptor Research Foundation, Inc. announces the availability of this grant, for up to $2,000, to provide financial assistance to promote the research and/or the dissemination of information on birds of prey. Applicants must send a resume, specific study objectives, an account of how funds will be spent, and an indication of how the proposed work would relate to other work by the applicant (if applicable) and to other sources of funding. Proposals regarding African raptors will receive highest priority among proposals of otherwise equal merit. Please note that the application deadline has changed. A complete application (see above) must be received by 15 February. Recipients will be notified by 15 April 2003. Proposals, donations, and inquiries about tax-exempt contributions to the fund should be sent to: DR. JEFF LINCER (EM: jllincer@tns.net ), Director of Research, Wildlife Research Institute, Inc., 9251 Golondrina Drive, California 91941 USA.
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ECOLOGY.INFO is a new, online publication with professional quality, state-of-the-art reviews about bird ecology. These reviews are updated online, as soon as results of new scientific research become available, and so are never out-of-date. ECOLOGY.INFO invites professionally-trained ornithologists and ecologists to publish reviews on its free website. Manuscripts may be submitted in English, Spanish or Portuguese. PAUL D. HAEMIG, PhD., Editor, ECOLOGY.INFO (EM: haemig@ecology.info ).
"BIRD TRAFFIC CASUALTIES AND ROAD QUALITY FOR BREEDING BIRDS - A SUMMARY OF EXISTING PAPERS WITH A BIBLIOGRAPHY," is a paper I have written and have put on my web site (URL: http://www.birdresearch.dk ) because the work is too long (42 pages) for a periodical. It is the first time a summary of all ornithological papers on this serious problem has been written. The Zoological Record has never presented papers about traffic accidents. Nevertheless, approx. 300 articles in many languages have been collected. Some of the most important works are furthermore in Danish and Swedish with little or no English abstract and therefore unknown to the English-speaking world. JOHANNES ERRITZOE, House of Bird Research, Taps old Rectory, Oedisvej 43, Taps, DK-6070 Christiansfeld, Denmark (PH: +45 75 57 31 56; EM: erritzoe@altavista.net ).
"OSPREYS IN OREGON AND THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST" The U.S. Geological Survey just published a 4-page fact sheet "Ospreys in Oregon and the Pacific Northwest" (USGS FS-153-02, December 2002). It is loaded with information and many color photos. In addition to basic biological information, subjects covered include: population changes, contaminants, use as biological indicators, power poles and channel markers as nest sites, and migration patterns. It was prepared by C. J. Henny, J. L. Kaiser, and R. A. Grove and is available "free" from the address or email shown below. This publication will also be available from our webpage (URL: http://xorn.wr.usgs.gov/products/fs/fs-153-02.pdf ).
"BIRD SONG EAR TRAINING GUIDE: WHO COOKS FOR POOR SAM PEABODY?" BY John Feith, Writers' Collective, ISBN 1-932133-09-7, $14.95. Total Running Time: 60 minutes. This audio CD is a unique tool for learning how to recognize bird songs and includes nearly two hundred bird songs and memory aids. Each bird song is followed by a mnemonic (such as "Who cooks for your all?" for the Barred Own) or a short description. Then the bird is identified and a review sound is played again. The quiz format of the new CD helps listeners focus on learning how to identify the bird songs. Also, the included mnemonics make the CD more enjoyable to listen to. Profits from the sale of this CD will be donated to the Nature Conservancy and the Wisconsin Society for Ornithology. More details, sample audio clips and ordering information are available at: http://ww.caculo.com/birdsongs .
"MONTEREY BIRDS, 2nd EDITION" by Don Roberson. 2002. Monterey Peninsula Audubon Society. 536 pp., 174 breeding-range maps; 9 other maps; 65 color photographs; 61 b/w photographs. ISBN: 0-9615798-2-X, $24.95. Completely revised and expanded to twice the size of Roberson's (1985) Monterey Birds. As well as drawing on the information presented in the first edition, this new edition incorporates a wealth of statistical data and anecdotal information amassed during the County's 1988-1992 breeding bird atlas project. New to, or substantially revised for this edition are: over 100 new photographs; bird-finding directions and maps to Monterey County's most productive birding sites; over 170 revised range maps; detailed, annotated species accounts current through mid-August 2002; bar graphs for the 482 species recorded for the County; three appendices: "Chronology of the Monterey County List;" "Unsuccessful Introductions and Escaped Exotics;" and "Species Records Published in the First Edition of Monterey Birds (1985) but Not Used in this Edition." Distributor: American Birding Association Sales, PO Box 6599, Colorado Springs, CO 80934 (PH: 800-634-7736 or 719-578-0607; EM: abasales@abasales.com ; URL: http://www.americanbirding.org/abasales ).
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FOR SALE: Checklist of the Birds of Mexico by Herbert Friedmann, Part I, 1950 $10.00 + shipping; Audubon Field Notes/American Birds/Field Notes, run from 1968 - 2000, $200.00 + shipping. PH: 501-337-4364 or EM: lparker@CSWNET.COM
FOR SALE: Condor 91(3) to present. Auk 99 - present (missing 101 (1), 109 (4), Wildl. Soc. Bull. 15 - present (missing23(1), 24 (3). Bird Bander 15 - present (missing 16 (1,2) 19 (1,4), 23 (1). J. Wildl. Manage. 51 - present (missing 54 (2), 55 (2). Best offer plus shipping. MARK MARTELL (EM: pandionhal@attbi.com ).
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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
19TH TRUMPETER SWAN SOCIETY CONFERENCE: "Working Together to Conserve Our Native Swans", Announcement and Final Call for Papers-- The 19th Trumpeter Swan Society Conference will be held 5-8 Feb 2003 at the Richmond Hotel and Convention Centre, Richmond, B.C. Located minutes south of Vancouver, B.C., this is a major wintering area for migratory trumpeter and tundra swans, and supports a burgeoning resident mute swan population. The conference will focus on the ecology and management of trumpeter and tundra swans throughout North America, recent radio tracking studies and equipment performance, and national and international coordination of swan research and management, with particular attention to mute swan management and interactions with native swans. Co-sponsors include the Canadian Wildlife Service, Ducks Unlimited, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington State Dairy Federation, and the Wildlife Management Institute. For a Conference Registration brochure or details concerning format for abstracts and papers, contact: The Trumpeter Swan Society, 3800 County Road 24, Maple Plain, MN 55359 (EM: ttss@threeriversparkdistrict.org ; PH: 763-476-4663).
THE 4TH ANNUAL ECOLOGICAL INTEGRATION SYMPOSIUM at Texas A&M University - "Natural History and Modern Conservation". The symposium hosts six speakers at a one-day forum for discussion and dissemination of current trends and perspectives in ecology, evolutionary biology, and related fields. This year's theme addresses the history, future direction, and challenges of the conservation of biological diversity. Of particular interest is the relationship of modern conservation ecology to traditional ideologies in natural history. The symposium will be at the Presidential Conference Center at Texas A&M University, College Station, TX on Saturday, 22 Feb 2003.Registration is FREE. For more information and to register, visit: http://eco-symposium.tamu.edu/eco-home.htm . Contact: ecological-symposium@wfsc.tamu.edu
*2003 ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF THE WESTERN SECTION OF THE WILDLIFE SOCIETY, 27 Feb - 1 Mar 2003, Marriott Hotel, Irvine, California, (URL: http://www.tws-west.org/meetings.html#2003wstws ). Plenary session: "Walk a Mile in My Boots", John Wiens, Kent Smith and others. In the plenary session, preeminent wildlife professionals from several different settings will describe their own career opportunities and successes, as well as their challenges; limitations; and, possibly, failures. In so doing, they will also provide guidance on the proper boundaries of professional conduct in their particular field. The goal of the plenary session is to bring together biologists working within the full spectrum of wildlife biology to identify critical recurring issues of professional conduct and ethics and foster among them greater understanding and respect. SPECIAL WORKSHOPS: The following workshops will be held after the Thursday-morning plenary session. The technical concurrent sessions will begin the following day. 1) Reviewing the Boundaries of Professional Conduct, Scott Osborn, California Department of Fish and Game, Eureka, CA (EM: sosborn@dfg.ca.gov ) and Lowell Diller, Simpson Resource Company, Korbel, CA (EM: ldiller@simpson.com ). 2) The Wildlife Society Certification Workshop, Cynthia S. Graves, California Department of Fish and Game, Sacramento, CA (EM: Cgraves@dfg.ca.gov ). 3) Ecology and Management of Invasive Species, Jim Woollett, US Department of Energy, Livermore, CA (EM: woollett1@llnl.gov ). Concurrent sessions: Some session topics that may be of particular interest to ornithologists (A complete list of concurrent-session topics can be viewed on the website): "Ecology, Monitoring Tools, and Management of Passerines and other Landbirds": Rob Hewitt, LBJ Enterprises, Arcata, CA (EM: lbjent@humboldt1.com ). "Ecology and Management of Raptors": Phil Detrich, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Yreka, CA (EM: Phillip_Detrich@fws.gov). "Ecology and Management of Seabirds": Esther Burkett, California Department of Fish and Game, Sacramento, CA (EM: eburkett@dfg.ca.gov ). "Conservation Planning in a Populous Landscape: Gail Presley, Californian Department of Fish and Game, Sacramento, CA (EM: gpresley@dfg.ca.gov ). "Wildlife Management Trends and Practices on Military Lands": Rhys Evans, NREA Division, 29 Palms, CA (EM: evansrm@29palms.usmc.mil ). "Southern California Threatened and Endangered Species": Darrin Thome, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Ventura, CA (EM: darrin_thome@yahoo.com ). "Design and Function of Wildlife Corridors": Sue Sniado, California Department of Fish and Game, Eureka, CA (EM: ssniado@dfg.ca.gov ).
THE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REHABILITATORS ASSOCIATION Symposium 2003 presents "Rehabilitation and Beyond, Broadening Our Horizons" 11 - 15 Mar 2003, Newport, RI. Newport Marriott Hotel, Host: Tufts Wildlife Clinic. Contact Information: NWRA Central Office, 14 7th Avenue North, St. Cloud, MN 56303, (PH: 320-259-4086, EM: nwra@nwrawildlife.org , URL: http://www.nwrawildlife.org )
PARTNERS IN FLIGHT - JOINT MEETING OF THE NORTHEAST & SOUTHEAST WORKING GROUPS will be held 12-15 Mar 2003 at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia. This workshop will highlight ongoing planning, delivery and evaluation efforts contributing to landbird and all-bird conservation goals of Partners in Flight and the North American Bird Conservation Initiative. The program will feature research and/or monitoring efforts in the southeastern and northeastern Unites States having distinct potential for evaluating or strengthening the biological foundation of work conducted through these initiatives. A portion of the program will focus on bird conservation issues in the Appalachian Bird Conservation Region with working sessions that attempt to advance a coordinated, landscape scale conservation effort in this region. We are encouraging researchers and resource professionals in ecology and conservation to contribute their expertise by participating on the workshop program. Presentations emphasizing planning, implementation, research, or monitoring efforts or issue-specific overviews that support this program focus are preferred, though we welcome all contributions. Posters treating any topic related to bird conservation are welcomed. We would like to especially encourage graduate students to make contributions. Abstracts for oral or poster presentations (< 250 words) should be submitted by email to DR. JEFFREY WALTERS (EM: jrwalt@vt.edu ) by 15 Jan 2003 or 31 Jan 2003, respectively. Submissions should include title, authors' names, affiliations, e-mail addresses and indicate who will be presenting if more than one author. Oral presenters should indicate which media they will be presenting in (slide, laptop projection, overhead, etc.). For details visit the workshop website at http://fwie.fw.vt.edu/www/military/PIF_Blacksburg.htm .
*THE 84TH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE WILSON ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY and the 80TH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE ASSOCIATION OF FIELD ORNITHOLOGISTS, 19-23 Mar 2003, will be held at Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, Ohio. Ohio Wesleyan's Clark Ornithology Symposium will focus on "Evolution of Birds in the Galapagos" on Thursday, Mar 20 and will be followed by a day of field trips. The scientific paper sessions will open on Saturday with the Margaret Morse Nice Medal Lecture by Robert Ricklefs. Information on registration, hotels, transportation, scientific program, and submitting papers to be presented at the meeting can be found on the web sites of the Wilson Ornithological Society (URL: http://www.ummz.lsa.umich.edu/birds/wos.html ) and the Association of Field Ornithologists (URL: http://www.afonet.org ). The local host is EDWARD (JED) H. BURTT, JR.
*2003 INTERNATIONAL CANADA GOOSE SYMPOSIUM (ICGS) will be held in Madison, Wisconsin on 19-21 Mar at the Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center on the banks of Lake Monona. The ICGS Committee invites all researchers, biologists, and natural resource administrators to attend the symposium. The symposium will cover all aspects of Canada goose ecology and management and will include a special session focusing on issues regarding resident Canada geese. There will also be some optional field trips for attendees to participate in. Please visit our website (URL: http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/land/wildlife/conferences ) for more information on the symposium.
68th NORTH AMERICAN WILDLIFE AND NATURAL RESOURCES CONFERENCE (26-30 Mar 2003) in Winston-Salem, NC. Proposals (and abstracts) for presentations/papers must be submitted before 15 Sep 2003, and the sooner the better. Updates on the 68th North American Conference planning, including a preliminary calendar of certain events, exhibits, registration and more, will be posted on the Wildlife Management Institute's web site (URL: http://www.wildlifemgt.org ) and updated periodically. For additional information about the 68th Conference program, contact JIM WOEHR, Wildlife Management Institute (PH: 202-371-1808).
EASTERN BIRD BANDING ASSOCIATION annual meeting 4-6 Apr 2003 at the Hidden Valley Resort near Ligonier, PA Workshops to learn different banding techniques as well as improving banding skills will be held at Powdermill Nature Reserve. For information please contact BRAD S. SILFIES, 1525 Blue Mountain Drive Danielsville, PA 18038 (EM: bssilfies@entermail.net ).
SYMPOSIUM ANNOUNCEMENT - INNOVATIONS IN SPECIES CONSERVATION: Integrative Approaches to Address Rarity and Risk. Join invited speakers on 28-30 Apr 2003 in Portland, Oregon as they describe and discuss innovative management strategies directed at conserving rare or poorly known species. Participants will examine various conservation strategies, discussing their ecological, social, and legal context and the risks and uncertainties associated with their implementation. Case studies will be presented that address conservation efforts in multiple locations throughout the United States plus one case study from Australia. The symposium is national to international in scope, and the event should be informative for public and private natural resource managers, scientists, policy makers, members of conservation groups, and the general public. The symposium provides a particularly timely opportunity to discuss conservation strategies because of a recent proposal by the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management to change management standards and guidelines for rare and little-known species in a regional management plan. The symposium was originally scheduled for the Sep 2002, but was moved to a later date to avoid conflicts with the fall firefighting efforts in the western United States. Symposium details, including registration forms, are available on the Internet at http://outreach.cof.orst.edu/species/ or call 541-737-2329 or email outreach@for.orst.edu . RUTH JACOBS, USGS Forest & Rangeland Ecosystem Sci. Ctr. Information and Outreach Office (PH: 541-750-1047, EM: ruth_jacobs@usgs.gov ).
*2003 COOPER ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY ANNUAL MEETING--Meeting Announcement and Call for Papers.
Conference website: http://www.usgs.nau.edu/cos2003. The Cooper Ornithological Society will hold its 75th Annual
Meeting from 30 Apr - 03 May, 2003 in Flagstaff, AZ, hosted by the U.S. Geological Survey and Northern Arizona
University. Flagstaff is nestled at 7,000 foot elevation at the base of the San Francisco Peaks, and offers beautiful
scenery and great birding nearby. Registration: Register before 15 Mar for the best rate! Registration payment can
be made via check, money order, government training form (SF 182), or cash (at time of conference). The registration
form can be downloaded from the conference website; registration forms and other conference materials can be mailed
to those without web access, upon request (contact MARK SOGGE). Program and Call for Papers: The conference
will include both oral and poster presentations. Deadline for abstracts of contributed papers or posters is 1 Mar 2003;
detailed format guidelines are available on the conference website. Abstracts can be submitted via mail (on diskette) or
email to the Scientific Program Chair (see below). Web-based submission will be available after 5 Jan 2003. The
conference will include a one-day workshop on estimating avian abundance (30 April; additional fee required). Two
symposia are also scheduled: shrubland bird ecology and conservation, and the ecology and management of the
Yellow-billed Cuckoo. Anyone interested in arranging additional symposia or special sessions should contact
CHARLES VAN RIPER. Facilities and Lodging: The conference will be held at the duBois conference center at
Northern Arizona University. Participants must make their own lodging arrangement; the conference web site lists a
variety of nearby hotels offering discounted rates, and links to other options such as camping and hostels. Student
Awards: Some funds are also available for awards to help defray transportation expenses for students; application
deadline is 3 Mar 2003. Four awards will be given during the meeting for outstanding student oral papers and posters.
Additionally, the Mewaldt-King Student Research Awards, open to both M.S. and Ph.D. students at any point in their
program (application deadline 15 Jan 2003), and the Joseph Grinnell Student Research Awards, restricted to new Ph.D.
students (application deadline 14 Feb 2003) will be presented to support research efforts of graduate students. Visit the
COS or conference website to find out more about applying for each of the awards. Other student activities include an
evening social with the COS Board, officers, and editors, and free tickets for all student presenters to the May 3rd
banquet. Local Committee Chair: MARK SOGGE, USGS Southwest Biological Science Center, Colorado Plateau
Field Station, P.O. Box 5614, Flagstaff, AZ 86011 (PH: 928-556-7311 x 232;FX 928-556-7500; EM:
mark.sogge@nau.edu ). Scientific Program Chair: CHARLES VAN RIPER, USGS Southwest Biological Science
Center, Colorado Plateau Field Station, P.O. Box 5614, Flagstaff, AZ 86011 (PH: 928-556-7311 x 228, FX
928-556-7500; EM: charles_van_riper@usgs.gov ). For more details visit http://www.usgs.nau.edu/cos2003 Note:
This announcement will also be distributed via U.S. mail to all COS members.
*The ANIMAL BEHAVIOR SOCIETY's 40th annual meeting will be held 19-23 Jul 2003 at Boise State University,
in Boise, Idaho. We have an exciting schedule planned, including a keynote address by Ken Dial, a special talk by
Richard Alexander winner of the ABS Distinguished Animal Behaviorist Award and an ABS Fellows lecture by Peter
Narins. Planned symposia include "The neuroethology of decision making," among others. For further information see
http://www.animalbehavior.org/ABS/Program , or contact the local hosts JIM BELTHOFF (EM:
jbeltho@boisestate.edu ) and AL DUFTY (EM: adufty@boisestate.edu ).
HUMCONFERENCE 2003, the 5th biennial Hummingbird Research Group conference, will be held 30 Jul - 2 Aug 2003 at the Audubon California Kern River Preserve in Weldon, CA. There will be banding sessions, workshops, demonstrations, and paper sessions. For more information contact DONALD MITCHELL (EM: dmitchel@pressenter.com ; PH: 715-381-9685)
121ST STATED MEETING OF THE AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGISTS' UNION, University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, 6-9 Aug, 2003. The conference will consist of symposia, workshops and roundtables, contributed oral presentations, and poster sessions. The deadline for submitting proposals for symposia and workshops is 1 Feb 2003. Details regarding submissions for symposia and workshops can be obtained by contacting PATRICK WEATHERHEAD, Chair of the Scientific Program Committee (EM: pweather@uiuc.edu ). The general announcement, including the call for papers, details of the plenary talks, registration forms, post-conference trips, social events, etc., will be mailed early in 2003. These details and other information will be posted on the conference home page at http://www.conted.uiuc.edu/aou . For more information concerning the conference, contact the co-organizers SCOTT ROBINSON (EM: skrobins@life.uiuc.edu ) and JEFF BRAWN (EM: j-brawn@uiuc.edu ).
*THE RAPTOR RESEARCH FOUNDATION, 2003 annual meeting (3-7 Sep 2003), Hilton Hotel in Anchorage, AK. Hosted by the Alaska Bird Observatory. Abstracts for oral and poster presentations on any aspect of raptor biology, ecology, conservation, or management are welcome. Deadline for presentation abstracts is 1 Jun 2003. Details and instructions will be posted on-line (URL: http://www.alaskabird.org ) as they become available. An all-day INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON THE ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT OF NORTHERN GOSHAWKS will be held in conjunction with the conference. The goal of the symposium is to assemble researchers and managers from around the world for an exchange of information with which to assess the current state of knowledge on northern goshawks. Topics of special interest are 1) population ecology and demographics, 2) linkages between habitat and demographic performance; and 3) landscape level management, but submissions dealing with any aspect of northern goshawk ecology and management will be considered. For information regarding the goshawk symposium, contact DR. CLINT BOAL, Texas Cooperative Fish & Wildlife Research Unit, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409-2120 (EM: clint.boal@ttu.edu ). For information regarding the conference, contact NANCY DEWITT, Alaska Bird Observatory, P.O. Box 80505, Fairbanks, AK 99708 (PH: 907-451-7159; EM: birds@alaskabird.org ).
*2003 MEETING OF THE WATERBIRD SOCIETY will be held 24-27 Sep in Cuiabá, Brazil, the capital of the state of Mato Grosso. This is in the area of the famous Pantanal, the largest freshwater wetland in the world, home to over 700 species of birds. The scientific program will consist of symposia, contributed papers and posters. If you would like to sponsor a symposium please contact BETTY ANNE SCHREIBER (EM: SchreiberE@aol.com ). Further details on submitting contributed papers and posters will be on the society web site, accessible through BIRDNET on the web. For travel: direct flights are available to Cuiabá from S o Paulo or Rio de Janeiro International Airports and costs US$100 - 120. Flights to Cuiabá from most major cities in the USA average between US$650-US$1000. The Hotel Fazenda Mato Grosso offers inexpensive, comfortable rooms right next to the meeting conference center (US$23/ person, double occupancy). Additional, more luxurious, accommodations are available at the Best Western Hotel (US$26/person, double occupancy) which is located in the center of Cuiabá, approximately 6 km from the Conference Center. Transport between the two hotels will be provided. Field trips will be offered before and after the meeting. For further information on the location see the website. Registration information will be posted on the web after 1 Mar 2003.
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 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 as well as 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 web page for more information (URL: http://www.neotropicalornithology.org ). Some funds to help defray travel expenses will be available for NOS members needing financial support. CALL FOR PAPERS AND MEETING INFORMATION SOURCES Deadline for proposals for Symposia, Workshops, and Round-tables is 1 Aug 2002. Symposium, Workshop and Round-table organizers will be notified by the end of Sep 2002 whether their proposal is accepted. Oral Contributions, and Posters abstracts must be received no later than 5 Mar 2003. Submit the proposals and abstracts by e-mail to either of the Scientific Program co-chairs (see below). More details about the Scientific Program and Instructions to Authors (for Plenary and Symposia talks) can be found in our quarterly journal Ornitolog a Neotropical and on the NOS web page (URL: http://www.neotropicalornithology.org ). The official web page for registration, accommodation, other local information, travel, and tour information is (URL: http://www.nocchile.cl ). The Proceedings of the VII Neotropical Ornithological Congress will be published after the congress as a special issue or supplement of Ornitolog-a 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: FRANCOIS VUILLEUMIER, (EM: vuill@amnh.org ); Secretary General: LUIS ESPINOSA G., (EM: legpvar@entelchile.net ), Congress Organizer for North America: M. VICTORIA MCDONALD, (EM: vickiem@mail.uca.edu ); Co-chairs of the Scientific Program Committee: JAIME JIMENEZ, (EM: jjimenez@ulagos.cl ), and CRISTINA Y. MIYAKI, (EM: cymiyaki@usp.br ); Proceedings Committee: Editor: RAYMOND MCNEIL, (EM: Raymond.McNeil@umontreal.ca ); and Assistant to the Editor: IVAN LAZO, (EM: bubo@entelchile.net ).
The EURING 2003 conference will be held 6-11 Oct 2003, at the Radolfzell Ornithological Institute (Germany). Details on EURING 2003 can be found at http://www.phidot.org/euring/main_ie.html .
3RD INTERNATIONAL WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT CONGRESS (1-5 Dec 2003) "Ki te raki ki te tonga - Ki uta ki tai (From North to South - From Mountains to Sea); Christchurch, New Zealand; hosted by Manaaki Whenua/Landcare Research (New Zealand), the Wildlife Society (USA), Australasian Wildlife Management Society, Ngai Tahu (Maori tribe of New Zealand's South Island), and the New Zealand Department of Conservation/Te Papa Atawhai. For information, please contact: 3rd IWMC, Conference Office, Centre for Continuing Education, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch, New Zealand (EM: wildlife@cont.canterbury.ac.nz , PH: 64 3 364 2915, FX: 64 3 354 2057, URL: http://www.conference.canterbury.ac.nz/wildlife2003 ).
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ELISABETH M. AMMON has recently accepted a position as the new science director of the Great Basin Bird Observatory. Her new address is Great Basin Bird Observatory, One East First St. #500, Reno NV 89501. PH/FX: 775-972-3705; EM ammon@gbbo.org ; visit GBBO's website at http://www.gbbo.org.
RICHARD C. BANKS has retired (as of 29 Nov 2002) from his position with the USGS, Patuxent Wildlife Research Center (originally Bird and Mammal Labs, Fish and Wildlife Service) in the Division of Birds at the USNM. He will continue on at the museum, working on the AOU Check-list and other projects. His email and phone will remain the same, at least for a while.
CAROLEE CAFFREY has taken a new position with the Science Office of the National Audubon Society, and will be working on West Nile Virus related issues. Her information: Science Office, NAS, 545 Almshouse Rd, Ivyland PA 18974. PH: 215-355-9588, ext. 23. EM: ccaffrey@audubon.org.
VERENA A. GILL recently left the Alaska Science Center, BRD-USGS to accept a position as a wildlife biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Her new contact information is U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1011 East Tudor Road, MS 341, Anchorage, Alaska 99503-6199. PH: 907-786-3584, FX: 907-786-3816, EM: verena_gill@fws.gov
WAYNE C. HARRIS, regional biologist for southwestern Saskatchewan, endangered bird species expert, and Saskatchewan's leading "all-round" biologist, died tragically in a farm machinery accident on 7 October 2002. Wayne joined the AOU and the WOS in 1976 and was a life member of both. He was also a member of the AFO (1997), the WS (1998), the COS (1997) and the RRF (1997). A detailed memorial is scheduled for the March 2003 issue of Blue Jay.
DR. SALLY HOYT SPOFFORD died in Tucson, AZ on 26 October 2002 at the age of 88. She was a member of the AOU since 1940, and an Elective Member since 1978, and a life member of each of the following AFO (1983), RRF (1975),and WOS (1952).
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THE FLOCK, the 2001 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 (PH: 913-843-1221; FX: 913-843-1274; EM: osna@allenpress.com ). To alert your colleagues of your new address information contact theOrnithological Newsletter Editor, CHERYL L. TRINE (address below). Additional copies of The Flock can be purchased from the OSNA Business Office.
CHANGES/ADDITIONS:
BILDSTEIN, KEITH L. EM: bildstein@hawkmtn.org.
MCMASTER, GLEN, Avian Ecologist, Stewardship Division, Saskatchewan Watershed Authority, (address unchanged). EM: glen.mcmaster@swa.ca
PATTON, ROBERT T. EM: rpatton@san.rr.com
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