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NUMBER 164, FEBRUARY 2005
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
NOMINATIONS FOR MEMBERSHIP CLASSES OF Fellow and Elective Member of the AOU are due 23 Mar 2005 (5 months prior to the Stated Meeting).
Fellows and Elective Members are encouraged to submit nominations of deserving colleagues. Following its official charge to supplement nominations, the
Committee on Nomination of Fellows and Elective Members will prepare only a few nominations, and thus timely submissions from members are imperative.
Nominations and full supporting information are to be supplied by the nominators. Lists of current Fellows and Elective Members are available on the AOU web
site (URL: http://www.aou.org/membership/special.php3). Nominators seeking to endorse a nominee must first obtain the instructions and forms for 2005 from
the Secretary, M. ROSS LEIN, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, 2500 University Dr NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, CANADA (PH:
403-220-6549, FX: 403-289-9311, EM: aousecretary@aou.org). For ELECTIVE MEMBER nominations, the Secretary will compile and prepare ballot
packets to be sent to current Fellows and Elective Members by early May 2005. Ballots must be returned by mail to the Secretariat by three weeks before the
Stated Meeting (i.e., by 3 Aug 2005) and the names will be announced at the Business Meeting of Members on 24 Aug 2005 at the University of California -
Santa Barbara, in Santa Barbara, CA. For FELLOW nominations, the Secretary will compile and prepare packets to be sent to current Fellows by early Aug
2005. Voting will take place at the Fellows Meeting on 23 Aug 2005.
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 2006) 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 15 Mar 2005. Send application materials by e-mail or post to: SHELDON J. COOPER, Department of Biology & Microbiology, 800 Algoma Blvd., University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, Oshkosh, WI 54901-8640 (EM: cooper@uwosh.edu).
HAPPY NEW YEAR from the OSNA Member Societies Management Office--The New Year has begun and we hope that you have renewed your membership in the OSNA member societies. We apologize for the delay in the launch of the new web site and online renewal process and hope it didn't inconvenience you too much. It's up and running now -watch for improvements to the online directory and web site. We are here to handle new member applications, renewals, address changes, and subscriptions. This also includes orders for printed versions of The Flock and if you have ordered one with your renewal, you will be receiving it shortly. Contact us if you would like one and did not include it on your renewal form and, of course, the online directory is always available to members and up-to-date with the most current information! Most of all, we are here to serve you and answer any questions you might have. Be sure to let us hear from you! Contact information is as follows: OSNA, 5400 Bosque Blvd., Suite 680, Waco, TX 76710 (EM: business@osnabirds.org, PH: 254.399.9636, FX: 254.776.3767, URL: http://www.osnabirds.org). We look forward to working with you and your societies to improve the services they need from OSNA to effectively serve their members. We appreciate the opportunity to serve OSNA--Helen Schneider Lemay, OSNA Executive Director.
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 24 May 2005. Officers to be elected at the 2005 Business Meeting of the Members (24 Aug 2005 at the University of California - Santa Barbara, in Santa Barbara, CA), 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 123th Stated Meeting, James A. Kushlan will begin the second year of his two-year term as President, and Erica H. Dunn will begin the second year of her 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 123nd Stated Meeting in 2005 are Bette A. Loiselle, Jeffrey S. Marks, and Erica Nol. Continuing to serve in 2005-2006 will be Elective Councilors, Peter P. Marra, Kathy Martin, Patricia G. Parker, Terrell D. Rich, Thomas W. Sherry, and Kimberly A. Sullivan.. 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 to the Secretary, persons for President-Elect, for Vice-President, for Secretary, for Treasurer, and for Elective Councilors. These nominations shall be received by the Secretary three months before the Stated Meeting and shall be presented at the business session of the Stated Meeting. Nominations for all officers and Elective Councilors must be accompanied by documented consent of the nominee." Nominations may be submitted in writing, or electronically to 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: aousecretary@aou.org).
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CRITICAL HABITAT PROPOSED FOR PACIFIC COAST POPULATION OF WESTERN SNOWY PLOVER-In the 17 Dec 2004 issue of the Federal Register (URL: http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fedreg/a041217c.html), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has proposed 35 critical-habitat units along the coast of California, Oregon, and Washington for the Pacific coast population of the western snowy plover. The proposed critical habitat units total 17,299 acres, less than an earlier critical habitat plan the Service adopted in 1999. The new proposal calls for more critical habitat units but generally smaller ones, based on increased knowledge of the species' needs and better mapping. The Service will receive public comment on this proposed designation until 5 p.m. on 15 Feb 2005. More information and a link to the Federal Register announcement is available at http://sacramento.fws.gov/ea/news_releases/2004%20News%20Releases/Western_snowy_plover_Proposed_Critical_Habitat_NR.htm. Since the species was listed as threatened in 1993, many local groups have voluntarily worked to protect plovers and their breeding areas, and to help educate the beach-using public about the bird's needs. In many areas, beach users have cooperated with local interests to improve the breeding situation for plovers. Biologists estimate that no more than 2,600 snowy plovers breed along the Pacific Coast of the United States with an equal number breeding on the west coast of Baja California. The largest number of breeding birds occurs south of San Francisco Bay to southern Baja. The species' decline has been attributed to loss of nesting habitat, human disturbance, encroachment of European beach grass on nesting grounds, and predation.
CAPTURING BIRD SOUNDS-The Cornell Lab of Ornithology Sound Recording Workshop. Birders looking for a new way to indulge their passion need look no further than the annual Sound Recording Workshop offered by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. The weeklong workshop is held at San Francisco State University's Sierra Nevada Research Station in the Tahoe National Forest. Participants learn state-of-the-art techniques for capturing bird sounds, guided by experts from the Lab of Ornithology. And the view isn't bad either. Through lecture, discussion, and daily field recording sessions, participants learn how to effectively handle a portable field recording system for the purpose of making scientifically accurate recordings of the sounds birds make. It's harder than it looks. Under field conditions participants learn how to conquer wind, how a roadbed can help overcome the sound of a rushing stream, and why placing a microphone on the ground is sometimes the best strategy. For those participants so inclined, there is an introduction to the science of sound analysis, done by converting sound waves into visual images--sonograms and waveforms. With signal analysis it's possible to visualize a bird song note by note. The next Sound Recording Workshop is being held 4-11 Jun 2005. To find out more about it and how to register, visit http://www.birds.cornell.edu/macaulaylibrary. You can also write, call, or email: Macaulay Library, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, 159 Sapsucker Woods Road, Ithaca, NY 14850, (PH: 607-254-2404, EM: ns29@cornell.edu). Workshop participants provide their own recording equipment, although there is a limited amount of gear available on a first-come, first-served basis. Students and researchers receive first priority for enrollment.
USFWS DETERMINES GREATER SAGE-GROUSE not warranted for listing as endangered or threatened--The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has completed its status review of the greater sage-grouse throughout its range and determined that the species does not warrant protection under the Endangered Species Act at this time, Director Steve Williams announced 7 Jan 2005. This decision follows a recommendation made by agency senior regional scientists and managers that the sage-grouse does not warrant listing under the ESA. Williams publicly announced the regional recommendation on 3 Dec 2004. "I concur with their recommendation that the greater sage-grouse does not warrant the special protections of the Endangered Species Act across its range," Williams said. "At the same time, the status review clearly illustrates the need for continued efforts to conserve sage-grouse and sagebrush habitat on a long-term basis. I commend Federal and state agencies as well as the local working groups for their current efforts to maintain or improve sagebrush habitat and encourage them to continue to move forward with the new plans to develop and implement conservation strategies throughout the grouse's range." Greater sage-grouse are currently estimated to number from approximately 100,000 to 500,000 individuals. Sage-grouse populations are estimated to have declined an average of 3.5 percent per year from 1965 to 1985. Since 1986, however, populations in several states have increased or generally stabilized and the rate of decline from 1985 to 2003 slowed to 0.37 percent annually for the species across its entire range. These data and the fact that 92 percent of the known active leks (traditional sites where males and females congregate for courtship) occur in 10 core populations across eight western states, and that five of these populations are large and expansive, were important factors in the Service's decision, Williams said. The FWS has compiled a list of potential funding sources for partners in sage grouse conservation efforts at http://www.fws.gov/pdfs/Sagefinalfundingopps.pdf. (Status Review Completed: Greater Sage-Grouse Not Warranted for Listing as Endangered or Threatened. From U.S.F.W.S. news release: http://news.fws.gov/NewsReleases/R9/4D0B98E6-DE22-18A8-5FBC25A1E928B298.html)
TWO PRE-MEETING WORKSHOPS are scheduled for Tuesday, 23 Aug 2005, at the AOU meeting in Santa Barbara, California. A morning workshop (8:00-11:30AM), "Increasing Access to Avian Biodiversity Data," will focus on current initiatives to develop distributed databases of avian collections data (ORNIS) and bird monitoring data (ORGANIZERS: Carla Cicero, A. Town Peterson, John Wieczorek, Steve Kelling). An afternoon workshop (12:30-4:00PM), "Ask the experts: USFWS and USDA staff explain the rules and procedures for importing/exporting bird specimens," will bring in top people from these agencies to clarify permit regulations pertaining to import/export (ORGANIZER: Ornithological Council). Those who plan to attend either or both workshops should email Ellen Paul (EM: ellen.paul@verizon.net) so that she can resolve logistical issues and send notices shortly before the meeting. Attendees should plan to arrive in Santa Barbara no later than Monday, 22 Aug 2005.
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NEWS FROM THE ORNITHOLOGICAL COUNCIL
Provided by DAVID E. BLOCKSTEIN, Chair (EM: oc@cnie.org ), and ELLEN PAUL, Executive Director (EM: ellen.paul@verizon.net ), The Ornithological Council. Major funding for the Ornithological Council is provided by its eleven member societies: American Ornithologists' Union, Association of Field Ornithologists, CIPAMEX, Cooper Ornithological Society, Neotropical Ornithological Society, Pacific Seabird Group, Raptor Research Foundation, Society of Canadian Ornithologists, Society for the Conservation and Study of Caribbean Birds, Waterbird Society, and Wilson Ornithological Society. We also appreciate the support of individual ornithologists.
OC REFINES AND RECOMMITS TO MISSION: Following a retreat of the Board of Directors earlier this year, the Ornithological Council undertook to
re-evaluate its mission and to encapsulate that mission in a formal mission statement. As a result of this assessment, the following mission statement was
approved by the Board of Directors at its most recent board meeting (8 Nov 2004):
The Ornithological Council, a consortium of scientific ornithological societies in the Western Hemisphere, seeks to:
•Ensure that the best ornithological science is incorporated into legislative, regulatory, and management decisions that affect birds;
•Enhance the ability of ornithologists to pursue professional activities; and
•Promote the influence of ornithology in public affairs.
The Board continues to pursue a strategic planning process and will next develop formal goals and objectives and will refine existing Action Plans to conform to
these goals and objectives.
PLEASE SUPPORT THE ORNITHOLOGICAL COUNCIL: When you renew your memberships in the OSNA societies, please consider making a contribution to the Ornithological Council. Most of the support for the Ornithological Council is provided by our eleven member societies. However, support from individual ornithologists is also an important source of funding for OC's efforts to "keep the world safe for ornithology." The Ornithological Council is the only organization that devotes all its efforts to supporting the efforts of ornithologists to develop the scientific understanding of birds. We strive to enhance the ability of professional ornithologists to conduct research and pursue other professional activities and we promote the importance of ornithological information to decision-makers whose actions affect the practice of ornithology and the conservation and management of wild bird populations If you would like to contribute to the OC, you will find a line on the printed notice, at the top of the column where you will list your dues and contributions to the OSNA societies. You can also contribute via the website if you renew online. The line for contributions to the OC will appear on the same webpage as the society membership dues and contributions. We appreciate your support!
CONGRESS SETTLES THE MUTE SWAN DISPUTE; USFWS issues proposed list of birds to be excluded from MBTA protection: Legislation introduced earlier in this Congress by Congressman Wayne Gilchrest (R-MD) to amend the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) to exclude non-native species became law when the text of the bill was rolled into the Omnibus Appropriations Act, which President Bush on 8 Dec 2004 signed into law. The legislation does not directly remove Mute Swans or other non-natives; it simply directs the USFWS to promulgate regulations about what species are or are not protected, using definitions of native and non-native that are consistent with that established in the invasive species Executive Order issued by President Clinton (E.O. 13112 signed 3 Feb 1999). On 4 Jan 2005, the USFWS published the proposed list of species that, under this standard, would not be protected. For further information, the full list of species, and instructions for commenters, see (URL: http://policy.fws.gov/library/05-55.pdf); comments due by 3 Feb 2005. BACKGROUND: In recent years, various states, mostly in the Northeast, wanted to reduce or eliminate Mute Swan populations. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service took the position that because Mute Swans were non-native, they were not protected under the MBTA, and thus, the USFWS had no jurisdiction over any actions the States might take. Some individuals and groups who wanted to protect Mute Swans took exception to the USFWS stance and filed suit in federal court. The court ruled that the USFWS had to protect Mute Swans. The ruling could have been interpreted to mean that the USFWS had to protect all non-native species. The USFWS then prepared an Environmental Assessment and issued a Finding of No Significant Impact (EA/FONSI) to support its issuance of permits to allow the States to control Mute Swan populations. The swan-protector groups returned to court, insisting that a full Environmental Impact Statement was required. Based on the court's statements, the USFWS withdrew the EA/FONSI and did not issue the permits. At this point, Congress stepped in with legislation to resolve the issue.
UPDATES ON OPEN ACCESS: The Ornithological Council has been monitoring and participating in the discussions about open access publishing for some time. This year, the theoretical discussions morphed into reality when the National Institutes of Health began to develop an open access policy for NIH-funded research. Although most ornithological research is not NIH-funded, we were concerned that the NIH model would be adopted by other federal funding agencies, such as the National Science Foundation and the USDA National Research Initiative. Recently, BioScience publisher Richard O'Grady and Editor-in-Chief Tim Beardsley invited OC Executive Director Ellen Paul to submit a Viewpoint on open access publishing for BioScience. The column was published in the December issue. For those who do not have access to BioScience, we have posted a .pdf on the BIRDNET homepage (URL: http://www.nmnh.si.edu/BIRDNET/OC/OCinfo/BioScience2004.pdf) with the kind permission of the American Institute of Biological Sciences. We will also post copies of the two sets of comments we submitted to the National Institutes of Health. The Ornithological Council will also be organizing a session at the next AOU meeting (Santa Barbara, August 2005) on the implications of open access publishing for individual scientists and for scientific societies (Saturday, 27 Aug). We have also submitted a proposal to the AFO and WOS for a similar session, to be held at the AFO/WOS joint meeting in Laurel, Maryland (21-24 April 2005).
FCC RELEASES REPORT ON IMPACT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS TOWERS ON BIRD POPULATIONS; SEEKS COMMENTS: The Federal Communications Commission is seeking comments on a report commissioned by the agency to amass and assess information about the impact of telecommunications towers on bird populations. The Report is available at http://wireless.fcc.gov/reports/documents/avatar-migratory-bird-report10104.pdf. Some time ago, in response to concerns raised by conservation organizations and government agencies about the impact of telecommunications towers on bird populations, the FCC issued a Notice of Inquiry (NOI) asking the public to submit information that the FCC would use to develop a record on how, and to what extent, migratory birds may be affected by telecommunications towers. The NOI sought comment on existing scientific research concerning the number of migratory bird collisions with communications towers and the role that specific factors, such as lighting, height and type of antenna structure, weather, location, physiographic features of sites, and migration paths, may have in increasing or decreasing the incidence of such collisions. To help the Commission evaluate the comments and the various scientific studies, the Commission retained an environmental risk consulting firm. After reviewing the scientific studies referred to by the comments and reply comments, the consulting firm submitted a report of its findings. The FCC is seeking comments on that report. Comments are due (must be received by the FCC) by 14 Mar 2005. Parties are strongly urged to use the Commission's Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS) to file their comments. Comments filed through the ECFS can be sent as an electronic file via the Internet to http://www.fcc.gov/e-file/ecfs.html. Only one copy of an electronic submission must be filed. In completing the transmittal screen, electronic filers should include their full name, Postal Service mailing address, and the applicable docket number. [NOTE: Whenever submitting comments through a webform, type your comments in a word processing document first and then copy and paste your comments into the webform. Transmission glitches can cause the loss of comments so you should always prepare and save a copy in a word processing document so you can re-transmit if necessary]. Parties may also submit an electronic comment by Internet e-mail. To receive filing instructions for e-mail comments, commenters should send an e-mail to ecfs@fcc.gov, and should include the following words in the body of the message, ``get form .'' A sample form and directions will be sent in reply.
RESEARCH FUNDING FARES POORLY IN FY2005 BUDGET - The Fiscal Year 2004 budget signed by President Bush on 9 Dec 2004 was not kind to federal agencies that fund extramural scientific research or that conduct intramural scientific research. The National Science Foundation budget was cut by 2% ($107 million) from the prior year. Each NSF Directorate, including BIO, will sustain a 2% decline in funding. The National Ecological Observatory Network was not funded in the Major Research Equipment and Facilities Construction Account, but may receive up to $6 million in funding from the Research & Related Activities Account (the account that includes the directorates, such as BIO). The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) actually received a small increase of $11 million over the FY04 level but an across-the-board rescission in the Department of Interior and the government-wide across-the-board rescission actually resulted in a 0.3% decrease, bringing the appropriation to $935.8 million ($3.8 million less than last year). In contrast, Department of Agriculture programs received an increase of 7.8%, including an increase of nearly 10% for the National Research Initiative (which will receive $180 million). The Forest Service received $322 million for its R&D programs in FY 2005, an increase of $6 million or 1.8 percent. The appropriations legislation also continues the 20% cap on indirect costs for extramural grants. Research funding at the Environmental Protection Agency will drop by 2.8% but Congress restored funding for EPA's Science to Achieve Results (STAR) graduate fellowship program, which was targeted for a deep cut in the Administration's FY 2005 budget request.
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SUBMIT A CRAZY STORY OF YOUR OWN for a second volume of The Back Road to Crazy. (please see announcement in PUBLICATIONS for information on the first volume). If you would like to submit a story for possible inclusion in a second volume of Crazy stories, please email JENNIFER BOVÉ (EM: fieldstories@aol.com) for more information.
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POSITIONS AND OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE
NOTE the printed version of the Ornithological Newsletter no longer contains job advertisements. 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 . Submissions can be made at any time, and advertisements are maintained until approximately the due date for submissions.
A LISTSERVE 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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FOR INFORMATION ON CONTINUING GRANTS PROGRAMS relevant to ornithological research, visit: http://www.nmnh.si.edu/BIRDNET/Grants/index.html .
COS STUDENT TRAVEL AWARDS: Limited funding will be available to defray travel expenses for undergraduate and graduate students attending the Cooper Ornithological Society meeting at Humboldt State University, Arcata, CA, 15 - 18 Jun 2005. Students must be members of COS and present an oral or poster paper at the meeting to be eligible for the award. Students must be senior authors but papers may be co-authored with other students or non-students. A travel award will be granted only after the presentation is accepted for the annual meeting by the program committee (to be accepted to the program, submit an abstract as directed in the circular or on the meeting web site). Instructions for applying for a travel award will be posted on the Cooper Society web site (URL: http://www.cooper.org/cos/travelaward.html) by 15 February and will be included in the meeting circular, which will be mailed to COS members during February. COS Student Travel Award applications will be due by 31 Mar 2005.
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A BIRDER'S GUIDE TO MICHIGAN, Allen T. Chartier and Jerry Ziarno. 2004. American Birding Association. 660 pp., 253 route maps, 6 photographs, 14 drawings. ISBN: 1-878788-13-2, $28.95. This volume gives birdwatchers the specialized information they need to find birds in Michigan. Over 200 locations are covered, accompanied by maps and detailed driving directions. Numerous expert birders from throughout the state contributed to the guide. Over 250 detailed maps accompany the six regional chapters. The status of most Michigan bird species is treated in the throughly researched bargraphs, and there is additional information on the state's "specialty" birds, including Sharp-tailed and Spruce Grouse, Yellow Rail, Gyrfalcon, Black-backed Woodpecker, Gray Jay Boreal Chickadee, and the state's most well-known species, the endangered Kirtland's Warbler. Distributor: ABA Sales, P.O. Box 6599, Colorado Springs, CO 80934 (PH: 800-634-7736 or 719-578-0607, FX: 800-590-2473 or 719-578-9705, EM: abasales@abasales.com, URL: http://www.americanbirding.org/abasales)
THE BACK ROAD TO CRAZY, is being published by the University of Utah Press, is due to hit bookstore shelves in February. "During five years of working in snake-ridden sloughs and rough northern seas, Jennifer Bové often asked herself, "Why am I doing this?" Realizing her own experiences were only the tip of the iceberg, she invited friends and coworkers to answer the same question. Their stories include deadly snakebites, a plague of marmots, special delivery skunk oil, bald eagle wrangling, wildfires, and a mountain goat loose in the galley of a research vessel. These adventures are the details behind the data collected by men and women driven to unlock nature's truths. In The Back Road to Crazy, seasoned researchers and novices alike reveal the impulse to trade the comfort of a more sheltered career for demanding physical labor, whims of weather, and the company of unruly creatures. This exuberant and entertaining collection of stories from the frontlines of research ranges from Myanmar to the Midwest, from Argentina to Alaska, and many points in between, offering tales that are by turns thoughtful, funny, tragic, and just plain crazy. The University of Utah Press.
GULLS OF NORTH AMERICA, EUROPE, AND ASIA, by Klaus Malling Olsen and Hans Larsson. 2004. Princeton University Press. 608 pp, 938 color plates, 6-11/16 x 9-7/16. ISBN (Cloth): 0-691-11998-X. $55.00. The gulls are a large family of seabirds, familiar and distinctive as a group, but one of the most challenging to separate at the species level, especially in their various stages of immature plumage. This volume offers the most comprehensive treatment ever published on the gulls of these continents. It treats a total of forty-three species-each depicted in considerable detail, with a full description of every plumage and racial variation. The text is complemented not only by color paintings by Larsson showing birds in flight and standing, but also by 800 color photographs. As well as identification criteria, this book includes an up-too-date assessment of the range and status of every species with maps, together with information on patterns on vagrancy. The large white-headed gulls found in North America, Europe, and Asia comprise a superspecies complex, with precise relationships between various components still under considerable debate. A thorough illustrative and textual treatment of the group is needed, and this book provides the most recent and complete overview. Visit http://www.pupress.princeton.edu.
BIRDS, BIRDS, BIRDS! AN INDOOR BIRDWATCHING FIELD TRIP DVD Video Guide. John Feith has created a bird guide DVD with some unique features designed to complement existing field guides. It comes especially handy in Winter, when many birds have headed south and "indoor birdwatching" is even more appealing. The DVD can be viewed on the TV or personal computers as a 70-minute bird-filled documentary. It also serves as an audio/visual reference guide - one can use the easy-to-use menus to quickly find a particular bird (it contains 218 species, most of them recorded in Wisconsin) along with video footage from the Wisconsin-made TV show "Northland Adventures." Some features unique to the DVD include a collection of 18 quizzes and a section for comparing similar-sounding birds (for example, melodic, buzzy or unmusical). The narration for each bird does not occur immediately, allowing the viewer to guess what bird the viewer is hearing and seeing. The focus of the narration is bird song and bird song mnemonics (such as "Who's awake? Me too" of the Great Horned Owl, or "Quick, three beers!" of the Olive-sided Flycatcher). Also, a bonus "Soundscape" track is included without narration to simulate a field trip to different habitats such as marsh, grassland and forest. This creates a very relaxing natural background which, along wit the bird photos, can keep bird-watchers of any level, kids, babies, and pets (especially cats) enthralled for hours. Profits from Feiths' previous CD Bird Song Ear Training Guide generated profits for land conservation groups like the Nature Conservancy, Madison Audubon Society, Wisconsin Society for Ornithology and the Natural Heritage Trust in Dane County. Profits from this DVD will also help support bird habitat preservation. The DVD is available for $24.95 (includes free shipping) online at http://www.caculo.com or by sending a check to: JOHN FEITH, 1225 E. Mifflin St., Madison WI 53703. (PH: 608-258-8359, EM: feith@charter.net). It is at bookstores and bird-supply stores. (Publisher: Caculo, ISBN 0975443402, UPC 643157144229).
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FOR SALE: Complete First Edition of the Birds of North America (BNA), including all 716 species accounts, still in original packaging, along with slipcases and certificate of authenticity. Asking price is $2000 (US) plus shipping and handling (estimated at $300). Contact DAN REGELSKI (EM: dregelski@new-albany.k12.oh.us) to make specific arrangements regarding payment and shipping options.
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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
82ND ANNUAL MEETING OF THE EASTERN BIRD BANDING ASSOCIATION will be hosted by Braddock Bay Bird Observatory at the Airport Holiday Inn in Rochester, NY on 15-17 Apr 2005. Information on the paper session, workshops, poster session, accommodations, field trips, and the bucket raffle will be posted as it becomes available on the EBBA website (URL: http://www.pronetisp.net/~bpbird/) or contact BETSY BROOKS (EM: ebrooks@bbbo.org).
*THE WILSON ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY and the ASSOCIATION OF FIELD ORNITHOLOGISTS will meet jointly Thursday-Sunday, 21 - 24 Apr 2005 at the Sheraton College Park Hotel in Beltsville, Maryland, at the invitation of the USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center and the Maryland Ornithological Society. Members or others planning in participating in the meeting are urged to register and to make hotel reservations promptly. The Sheraton has set aside a block of rooms at the special price of $109 per night (plus applicable state and local taxes) for single or double occupancy. Reservations for this block of rooms at this rate must be made by 21 Mar 2005. Reservation requests after that date will be accepted on a space and rate availability basis. Reservations must be made directly with Sheraton Reservations at 800-325-3535. You must mention the group name "WOS Conference." Members and guests are invited to present papers on any aspect of ornithological science, orally (15 minutes) or as a poster. To apply for a place on the scientific program, please submit an abstract to be received no later than 18 Mar 2005 to the Chair of the Scientific Program Committee, DR. JAMES D. RISING, preferably by Word or WordPerfect attachment to e-mail (EM: rising@zoo.utoronto.ca) or by snail mail (3 copies) to Department of Zoology, Ramsay Wright Zoological Labs, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3G5, Canada. For questions about this meeting, write or call the Chair of the Organizing Committee, RICHARD C. BANKS, USGS-PWRC, National Museum of Natural History, MRC-111, P. O. Box 30712, Washington, DC 20013-0712 (PH: 202-633-0783, EM: banksr@si.edu).
ASSOCIATION OF FIELD ORNITHOLOGISTS, 21-24 Apr 2005-See WILSON ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY
COOPER ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY MEETINGS at Humboldt State University, Arcata, California, 15 - 18 Jun 2005. The meeting will be held on the campus of Humboldt State University,
*THE SOCIETY FOR THE CONSERVATION AND STUDY OF CARIBBEAN BIRDS (SCSCB) will be holding its 15th Regional Meeting in Guadeloupe, 1-6 Aug 2005. Registration materials, call for papers will be available by mid-March. For further details, please contact CAROLYN WARDLE (EM: cwardle@batelnet.bs), SCSCB, PO Box 863208, Ridgewood NY 11386 USA.
THE 123RD STATED MEETING OF THE AOU will be held at the University of California-Santa Barbara in Santa Barbara, CA, 23 - 27 Aug 2005. Contact person: STEVE ROTHSTEIN (EM: rothstei@lifesci.ucsb.edu).
THE 11TH MEETING ON ARGENTINE ORNITHOLOGY will take place from 7-10 Sep 2005, in the Argentine Museum of Natural History "Bernardino Rivadavia", in Buenos Aires. The conference is organized by Aves Argentina/ Asociacion Ornitologica del Plata. During the 4 day conference participants will be informed on research topics in ornithology and current work in Argentina and other countries, in plenary sessions, symposia, oral presentations, posters and other complementary activities. To obtain the first circular, with information about inscription, plenary sessions, confirmed symposia, datelines for summaries, and an invitation to present new topics for symposia, please contact rao@avesargentinas.org.ar
*The RAPTOR RESEARCH FOUNDATION, 2005 annual meeting will be held from 12-16 Oct at the KI Convention Center in Green Bay, Wisconsin (URL: http://www.regencygb.com/convention.html). The meeting will be hosted by the Cofrin Center for Biodiversity, which is part of the University of Wisconsin, Green Bay (URL: http://www.uwgb.edu/biodiversity). Green Bay is a thriving community with many attractions (URL: http://www.titletown.org/default.asp) located in eastern Wisconsin on one of the largest freshwater estuarine ecosystems in the world. A substantial fall raptor migration occurs along Green Bay and the nearby Lake Michigan shore, including thousands of Saw-whet Owls and other species characteristic of eastern North America and Canada. Details on the meeting are posted and updated periodically on the RRF web site at http://biology.boisestate.edu/raptor, or for general information, contact RRF Conference Committee Chair DAN VARLAND (PH: 360-538-4582; EM: daniel.varland@rayonier.com); for information on the scientific program, contact ANGELA MATZ, Scientific Program Chair (PH: 907-456-0442; EM: angela_matz@fws.gov).
*20TH TRUMPETER SWAN SOCIETY CONFERENCE **CALL FOR PAPERS** The 20th Trumpeter Swan Society (TTSS) Conference will be held in Council Bluffs, Iowa, 20-22 Oct 2005. The Conference will be co-hosted by TTSS and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and held at Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites at Ameristar. The biennial conferences of TTSS provide the only public forum in North America that brings together private citizens and conservation groups, policy makers, swan managers, and researchers to examine the status and needs of Trumpeter Swans in the U.S. and Canada and to work together to make all populations secure. The focus of the 20th Conference will be the restoration of the Interior Population of Trumpeter Swans. Presentations will examine the restoration accomplishments and lessons learned, the challenges and opportunities that remain, and highlight the role of private/agency partnerships in this effort. In addition, the Conference will include sessions on the biology, habitat concerns, and management of all Trumpeter Swan populations in the U.S. and Canada. Papers and posters that will increase the understanding of the biology and management of Tundra Swans and Mute Swans in North America or their interactions with Trumpeter Swans are also invited. We strongly encourage the private partners involved in Trumpeter Swan restoration, management, and research, as well as the agency managers and biologists to participate. If you are interested in making a presentation at the 20th Conference, please contact MADELEINE LINCK (EM: ttss@threeriversparkdistrict.org, PH: 763-694-7851) for additional information, including presentation guidelines and submission dates.
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, 13 - 19 Aug 2006, Hamburg, Germany. Call for contributed orals, posters and round table discussions will be posted on the website in Jan 2005 (URL: http://www.i-o-c.org/).
4TH NORTH AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGICAL CONFERENCE, Veracruz City, Mexico, 2-7 Oct 2006. The 4TH NAOC is being organized jointly by the AOU, COS, SCO-SOC, AFO, WOS, WS and CIPAMEX (local host). RRF, PSG, and SCSCB currently are evaluating full participation or presentation of symposia. NOS is also a sponsor. The Steering Committee is co-chaired by CHARLES FRANCIS (EM: charles.francis@ec.gc.ca) and JOSE LUIS ALCANTARA (EM: jlalcant@colpos.mx). The Scientific Program Committee will be co-chaired by JOHN R. FAABORG (EM: faaborgj@missouri.edu) and a distinguished Mexican ornithologist. The Local Committee is co-chaired by ERNESTO RUELAS INZUNZA (EM: ruelas01@prodigy.net.mx) and JUAN E. MARTINEZ GOMEZ (EM: endemicos_insulares@yahoo.com.mx). The conference will feature a rich scientific program, symposia, plenary lectures, business meetings of societies, and social activities. Pre- and post-conference activities will include training workshops, and birding, culture, and nature tours. Veracruz is home to a rich avifauna, with over 700 species reported for the state, of which >230 species are Neotropical migrants and >20 species are endemic to Mexico. The conference is scheduled to coincide with the peak of the migration season in the world's largest raptor migration bottleneck. The Circular of Information will be mailed in early 2006. Check the NAOC website for updates on organization (URL: http://www.NAOC2006.org).
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.
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J. E. V. GOODWILL of Victoria, BC, Canada, member of the AOU since 1949, died on 20 Feb 2004.
MARK E. HAUBER wrapped up his postdoctoral work at UC Berkeley, accepted a faculty position in animal behavior and moved to the Ecology, Evolution, & Behaviour Research Group at the School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, PB 92019, Auckland, New Zealand. EM: m.hauber@auckland.ac.nz.
DUE TO FINANCIAL REASONS, LEO JOSEPH is to be laid off from his position as Chair of the Department of Ornithology at the Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia. He will be there until Jun 2005. After that time, Nate Rice will be staying on as Collection Manager and all queries related to the Academy's ornithology department will have to be directed to him.
JANET KEAR of the United Kingdom, elected a Corresponding Fellow of the AOU in 1983 and an Honorary Fellow in 1998, died on 24 Nov 2004 at the age of 71, as a result of an aggressive brain tumor, diagnosed only in early October. Dr. Kear's long career was devoted to the study of waterfowl; she held a position with the Wildlife Trust from 1957-1993. She served as Editor of The Ibis from 1980-1988 and as President of the British Ornithologists' Union from 1991-1995. She was the recipient of the BOU's Union Medal in 1998.
THOMAS R. HOWELL died on 14 Dec 2004 at the age of 80 in North Chatham, MA. He joined the AOU in 1948, was elected Elective Member in 1953, and Fellow in 1959. He served as President of the AOU from 1982-1984. He also was President of COS from 1964-1967 and served the society in many ways during his career. In recognition of his service, he was elected an Honorary Member in 1968. A detailed memorial will appear in a forthcoming issue of The Auk.
IAIN J. STENHOUSE recently completed his Postdoctoral fellowship on Ivory Gulls (with the Canadian Wildlife Service and Memorial University of Newfoundland). He is now Director of Bird Conservation with Audubon Alaska. His new contact information is: Audubon Alaska, 715 L Street, Suite 200, Anchorage, AK 99501. PH: 907-276-7034, EM: istenhouse@audubon.org
GUNNAR SVÄRDSON of Sweden, elected a Corresponding Fellow of the AOU in 1958, died on 6 Nov 2004 at the age of 90.
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To correct your address in the membership database please send the new information to the OSNA Business Office, 5400 Bosque Blvd., Suite 680, Waco, TX 76710 (EM: business@osnabirds.org , PH: 254-399-9636, FX: 254-776-3767) or change it yourself online (URL: http://www.osnabirds.org ). To alert your colleagues of new address information contact the Ornithological Newsletter Editor, CHERYL L. TRINE (address below).
CHANGES/ADDITIONS:
SCHUKMAN, JOHN M. EM: schuksaya@kc.rr.com
STEVENSON, GRANT. PH/FX: 610-866-6234, EM: accipiter@talkamerica.net.
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