Return to Ornithological Newsletter main page .
NUMBER 160, JUNE 2004
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.waterbirds.org
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
AOU FELLOWS AND ELECTIVE MEMBERS ARE REMINDED that ballots for Elective Members must be returned to the
Secretary by 27 Jul 2004. The deadline for nominations for EMs and Fellows has already passed. Newly-elected ELECTIVE
MEMBERS will be announced at the Business Meeting of Members on 17 Aug 2004 at the 122nd Stated Meeting at the Université
Laval in Québec City, PQ. By early August 2005, FELLOWS will be sent balloting and other information related to their upcoming
meeting (16 August 2004 at the Université Laval in Québec City), during which they will elect new Fellows and conduct other
business. Contact Secretary M. Ross Lein (EM: mrlein@ucalgary.ca) for more information.
POSITION AVAILABLE: MANAGING EDITOR FOR THE CONDOR. Primary responsibility for copy-editing and proofing manuscripts, and for coordination of all activities of the Editorial Office: flow and tracking of manuscripts, correspondence with authors and reviewers, communication with the journal's printer, and other assistance to the Editor. This is an 80% time position, and requires a highly organized person capable of extremely detailed work with minimal direct supervision. Requirements include proficiency with Microsoft Word, Adobe Acrobat, and database management, strong communication skills, and command of English grammar. Editing and publishing experience required; background in ornithology, biology, or other sciences desirable and preferred, but not an absolute necessity. Position will be located in Bend, Oregon; beautiful Central Oregon is one of the Pacific Northwest's premier outdoor recreation centers known for downhill/Nordic skiing and snowboarding (Mount Bachelor), rock climbing (Smith Rock State Park), world-class fly-fishing, and whitewater rafting/kayaking. Starting date is mid-July 2004. Salary $33,000 per year plus benefits. Serious applicants should send a resume (including references) and a letter of application detailing their qualifications as soon as possible to DAVID DOBKIN, Editor, The Condor, High Desert Ecological Research Institute, 15 S.W. Colorado Avenue, Suite 300, Bend, OR 97702, or by email to dobkin@hderi.org.
FULL ELECTRONIC ACCESS to the entire contents of Condor is now available to Cooper Ornithological Society members. Condor 2000-present: Members at institutions that subscribe to BioOne should continue to access Condor through their institutions' BioOne connection. The COS receives revenue from BioOne when you access the journal this way. All COS members now have personal online access, including members not affiliated with a BioOne subscriber, or those who are simply away from their normal BioOne access point. To gain full online access to Condor, go to the BioOne web site (URL: http://www.bioone.org). When you request access to full text or to download an article, you will be prompted for your UserID and password. Your UserID is COND (all caps), 00 (zero zero) followed by your 6-digit membership number. This number is located in parentheses on the address label of your Condor. Your password is your last name in standard capitalization (example: Smith). Condor 1899-2000: Looking for Condor articles prior to 2000? The Condor Archive 1899-2000, 102 years of Condor, is available online and is FREE to the public. Visit http://www.cooper.org and follow the link to the Condor Archive. The Condor Archive is provided by the Cooper Ornithological Society and is hosted by the IT Department of the University of New Mexico General Library. If you have questions about access to Condor online through BioOne, please contact osna@allenpress.com.
Return to Top
Return to Issue Index
NABC CERTIFICATION SESSION--Eastern Bird Banding Association is scheduling its next NABC certification session at the Bander level for up to six candidates seeking or already possessing U. S. or Canadian banding permits or subpermits, and for the first time at the Trainer level for up to four candidates who have already achieved NABC Bander certification for 1-3 Oct 2004 at Braddock Bay Bird Observatory near Rochester, NY. Applications may be obtained from and submitted , no later than 25 Aug, to ELIZABETH W. BROOKS, 1435 Waterwells Rd., Alfred Station, NY 14803; 607-587-9571 (EM: brookser@infoblvd.net or ebrooks@bbbo.org). NABC manuals and further details are available from the NABC website (URL: www.nabanding.net/nabanding/). Accepted candidates will be notified by no later than 31 Aug. Those seeking Bander certification are encouraged to contact an NABC Trainer (see website) to proctor the written examination portion of the certification prior to coming to BBBO, however, for those not able to do so the examination may be taken at BBBO by prior arrangement. Trainer candidates need not retake this written examination, if previously their grade was 90 or better. See also the EBBA website (URL: http://www.pronetisp.net/~bpbird).
AVIAN MALARIA SPREADING UPWARDS IN HAWAII-High elevation forests are considered a refuge from mosquito-borne diseases, such as malaria, for endangered Hawaiian birds. Studies in the late 1970's indicated that malaria was restricted to mid-elevations. Mosquitoes are rare at upper elevations and the development of malarial sporozoites, which make the mosquito infectious to birds, is stalled at the cooler temperatures of upper elevations. At the Cooper Ornithological Society meeting in La Crosse, Wisconsin, Leonard Freed, Rebecca Cann, and colleagues documented more than a doubling of prevalence of malaria in Hawaiian birds at upper elevation over the last decade. During a major epizootic in August - October 2001, a dead Iiwi (Vestiaria coccinea) infected with both malaria and pox-virus, was found on the ground. An endangered Hawaii Akepa (Loxops coccineus coccineus) removed from a mist-net was strongly shivering, fluffing its plumage, and opening and closing its eyes. The epizootic was associated with warmer summertime air temperatures, and Culex quinquefasciatus mosquito breeding in an oviposition bucket. Resident birds tested positive for malaria, indicating that some transmission was occurring at upper elevations. This is the first documentation of the problems these birds will have with climate warming.
THREE CALIFORNIA CONDOR CHICKS HATCH IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA---Three California condor chicks hatched in the back country of southern California in Ventura County in April 2004. One of the males is 24 year old, AC9 who was the last wild condor brought in from the wild in 1987 and after fifteen years in the captive breeding program he was released back into the wild 01 May 2002. AC9 was captured on Easter Sunday in 1987 and his first chick since being released, was hatched on Easter Sunday. "To have an original wild condor reproducing again in the wild after 17 years is very gratifying, we have come full circle. When this same bird was captured in 1987, and no California condors soared free, we faced an uncertain future." stated Steve Thompson, Manager of the US Fish and Wildlife Service's California-Nevada Operations Office. If all goes well the chicks will fledge at about 6 months of age. The parents will stay with the chick for up eighteen months. Last year only one chick was produced in southern California and the chick died after 4 months. The first wild chick to survive past fledging was hatched last year in Arizona. That chick at 10 months is still with its parents and doing fine. Two condor pairs in Arizona are incubating eggs now; the chicks are due to hatch in mid to late May. There are 97 condors now living in the wild in California, Arizona and Baja, Mexico and 124 in captivity at the Los Angeles Zoo, San Diego Wild Animal Park and the Peregrine Fund's World Center for Birds of Prey in Boise, Idaho. The goal of the California Condor Recovery Plan is to establish two geographically separate populations, one in California and the other in Arizona, each with 150 birds and at least 15 breeding pairs. For more information about the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service condor program, visit the Hopper Mountain Refuge home page at http://hoppermountain.fws.gov/
Return to Top
Return to Issue Index
NEWS FROM THE ORNITHOLOGICAL COUNCIL
Provided by DAVID E. BLOCKSTEIN, Chair, and ELLEN PAUL, Executive Director, The Ornithological Council, (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.
OC ISO ORNITHOLOGISTS TO SERVE AS CONTACTS IN COLLEGES, UNIVERSITIES, AND RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS - The Ornithological Council would like to develop a means to more effectively share information to share with ornithologists. We rely on Ornith-L*, the listserv managed by Jeanette Bider, to reach the subscribers to that list, as well as OCNET*, the listserv managed by the OC, and we hope that the subscribers share the information with colleagues. However, some information is sufficiently important that we would like to be more certain that it is reaching as many ornithologists as possible. Therefore, we are asking for one volunteer from each college, university, and research institution to serve as a contact who will share information with colleagues and students. We anticipate sending no more than one or two messages per month. If you would like to volunteer, please contact OC Executive Director Ellen Paul at ellen.paul@verizon.net. * Ornith-L is a listserv for ornithologists run by Dr. Jeanette Bider. To subscribe, send the following message to LISTSERV@LISTSERV.UARK.EDU: subscribe ORNITH-L "your name" inserting your name, without the quotes. Leave the Subject line of your message blank. OCNET is a listserv run by the Ornithological Council. The subject matter is more limited than that of Ornith-L; it is specifically for public policy information related to ornithology or bird conservation. To subscribe, send the following message to listserv@umdd.umd.edu : subscribe OCNET-L "your name" inserting your name, without the quotes. Leave the Subject line of your message blank.
NEW BIRD BANDING LABORATORY CHIEF--Monica Tomosy has been selected to be the new BBL Chief. Ms. Tomosy comes to USGS from USFWS. For the last year she has been on an Interagency transfer as the acting USGS/BRD Imperiled Species Coordinator. Her previous position with the Service was as the leader for the development of a Listing Action Prioritization Process for the agency's national endangered species listing program workload. Prior to that Ms. Tomosy was a course leader in the Environmental Conservation Branch of the Service's National Conservation Training Center in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. Ms. Tomosy has had hands-on banding experience with Northern Spotted Owls and Puerto Rican Parrots. The major challenge facing Ms. Tomosy and the Laboratory is the conversion from a hierarchal to a relational database; the new system hold great promise to improve BBL functioning, especially the ability to serve outside customers. The conversion is slated to occur this summer.
OC ENCOURAGES ORNITHOLOGISTS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OPPORTUNITIES TO CONTRIBUTE TO STATE COMPREHENSIVE WILDLIFE CONSERVATION STRATEGIES - State wildlife agencies are in the process of formulating the Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategies (CWCS) that are required of these agencies to be eligible to continue receiving funding under the State Wildlife Grants (SWG) program. The SWG program is an annual Congressional appropriation that is often referred to as "CARA-lite" because it was created when Congress failed to enact the Conservation and Reinvestment Act. States must submit their strategies to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service by Oct 2005; the strategies must address eight elements including "priority research and survey efforts needed to identify factors which may assist in restoration and improved conservation of …species and habitat." Congress affirmed that broad public participation is an essential element of developing and implementing these plans. The Ornithological Council encourages ornithologists to take advantage of opportunities to participate in the development of the strategies in their respective states. A summary and status report for each state can be found at http://www.teaming.com/cwcs_states.htm. The Ornithological Council will post a list of public hearings and comment periods on BIRDNET http://www.nmnh.si.edu/BIRDNET and will send information to Ornith-L and to those who volunteer to be OC contacts (see item above).
OC SUBMITS COMMENTS ON REVISED PEER REVIEW GUIDANCE-White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in August 2003 issued draft peer review standards that it said were intended to make uniform the process by which federal agencies conduct peer review of the scientific information upon which they base their regulatory decisions. The standards, which were to take effect in Jan 2004, purported to be an extension of the data quality guidelines that were issued in 2002. The Ornithological Council was among the several dozen scientific societies to submit comments supporting the value of properly-conducted peer review processes, but expressing concern about specific provisions of the guidelines that could undermine that value. In response to the many critical comments, including a call from the American Association for the Advancement of Science to OMB to withdraw the guidance, OMB in April released a substantially revised draft for comment. The most serious of the concerns raised by scientific societies-that the standards for selection of peer review panelists would lead to biased panels-has been addressed. Other procedural concerns remained which OC addressed in it comments to OMB. For more information, please see BIRDNET at http://www.nmnh.si.edu/BIRDNET/OC/experthelp/index.html.
OC EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR INVITED SPEAKER AT ALASKA IACUC WORKSHOP - OC Executive Director Ellen Paul spoke in mid-May at an IACUC 101 Training and a Workshop on Research with Free-Ranging Wildlife: IACUC Review of Projects Regulated by Multiple Agencies. Her talk focused on the formulation and intended use of the Ornithological Council's Guidelines to the Use of Wild Birds in Research. Paul also participated in discussions pertaining to wildlife research, including the role of Institutional Animal Care and Use Committees in the review of purely observational research and the need for IACUCs to consult with wildlife biologists when reviewing protocols for wildlife biology.
LEGISLATION PROPOSED TO EXCLUDE NON-NATIVE INVASIVE SPECIES FROM PROTECTION OF MIGRATORY BIRD TREATY ACT IN U.S. - Congressman Wayne Gilchrest (R-MD) has introduced legislation (H.R. 4114) that would exclude non-native species from protection. The legislation follows a federal court ruling that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service cannot, under the Migratory Bird Treaty with Canada, exclude Mute Swans from the protection of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. States would therefore have had to apply for permits to control or eliminate Mute Swan Populations. After that ruling, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service therefore proposed to issue permits to the various states to allow those states to control Mute Swan populations. The proposal was accompanied by an Environmental Assessment (EA) and a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI). The litigants who filed the original lawsuit returned to the court to challenge the EA/FONSI. In September 2003, faced with an injunction and strong hints from the court that the USFWS would likely lose the case entirely, i.e., that without a full-blown Environmental Impact Statement, the permits would be invalid, the USFWS was forced to drop its plan to permit culling of the swans. Gilchrest's bill, which was passed by the House Resources Subcommittee on Fisheries Conservation Wildlife, and Oceans on 25 April 2004, would afford protection only to migratory bird species that are native to the United States and whose occurrence in the United States is entirely the result of natural biological or ecological conditions. It further specifies that a bird species shall not be treated as native to the United States if it occurs in the United States solely as a result of intentional or unintentional human-assisted introduction. However, it the species was native to the United States and extant in 1918, then extirpated throughout its range in the United States, it can be treated as a native species, but only if it has been reintroduced in the United States as part of a program carried out by a Federal agency.
USFWS RELEASES MIGRATORY BIRD STRATEGY - The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has announced the release of the Migratory Bird Strategic Plan. The report was first released in draft form in October 2003 and comments from the public were solicited. In January 2004, the USFWS held a forum for a broad cross-section of the bird conservation and ornithological communities. This final strategic plan reflects comments submitted by the public and by the participants in that forum, which included the Ornithological Council. The full report can be found at http://migratorybirds.fws.gov/mbstratplan/mbstratplan.htm
OC CO-AUTHORS LETTER TO ILAR JOURNAL ABOUT WILDLIFE RESEARCH - Ornithologist Ian C.T. Nisbet and OC Executive Director Ellen Paul co-authored a letter to the editor of the ILAR Journal, responding to an article about wildlife research, published in November 2003 (Volume 44(3): Behavioral Research Outside the Laboratory). The ILAR Journal is published by the Institute of Laboratory Animal Research, a branch of the National Research Council of the National Academies of Science. The article to which Nisbet and Paul (on behalf of the Ornithological Council) responded was written by two philosophers who asserted that any research involving wildlife infringed on the wild nature of the animals, and that this infringement constituted ethical harm that must be considered by Institutional Animal Care and Use Committees in reviewing research protocols. The response by Nisbet and Paul stated that ethical concerns are the basic for animal welfare laws, but that in reviewing protocols, abstract human concepts such as ethical harm could not be measured and therefore could not be assessed. The response also addressed assertions about assertions regarding "distress," the use of controls in scientific studies, impacts on populations and ecosystems, and public perceptions of wildlife research. Reprints may be requested from OC Executive Director Ellen Paul by e-mail to: ellen.paul@verizon.net. Copies of the ILAR Journal can be ordered from the ILAR Journal website: http://dels.nas.edu/ilar/journal_home.asp?id=journal_home; full-text articles are made available several months after publication, and it is anticipated that the article to which Nisbet and Paul responded will be available online in June 2004.
NSF RENEWS ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND EDUCATION - In 2000, the National Science Foundation established the Advisory Committee for Environmental Research and Education (AC-ERE). The AC-ERE: provides advice, recommendations and oversight concerning support for the NSF's environmental research and education portfolio; serves as a base of contact with the scientific community to inform NSF of the impact of its research support and NSF-wide policies on the scientific community; serves as a forum for consideration of interdisciplinary environmental topics as well as environmental activities in a wide range of disciplines; provides broad input into long-range plans and partnership opportunities; and performs oversight of program management, overall program balance, and other aspects of program performance for environmental research and education activities. NSF accepts nominations for membership in this committee at any time. Nominations may be sent to MARGE CAVANAUGH, Executive Secretary for the AC-ERE at mcavanau@nsf.gov or to ere-info@nsf.gov. For more information on the ERE Advisory Committee, click on http://www.nsf.gov/geo/ere/ereweb/advisory.cfm.
CANADIAN RESEARCH GRANTING COUNCILS COULD RECEIVE BOOST UNDER PRIME MINISTER'S PROPOSED BUDGET - Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin in late March proposed a 6.3% increase for each of Canada's three research granting councils, including the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC). The increase may allow NSERC to increase the average grant size, but according to an April 2 article in SCIENCE (304: 30), the increases may not be sufficient to permit an increase in grant proposal success rate.
Return to Top
Return to Issue Index
REQUEST FOR FIELD EQUIPMENT: Project Amazonas is requesting the donation of field equipment for use by Peruvian, Organization for Tropical Studies (OTS), and other student researchers using its field stations in the Peruvian Amazon. Of particular need are decent quality binoculars, tree-climbing equipment, Pesolas, calipers, GPS units, metric tape measures, meteorological equipment, and digital cameras. If you are upgrading equipment, or have equipment that you are no longer using, please consider donating to Project Amazonas. As a 501(c)3 organization, donations are tax deductible for US donors to the extent allowed by tax laws. Project Amazonas will reimburse reasonable shipping costs, and any excess materials will be donated to the National University of the Peruvian Amazon (UNAP) located in Iquitos, Peru. If you or your lab has equipment that could use a new life, please contact DEVON GRAHAM (EM: mionectes@aol.com). For information on Project Amazonas, visit the web site (URL: http://www.projectamazonas.com).
BANDED SPOONBILL SIGHTINGS--Spoonbills have been banded in Florida using a combination of band types. An aluminum (silver in color) band from the USGS Bird Banding Laboratory is typically placed on the tarsus on all banded birds. In addition one or more colored bands may have been placed on the tibia so that they may be observed when the bird is foraging in shallow water. These colored bands may be either colored aluminum with an alpha/numeric code, or plastic without an alpha/numeric code. The code is read vertically and is repeated around the band so that it may be read from different directions. Should you observe a banded spoonbill, please note the following: 1. The color of the band(s), and if possible what leg(s) it is on; 2. If there is an alpha/numeric code (include the code if read with certainty); 3. The location of the sighting (be as specific as possible, and please include the county); 4. Your background (biologist, birder, etc.) and how to contact you if you are willing to be contacted should we need further information. Should you have an opportunity to photograph the bird and/or the habitat, this helps us to confirm the code if the photograph is of exceptional quality, and/or to learn more about plumage changes and habitats used. Please report any sightings to Audubon of Florida at the: Tavernier Science Center, 115 Indian Mound Trail, Tavernier, FL (305) 852-5318 or Florida Coastal Islands Sanctuaries, 410 Ware Blvd, Suite 702, Tampa, FL 33619 (PH: 813-623-6826). Sightings can also be reported online, as well as additional information on this project at: http://www.audubonofflorida.org
Return to Top
Return to Issue Index
POSITIONS AND OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE
NOTE the printed version of the Ornithological Newsletter no longer contains job advertisements. As of the August '97 issue, the Positions and Opportunities section is available only in the on-line edition. This edition can be accessed directly at http://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".
Return to Top
Return to Issue Index
READERS ARE REMINDED that information on deadlines, etc., of grants listed in the third edition of "Grants, Awards and Prizes in Ornithology" is not repeated here. Only revisions of information can be reported here, because of space limitations. For information on continuing grants programs relevant to ornithological research, visit: http://www.nmnh.si.edu/BIRDNET/Grants/index.html .
The SEA DUCK JOINT VENTURE (SDJV) is a partnership-based conservation program under the North American Waterfowl Management Plan that promotes the conservation of sea ducks by providing greater knowledge for effective management. The SDJV currently has a limited amount of USFWS seed money for projects/studies that advance our understanding of sea duck biology and ecology and is seeking proposals from interested parties. Proposal guidelines and format are available on our web site (URL: http://seaduckjv.org). Submitters are encouraged to peruse the SDJV web site to learn more about the SDJV, its priorities, and examples of studies it has, or is currently, supporting. Proposals are due 1 Oct 2004.
THE MORLEY NELSON FELLOWSHIP Announcement--The Morley Nelson Fellowship, awarded by the Conservation Research Foundation, is a stipend of up to $600 to support work reflecting the multi-faceted career of Morley Nelson. Priority will be given to applicants in raptor research, management, and conservation, who might use the stipend to supplement or attract other funding. More than one award could be made each year, and Fellowships could extend more than one year. The criteria for this Fellowship are broad and not restricted to raptor research; anything bearing on the conservation of raptors will be considered, such as habitat issues, education, cinematography, etc. Send 3 copies of a brief proposal (<4 pages, including a 1-page personal resume) outlining goals, objectives, and expected results/products of the study or activity, names of 3 references, total budget, and other sources of support. Send by post, not e-mail. Contact: WILLIAM G. MATTOX, Conservation Research Foundation, 8300 Gantz Ave., Boise, ID 83709. For more information only, not applications: e-mail wgmattox2@earthlink.net. Deadline: 1 Oct 2004.
2004 NORTH STAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY TRANSMITTER GRANTS--North Star Science and Technology, LLC and American Bird Conservancy are pleased to announce the winners of the second annual North Star Science and Technology Transmitter Grant Program. This year the recipients are: WILDLIFE CONSERVATION SOCIETY and UNIVERSIDAD NACIONAL DE SALTA (Drs. Felicity Arengo and Sandra Caziani, PIs) for their proposal entitled, "The Flight of the Andean Flamingo," and HAWKWATCH INTERNATIONAL (Dr. Jeff P. Smith, PI) for their proposal entitled, "Migratory Dynamics of Raptors at Commissary Ridge, Wyoming." The grant program is awarding three satellite transmitters (Argos Platform Transmitter Terminals (PTTs)) to each of the two projects. PTTs are powerful, cutting-edge tools for the study of bird migration that greatly extend the range over which individual birds can be tracked. Studies using PTTs can teach us much about avian biology and contribute invaluable data for bird conservation. North Star is providing the PTTs in the spirit of giving back to the research community they serve, with the condition that the resulting data are available for use in an Earthspan (URL: http://www.earthspan.org) educational program entitled, "Eye of the Falcon," which uses satellite tracking data to teach young people about bird migration and conservation. American Bird Conservancy (URL: http://www.abcbirds.org) handles the proposal submission process, review of proposals, and selects the winning projects. Please see http://www.northstarst.com for more information and the 2004 proposal guidelines. The guidelines for the 2005 round will be announced and posted at the North Star web site later this summer. Any further questions about the program can be directed to GEORGE E. WALLACE, American Bird Conservancy (EM: gwallace@abcbirds.org, PH: 540-253-5780, FX: 540-253-5782).
ABC'S WILLIAM BELTON SMALL GRANTS FUND - In partnership with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, American Bird Conservancy (ABC) provides support for projects to conserve Endangered and Critically Endangered bird species in Latin America and the Caribbean. Conservation projects at sites identified by the Alliance for Zero Extinction (URL: http://www.zeroextinction.org) as essential for the conservation of Endangered and Critically Endangered bird species will be given highest priority for support. Grant requests can include funding requests for the development and implementation of conservation plans, the development of new protected areas, community development projects to protect key habitats, and other locally-based efforts to protect the sites identified. Expeditions to search for "Lost Species" will also be considered. For consideration, please submit letter of inquiry by e-mail to DR. ROBERT CHIPLEY (EM: rchipley@abcbirds.org) prior to 15 July 2004. The project description should include the total cost of the project and the amount requested from ABC. Work must be carried out by nationals of Latin American and Caribbean counties, either wholly or in partnership. A full proposal will be requested from those groups whose inquiries fit the program's priorities most closely. Grants average $5,000, but larger grants may be considered. Final decisions will be made in December 2004. Please go to <http://www.abcbirds.org/international/small_grants_2004.htm> for more details.
WILLIAM BELTON SMALL GRANTS FUND DE ABC-- En conjunto con el Servicio de Pesca y Vida Silvestre de los Estados Unidos (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service), American Bird Conservancy (ABC) proporcionará apoyo para conservar especies en peligro o en peligro critico de extinción en América Latina y el Caribe. Proyectos de conservación en sitios identificados por el Alliance for Zero Extinction (URL: http://www.zeroextinction.org) como esencial para la conservación de especies en peligro o en peligro critico de extinción reciberán la prioridad más alta para financiamiento. Requerimientos para fondos pueden incluir fondos asignados al desarrollo y implementación de planes de conservación, al desarrollo de áreas protegidas nuevas, a proyectos comunales para proteger habitates claves, y otros esfuerzos comunales para proteger sitios identificados. Consideramos también proyectos para buscar "Especies Perdidas." Favor de mandarnos por correo electrónico a Dr. Robert Chipley (EM: rchipley@abcbirds.org) una carta de solicitud describiendo su proyecto. La fecha límite es el 15 de Julio de 2004. La descripción del proyecto debe incluir el costo completo del proyecto y la suma que se solicita de ABC. Favor de notar que el trabajo debe ser llevado a cabo en asociación con o enteramente por latinoamericanos o caribeños. Después de haber revisado todas las descripciones sometidas, escogeremos los proyectos para los cuales nos gustaría recibir una propuesta detallada. Decisiones finales se harán en Diciembre de 2004. Las sumas donadas en años recientes fueron usualmente no más de $5,000 pero se considerán solicitudes por montos más grandes. Para más detalles véase <http://www.abcbirds.org/international/small_grants_2004.htm>.
Return to Top
Return to Issue Index
BIRDS OF AFRICA SOUTH OF THE SAHARA, by Ian Sinclair and Peter Ryan, 2004. Illustrated by Norman Arlott, Peter Hayman, and Alan Harris. Princeton University Press. 760 pages, 359 color plates, 2100+ maps. 5 5/6 x 8 1/4. ISBN: 0-691-11815-9, Paper $45.00/ £29.95. This volume is a compact, easy-to-use field guide. It is the first book to describe and illustrate all of the birds found in sub-Saharan Africa. Detailing more than 2,100 species, it covers the entire Afrotropic Region, including Socotra, Pemba, and the islands in the Gulf of Guinea. Color illustrations depict most distinctive plumages as well as diagnostic flight patterns and major geographic variants. Range maps are provided for each species, and the text highlights precise identification features and differences between similar species as well as providing concise information on habitat, status, and calls. All information is completely up-to-date, incorporating the latest taxonomy (including descriptions of many new species never before illustrated) and the most recent atlas surveys. Princeton University Press (URL: http://www.pupress.princeton.edu).
PUBLICATION ON BIRD POPULATIONS IN AUSTRALIA'S CAPITAL CITY --Canberra Ornithologists Group has run a Garden Bird Survey (GBS) continuously since July 1981 and a report on the first 21 years has been released. It is "Canberra Birds: A Report on the first 21 years of the Garden Bird Survey". Canberra suburban gardens have an abundant bird fauna including a diversity and abundance of parrot, honeyeater and other species. We have a detail record on the populations of these species. The report also addresses many aspects of relevance to the methodology of any long term bird survey, such as the relationship of abundance and recording rate, the importance of habitat features and observer differences. It includes 40 pages of text on 165 species, where the data are sufficient, on monthly patterns of abundance and long term trends in abundance, such as increases, decreases and stability. Also timing and duration of breeding is described. Monthly patterns are interpreted relative to migration, changes in habitat use over the year, seasonal changes in behavior and breeding. It includes 15 pages of graphs of both monthly and long-term abundance, over the 21 years, for 120 species. It has 22 pages of 11 Appendices of statistical and other supplementary information, references and index. The price on this 130 page report is Australian $20.00 (plus package and postage of $10.00) postage airmail. For people in the USA, that combined is about $23 USA (depending on exchange rate on the day) and will be available only from: PHILIP VEERMAN, 24 Castley Circuit, Kambah ACT 2902, AUSTRALIA, (EM: pveerman@pcug.org.au)
THE RACE TO SAVE THE LORD GOD BIRD by Phillip Hoose, Available August 2004. Farrar, Straus & Giroux. 208 pp. ISBN: 0-374-36173-8, expected price $20.00This illustrated book introduces readers to the saga of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker, a legendary bird that faced the tragedy of extinction. One of the themes of the book is the human influence on the natural world, from nineteenth-century concept of killing the birds to study them more closely (which also involved a monetary motive, as the birds brought prestige and visitors to schools and museums that housed and displayed the Ivorybill specimens),s to the fashions of the late nineteenth century that popularized the use of feathers on ladies' hats and led to the creation of America's first conservation groups, to the logging and development of the twentieth century that displaced and/or killed the Ivory-bill. Mr. Hoose explains how humans have played a role in the demise of this magnificent creature. A sense of wonder, curiosity, and awe ultimately led to the downfall of the Ivory-bill, but it also inspired those eager to prevent its extinction to dedicate themselves to saving it. Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 19 Union Square West, New York, NY 10003 (URL: http://www.fsgkidsbooks.com).
Return to Top
Return to Issue Index
Return to Top
Return to Issue Index
A 'permanent' meeting list is maintained on BIRDNET ( http://www.nmnh.si.edu/BIRDNET/BIRDMEET.html ) that focuses mainly on meetings of the Societies that are members of the OC, showing the planned sites and dates of ornithological meetings as far into the future as possible. Note that BIRDNET also maintains a site for the International Ornithological Committee, which includes links to past and future Congresses, at: http://www.nmnh.si.edu/BIRDNET/IOC/index.html .
* in this section indicates new or revised entry
THE 8TH INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON AVIAN ENDOCRINOLOGY (ISAE) will be hosted by Arizona State University and held at the Scottsdale Sunburst Resort, Scottsdale, Arizona, 6-11 Jun 2004. The ISAE is held every four years and provides an up-to-date overview of the field of avian endocrinology through plenary lectures, invited symposium talks, and poster sessions. Topics to be covered during the upcoming meeting include neuroendocrine integration of non-photoperiodic environmental cues; Effects of endocrine disrupting chemicals; Behavioral physiology of the stress response; Melatonin, clock genes, and seasonality; Hormones and female reproductive strategies; Hormonally-mediated parental effects; Ovarian development and follicle differentiation; Photoperiodism and photorefractoriness; Neuroendocrinology of reproductive function and food intake; Application of functional genomics to the endocrine system; Hormonal interactions during ontogenesis; and Extrapituitary pituitary hormones. Plenary lectures will be given by Gregory Ball (Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD), Jacques Balthazart (University of Liege, Belgium), Peter Sharp (Roslin Institute, Edinburgh, Scotland), and Kazuyoshi Tsutsui (Hiroshima University, Japan). The following web site provides information on the conference venue and organization, scientific program, registration, abstract submittal procedure, and activities in and around the Phoenix, Arizona, metropolitan area (URL: http://lsweb.la.asu.edu/isae/index.html). Please note that the deadline for early (discounted) registration fees for this conference was 30 Sep 2003. Abstract Submission Deadline (URL: http://lsweb.la.asu.edu/isae/isae_forms.html): 1 Feb 2004. Inquiries about the conference should be addressed to: DR. PIERRE DEVICHE, Chair of the 8th ISAE Scientific Program and Local Program Committees, School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, P.O. Box 874501, Tempe, AZ 85287-4501 (PH: 480-965-0726, FX: 480-965-2519, EM: deviche@asu.edu).
2004 SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY (SCB) ANNUAL MEETING (New York City). Contact: EVA FEARN (EM: 2004@conservationbiology.org). SCB's 18th annual meeting, 30 Jul- 2 Aug 2004, will be hosted by the Center for Environmental Research and Conservation (CERC) at the Earth Institute at Columbia University in New York City. CERC is a consortium of five research and education organizations: Columbia University, the American Museum of Natural History, The New York Botanical Garden, Wildlife Conservation Society, and Wildlife Trust. The Society for Conservation Biology annual meeting theme is "Conservation in an Urbanizing World." The SCB 2004 Conference will consider this theme and other emerging topics through symposia, workshops, organized discussions, contributed oral presentations and posters. The meeting is open for registration in Nov 2003. Please check the meeting website (URL: http://www.conbio.org/2004) for deadlines and updates or contact (EM: 2004@conservationbiology.org) for more information. Field trips to several sites in the New York City region will be organized, including: A land and sea tour of the Gateway National Seashore and Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge where 25-30% of all bird species in the United States spend some part of the year; visits to New York area parks and recreational areas to see ecological restoration projects and species reintroduction programs; a visit to Black Rock Forest to learn about long-term forest monitoring and the impacts of invasive species; a visit to Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory on the Hudson River; visits to CERC partner organizations.
122ND STATED MEETING OF THE AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGISTS' UNION, and ANNUAL MEETING OF THE SOCIETY OF CANADIAN ORNITHOLOGISTS (SOCIÉTÉ DES ORNITHOLOGISTES DU CANADA) will be held at Université Laval, Québec, P.Q., CANADA, 16 - 21 Aug 2004. The conference will consist of symposia, workshops and roundtables, contributed oral presentations, and poster sessions. We expect the general announcement, including the call for papers, details of the plenary talks, registration forms, pre/post-conference trips, social events, etc., to be mailed with The Auk early in 2004. All information regarding the meeting will be posted on the conference home page at http://www.sbf.ulaval.ca/aou-soc-2004/. For more information concerning the conference, please contact ANDRÉ DESROCHERS (EM: andre.desrochers@sbf.ulaval.ca).
THE XIXTH INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF ZOOLOGY, 23-27 Aug 2004, Beijing, China. Sponsored by The National Natural Science Foundation of China, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, and The State Forestry Administration. Student prizes: The scientific committee will award 10 students with "Best Oral" or "Best Poster" presentations. The official language: during the congress will be English. The scientific program will include plenary sessions, symposia, workshops, special-interest group meetings, as well as contributed papers and poster sessions. The program will probably be divided into the following sections: (A) Palaeontology; (B) Systematics and Evolution; (C) Zoogeography; (D) Morphology and Anatomy; (E) Animal Behavior; (F) Animal Ecology; (G) Conservation Biology; (H) Physiology; (I) Health and Diseases; (J) Comparative Immunology; (K) Reproduction, Development and Genetics; (L) Environmental Impact Assessment; (M) Bioethics (N) Laboratory Animal; (O) Zoological Teaching and Education; (P) The Fate of National Zoos; (Q) Philosophy of Zoology; (R) Veterinary Medicine. A proceedings volume of mini-papers (2 A4 pages for each paper briefly covering introduction, method, result and discussion) is planned. The Acta Zoologica Sinica will publish some selective full papers. For further information and to register on-line visit the home page (URL: http://www.icz.ioz.ac.cn). For additional assistance, email icz2004@panda.ioz.ac.cn.
8TH INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS OF RIGHTS-OF-WAY MANAGEMENT, Saratoga Springs, NY, 12-16 Sep 2004. There will be an APLIC-sponsored session on avian interactions during this conference. DR. LAWRENCE P. ABRAHAMSON, State University of New York, College of Environmental Science and Forestry, One Forestry Drive, Syracuse, NY 13210 (EM: labrahamson@esf.edu.
*WILDLIFE SOCIETY 11TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE: Excellence in Wildlife Stewardship through Science and Education; Calgary, Alberta Canada, 18-22 Sep 2004. For information, please contact: The Wildlife Society, 5410 Grosvenor Lane, Bethesda, MD 20814 (EM: tws@wildlife.org, PH: 301-897-9770, FX: 301-530-2471, URL: http://www.wildlife.org).
THE RAPTOR RESEARCH FOUNDATION, 2004 annual meeting 10-13 Nov 2004, at the DoubleTree Hotel in Bakersfield, CA, will be held with in conjunction with the California Hawking Club's annual field meet. Details on the meeting are posted at http://biology.boisestate.edu/raptor. Abstracts for oral and poster presentations on any aspect of raptor biology, ecology, conservation, or management are welcome. The deadline for submission of abstracts is 31 Jul 2004; details and instructions will be posted on the web site identified above as they become available. Special sessions under consideration include Ecology and Conservation of Wetland-Dependent Raptors, West Nile Virus, and Management of Raptor Electrocutions in California. For more information on the scientific program, contact ANGELA MATZ, Scientific Program Chair (PH: 907-456-0442; EM: angela_matz@fws.gov). For general information regarding the meeting, contact DANIEL E. VARLAND, Conference Committee Chair, (PH:360-538-4582; EM: daniel.varland@rayonier.com). To learn about the California Hawking Club, see http://www.calhawkingclub.org.
THE INSTITUTE OF ECOLOGY AND SYSTEMATIC jointly with the CUBAN ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY and other entities involved in the study and preservation of biodiversity, celebrates every four years the SYMPOSIUM OF ZOOLOGY, the most important event on Cuban Zoological Sciences. The next issue, the VI Symposium will take place in Topes de Collantes, Sancti Spiritus, Cuba, from 15 - 20 Nov 2004. Plenary lectures, Round Tables, Workshops, Oral Presentations, and Posters Exhibitions assessing aspects of Systematic, Ecology, Behavior Evolution, Monitoring, Conservation, Environmental Education and other areas covered by Zoological Studies, will surely promote professional discussions, update and divulgation of the scientific results presented by individuals and national and international institutions. Please visit our Website to find additional information (URL: http://www.geocities.com/zoologiacubana/simposio and http://www.geocities.com/zoologiacubana/meeting.htm, EM: zoología.ies@ama.cu; and direccion.ies@ama.cu/). MSc. Roberto Alonso Bosch, Announcer, VI Simposio de Zoología. Topes de Collantes. Cuba. Note: U.S. citizens who want information on obtaining a license to travel to Cuba should consult the website of the Office of Foreign Assets Control. One can obtain a license to travel to a scientific meeting. Guidelines and forms can be found at http://www.treasury.gov/offices/eotffc/ofac/sanctions/cuba_tr_app.pdf; see section III (page 24 of the .pdf) for the information on travel to professional meetings.
*INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON BIRD & ENVIRONMENT, 21-24 Nov 2004, Haridwar, India. An international Conference on Bird &Environment is being organized by the Department of Zoology & Environmental sciences, Gurukula Kangri University, Haridwar, under the auspices of Ornithological Society of India. The conference intends to bring together scientists, conservationists, naturalists & managers to discuss the impact of environmental changes/ factors on bird's life. For details visit : http://www.geocities.com/birdenv or contact : DR. DINESH BHATT, Organizing Secretary, Intl. Conf. on Bird & Environment, Dept. of Zoology & Env. Sci. Gurukula Kangri University. Haridwar, India. (PH: 91-01334-244835/245049. EM: dd_bhatt@yahoo.com).
SECOND BIENNIAL CONFERENCE OF THE INTERNATIONAL BIOGEOGRAPHY SOCIETY--Biogeography is an interdisciplinary and integrative field. It forms the conceptual framework within which holistic studies of the evolving earth and its biota are melded. The insights generated by this field of endeavor promote and sustain biodiversity conservation on a global scale. In this spirit, The International Biogeography Society (TIBS; http://www.biogeography.org) was founded in 2000 to foster communication and collaboration among biogeographers, transmit their contributions to other scientists and the lay public, and promote biogeographic training and education. The inaugural meeting of TIBS (URL: http://www.biogeography.org/inaugural.htm) attracted over 200 attendees from more than a dozen countries. Our second conference [5-9 Jan 2005 at the U.S. National Conservation Training Center (URL: http://training.fws.gov/) in West Virginia] will again be organized around poster presentations and five symposia: Biogeography of Parasites and Infectious Diseases, Biogeography of Exotic Species, Biogeography of Extinctions, Biogeography of Homo sapiens: from Pre-history to the Future, and Biogeographic Responses to Global Change. Oral/poster presentations will be held 6-8 January, with pre-meeting workshops on 5 Jan and an optional (behind the scenes) field trip to the Smithsonian Institution (Washington, D.C.) on 9 Jan. Check the IBS website (URL: http://www.biogeography.org) for updates, details and registration information.
FOURTH INTERNATIONAL HORNBILL CONFERENCE, Mabula Game Lodge, South Africa, 7-9 Nov 2005. The Ground Hornbill Research and Conservation Project and Three Cities Game Lodges, South Africa, and the Hornbill Research Foundation, Thailand, will host the Fourth International Hornbill Conference at Mabula Game Lodge, South Africa, during the period 7-9 Nov 2005. The scientific program will cover two days, followed by a one-day workshop for the Hornbill Specialist Group of IUCN and Birdlife International. The principal theme of the conference is "The Active Management of Hornbills and their Habitats for Conservation". There will also be a general session to report on other aspects of hornbill biology, and a separate workshop by the IUCN and Birdlife Hornbill Specialist Group to identify conservation priorities.For further details, contact by any of the means below (preferably e-mail): (EM: hornbillconference2005@yahoo.co.uk; FX: +27 14 734 0013). Postal: Hornbill Conference 2005, c/o The Ground Hornbill Project, Mabula Game Lodge, Private Bag X 1655, Bela-Bela, Limpopo Province, South Africa.
24TH INTERNATIONAL ORNITHOLOGICAL CONGRESS 2006, 13-19 Aug 2006, Hamburg, Germany. If you would like to receive all further information about the congress. Please use the electronic submission form available on the IOC meeting web site http://www.i-o-c.org. If you are unable to use the electronic form, please contact us by e-mail at info@i-o-c.org or mail it to: IOC 2006, Institute of Avian Research, An der Vogelwarte 21, 26386 Wilhelmshaven, Germany.
*VIII NEOTROPICAL ORNITHOLOGICAL CONGRESS will be held in Jun 2007 in Maturín (Monagas, Venezuela) together with the Unión Venezolana de Ornitología and our Secretary General will be Carlos Bosque.
Return to Top
Return to Issue Index
KEITH L. BILDSTEIN has been named Sarkis Acopian Director of Conservation Science at Hawk Mountain Sanctuary. The newly endowed position leads Hawk Mountain's global efforts in this area.
CHARLES R. BLEM was named the College of Humanities and Sciences' Distinguished Scholar for 2004 at Virginia Commonwealth University.
KENT C. (KC) JENSEN has joined the faculty in the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences at South Dakota State University. His appointment is as assistant professor of wildlife and curator of the ornithological collections. His new contact information is: EM: kent.jensen@sdstate.edu, PH: 605-688-6121, URL: http://wfs.sdstate.edu/wfsdept/faculty/kcjensen.htm
Return to Top
Return to Issue Index
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 the Ornithological Newsletter Editor, CHERYL L. TRINE (address below). Additional copies of The Flock can be purchased from the OSNA Business Office.
CHANGES/ADDITIONS:
HAGGBLOM, LISA. EM: LMHaggblom@besafeandfree.org
LIEBERMAN, ALAN. EM: alanlieberman@earthlink.net
MCGRAW, KEVIN. Department of Animal Science, University of California-Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616. PH: 530-752-2401 FX: 530-752-0175 EM: kjmcgraw@ucdavis.edu
THOMPSON, CHRIS. School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, Box 355020, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195. PH: 206-221-5787 (office), 206-276-7041 (work cell), 425-299-7922 (personal cell), FX: 206-221-6939, EM: thompcw@u.washington.edu
Return to Top
Return to Issue Index
Return to top
Return to Issue Index
All contents copyright © 2004 The Ornithological Societies of North America . All Rights Reserved.