The Ornithological Newsletter On-Line

ORGANIZATION NEWS

AOU STUDENT MEMBERSHIP AWARDS—The Council of the American Ornithologists' Union has voted to provide one-year student membership awards to qualified undergraduate or graduate students interested in pursuing a career in ornithology. To qualify, students must: 1. Have no current or prior membership in the AOU; 2. Provide a resume or curriculum vitae describing the current degree program, the expected date of completion and the candidate's academic and/or work experience, and interests in ornithology; 3. Provide a brief letter of sponsorship from an academic advisor on letterhead from the institution in which the student is currently enrolled. Membership awards will provide full membership in the AOU (including subscription to The Auk and Ornithological Monographs). They are not renewable, but recipients can continue to be AOU members at the reduced student rate for four additional years, as long as they retain student or post-doctoral status. Although students may send materials at any time during the academic year, they are encouraged to send them prior to 1 January 2006 to receive their first issues of the publications in January. The AOU reserves the right to limit to 200 the number of grants provided during one academic year. Further details are available at: http://www.aou.org/student/membershipaward.php3

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS FOR AOU AWARDS

WILLIAM BREWSTER MEMORIAL AWARD—Nominations are invited for the William Brewster Memorial Award for 2006. The Brewster Award is given for the most meritorious body of work (book, monograph, or series of related papers) on birds of the Western Hemisphere published during the past ten years. Each nomination must include: (1) the name and institution of the nominee, (2) a written description of the contributions of the nominee to ornithology, and (3) a bibliography that documents these contributions. Submit one electronic copy of the nomination to the Chair, AOU Committee on Scientific Awards, JAMES D. RISING (EM: Rising@zoo.utoronto.ca), by 1 Feb 2005.
ELLIOTT COUES AWARD—Nominations are invited for the Elliott Coues Award for 2006. The Elliott Coues Award recognizes extraordinary contributions to ornithological research and involves no limitation with respect to geographic area, sub-discipline(s) of ornithology, or the time course over which the work was done. Each nomination must include: (1) the name and institution of the nominee, (2) a written description of the contributions of the nominee to ornithology, and (3) a bibliography that documents these contributions. Submit one electronic copy of the nomination to the Chair, AOU Committee on Scientific Awards, JAMES D. RISING (EM: Rising@zoo.utoronto.ca), by 1 Feb 2005.
NED K. JOHNSON YOUNG INVESTIGATOR AWARD—Nominations are invited for the Ned K. Johnson Young Investigator Award for 2006. The Ned K. Johnson Award recognizes outstanding and promising work by a researcher early in his/her career in any field of ornithology. Successful nominees will excel in research and show distinct promise for leadership in ornithology within and beyond North America. They must have received their doctorate within 5 years of being nominated, must not have received the award previously, and must be a member of the AOU at the time of nomination. To nominate a candidate for the Ned K. Johnson Young Investigator Award, submit one electronic copy of the following documents to the Chair, AOU Committee on Scientific Awards, JAMES D. RISING, (EM: Rising@zoo.utoronto.ca), by 1 Feb 2005: (1) a letter summarizing why the nominee should be considered for an award, including statements on his/her scientific accomplishments, the relevance of his/her research to scientific ornithology, and his/her promise as a leader in ornithology; (2) the candidate's curriculum vitae; and (3) two letters of support from colleagues.
AOU CONSERVATION AWARD—Nominations are invited for the AOU Conservation Award for 2006. The AOU Conservation Award recognizes extraordinary scientific contributions to the conservation, restoration, or preservation of birds and/or their habitats by an individual or small team (usually less than 10 people). Contributions from throughout the world and over any time course are eligible. Appropriate activities include: - Applied research, restoration, and educational actions that conserve birds, or preserve significant bird habitats; - Scientific examination of the principles of avian conservation and application of new insights into species restoration; - Scientific evaluation, guidance, creation, and oversight of avian recovery programs or habitat reserve/restoration programs. To nominate a candidate for the AOU Conservation Award, submit one electronic copy of the following documents to the Chair, AOU Committee on Scientific Awards, JAMES D. RISING (EM: Rising@zoo.utoronto.ca), by 1 Feb 2005: (1) a letter summarizing why the nominee(s) should be considered for an award, including statements on scientific, educational, and conservation accomplishments, the relevance of his/her science to avian conservation, and his/her leadership in avian conservation, documentation of the conservation implications of the candidate's work, and what birds have benefitted from the science; (2) the candidate's curriculum vitae; and (3) two letters of support from colleagues.

RACE DIRECTOR NEEDED FOR AOU-5K RUN—after organizing at AOU meetings the past 22 years the annual Allout Ostrich Uproar 5K run, Doug James is resigning as race director. Those who want to continue as race director please contact him for information concerning the task. There have been 20 races in the 22 year period, average number of runners per year was 18 (range 7 to 34). Registration fees went to the Van Tyne student awards fund totaling $2800. (Fees were $5 the first 10 races, $10 the last ten). Fastest times for the 5 kilometers for men and women were: ANDREW DOLBY 16m 35s and AMANDA BEHNKE 19m 26s in the open class, and for the masters level (40 yrs and up) BERN HEINRICH 17m 49s and RHONDA MILLIKIN 21m 18s. The first run was in 1984 at the Lawrence, Kansas, AOU meeting. The organizers of that meeting worried that the AOU would be vulnerable if runners were injured, so the run was an outlaw event not officially sanctioned by the AOU. DougI still wanted to have AOU in the name of the race so named it the Allout Ostrich Uproar with the acronym AOU-5K, and encouraged runners to EMUlate the world's fastest running bird. Soon thereafter ostrich eggs became the winners’ trophies. One of the more interesting events was run at Fairbanks, Alaska, where the lead men took the wrong turn; the lead women did not. The women came in first; the men were unable to catch up after realizing their mistake. If you want to continue the race tradition contact DOUGLAS JAMES, Dept. Biological Sciences, Univ. Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701 (EM: djames@uark.edu).

NAOC 2006—Plans for the Fourth North American Ornithological Conference continue to proceed. The call for suggestions for symposia and plenary speakers resulted in far more suggested speakers than space will allow. The Scientific Program Committee is currently working on cutting the number of symposia to a more workable level, but the response suggests that this may be a large meeting. We hope to have symposia and plenary speakers chosen by early December; these will appear on the website at that time. The circular of information with the general call for papers will appear on the website in December and will be mailed in January, with the deadline for abstracts and early registration slated for 3 April 2006. Facilities have been reserved and everything is falling into place for a truly memorable meeting.

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NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

DR. CHANDLER S. ROBBINS will retire in December 2005 after 60 years of government service, first with the US Fish & Wildlife Service and then the US Geological Survey. He worked at the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Laurel, MD, in a variety of jobs involving birds, their distribution, populations and related subjects. He is the senior author of the well used guide, Birds of North America, first published in 1966, and hundreds of other reports and papers on birds. An open reception is to be held on 9 Dec 2005, from 7—9 PM, at the National Wildlife Visitors Center, Powder Mill Road, Laurel, MD. If interested in attending, please notify BARBARA KEYWOOD (EM: barbara_keywood@fws.gov) to ensure adequate refreshments and memorabilia are on hand.

IVORY-BILLED WHITE RIVER SUIT—In order to protect the habitat of the recently rediscovered Ivory-billed Woodpecker, the National Wildlife Federation and the Arkansas Wildlife Federation filed a legal action in early September in federal district court to halt construction of the controversial Grand Prairie Irrigation Project. The complaint claims that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) violated the law by not completing a thorough enough survey of the project's potential impact on woodpecker habitat as required under the Endangered Species Act. "This project is designed to draw 158 billion gallons of water from the White River each year, effectively draining the wetlands habitat where the Ivory-bill was first sighted," said David Carruth, a National Wildlife Federation board member and president of the Arkansas Wildlife Federation. Construction of a major pumping station - about 20 miles from where the first recent Ivory-bill sighting was reported - has continued without interruption. The legal action asks the court to set aside the findings that the Grand Prairie Irrigation Project poses no risk to the Ivory-billed Woodpecker, to order a formal Endangered Species Act consultation and an environmental assessment on the project, and to enjoin the Corps from further construction on the pumping station until the required consultations and analyses are completed. For background information, see: http://www.arkansaswildlifefederation.org/whiteriver.html. (From Swarovski Birding E-bulletin - October 2005)

WILL MARBLED MURRELET BE DE-LISTED? In late October, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) confirmed that it would propose removing the Marbled Murrelet as a Threatened species from the Endangered Species List. Federally listed since 1992, the Marbled Murrelet lives most of its life at sea, but uses giant, old coastal conifers for nesting, laying a solitary egg in a mossy depression on a large branch, often high in the canopy. The de-listing proposal, which will probably be formalized by the end of the year, will initiate a year-long evaluation of the birds’ status. The proposal is centered on the idea that the 17,000 to 20,000 birds living off Washington, Oregon, and California are not distinct from the nearly 1 million other individuals living off the coasts of British Columbia and Alaska. Whether the murrelets in the Pacific Northwest represent a distinct population has long been an issue of dispute among environmentalists and the administration, as well as between the regional Service office and D.C.-based officials. In a draft review, policymakers in the Service's Pacific Northwest office concluded the birds were, indeed, a distinct population and therefore warrant continued listing. Moreover, a team of 16 international scientists assembled under contract to the USFWS last year found that the Marbled Murrelet was still declining in North America. The scientists warned that the species was likely to disappear from the Pacific Northwest by the end of this century, particularly if more nesting trees are harvested. (From Birding Community E-bulletin - November 2005)

CALL FOR PAPERS—OWL SURVEY TECHNIQUES AND HABITAT WORKSHOP, at the 4th annual Festival of Owls, Friday, 3 Mar 2006, Houston, Minnesota. The Festival of Owls, Global Owl Project, and Student Chapter of The Wildlife Society — Stevens Point, have teamed up to host an owl research workshop focusing on owl survey techniques and habitat. The workshop is looking specifically for papers focused on owl surveying techniques, locating nests, sampling design and statistical considerations, banding as a long-term monitoring tool, demographic studies, and habitat analyses at the nest, home range, and landscape scales. Papers may focus on any owl species from anywhere in the world. The deadline for abstract submission is 1 Feb 2006. Abstracts should be limited to 250 words and e-mailed to the Houston Nature Center (EM: nature@acegroup.cc). Please include the presenter’s name, e-mail address, phone number, authors and affiliations, and audio/visual needs. Twelve papers will be accepted for presentation at the workshop. Presenters should be prepared to submit a full text version of their presentation for inclusion in a web-based proceedings document to be published by the Global Owl Project. Students are especially encouraged to submit abstracts. No travel assistance is expected to be available, but free lodging in local homes may be arranged. More information is available from: KARLA KINSTLER, Director/Naturalist, Houston Nature Center, 215 W Plum St., PO Box 667, Houston, MN 55943 (PH: 507-896-4668, EM: nature@acegroup.cc, URL: http://www.houstonmn.com/owlfest.htm).

BIRDS OF AMERICA—Late summer 2006 will see the publication of a full leather jumbo elephant folio limited edition of Audubon/Havell's "The Birds of America." The publishers are pondering the possibility of also issuing a cloth bound version which will depend on the demand. Any member interested in obtaining such a set should email MIKE SANDERS (EM: Mike.Sanders@ancientcultures.net) for further details.

FELLOWSHIP OPPORTUNITIES FOR ORNITHOLOGICAL RESEARCH—Smithsonian Ornithology is pleased to announce the 2006 competition for post-doctoral, pre-doctoral, and 10-week graduate fellowships to support independent or collaborative research with Smithsonian scientists. Research facilities include the National Zoological Park, the National Museum of Natural History, the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (Panama), and field sites throughout the world. Recent fellows have worked on a wide variety of topics including systematics, conservation biology, evolution of mating systems, and life history of migratory birds. If you are interested, we encourage you to correspond with researchers at the Smithsonian Institution who could act as sponsors for your proposed work. Potential sponsors include Eldredge Bermingham, Michael Braun, Scott Derrickson, Carla Dove, Robert Fleischer, Gary Graves, Russell Greenberg, Helen James, Peter Marra, Storrs Olson, John Rappole, Robert Rice, and Scott Sillett. USGS curators at the National Museum of Natural History (Mercedes Foster, Terry Chesser) can co-sponsor applications. See http://sio.si.edu/Fellowships for further details.

SOUTHWESTERN WILLOW FLYCATCHER CRITICAL HABITAT—The final ruling for designation of Critical Habitat for the Southwestern Willow Flycatcher (Empidonax traillii extimus) was published in the Federal Register: October 19, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 201) and can be viewed online (URL: http://www.fws.gov/policy/library/05-20144.html). The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service designated 737 miles of waters within the 100-year floodplain in California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, and New Mexico as critical habitat. The designation identifies the stream- and lake-edge habitats that are believed essential to help recover the species. Starting in mid-2003, rulings on critical habitat contain the following statement: "In 30 years of implementing the Act, the Service has found that the designation of statutory critical habitat provides little additional protection to most listed species, while consuming significant amounts of available conservation resources..." In the ruling, the USFWS expresses its perspective on critical habitat designation. In almost all cases, recovery of listed species comes through voluntary cooperative partnerships, not regulatory measures such as critical habitat. Habitat is also protected through cooperative measures under the Endangered Species Act including Habitat Conservation Plans, Safe Harbor Agreements, Candidate Conservation Agreements and state programs.

NEON PROGRESS REPORT—Planning for the National Ecological Observatory Network is beginning to yield new specifics about NEON science and the deployment of sensors and cyberinfrastructure. NEON's ultimate goal is to forecast the future state of key ecological systems in the United States. When fully deployed, the observatory will function as a widely distributed national laboratory—a network of shared infrastructure for ecological research. NEON will support systematic study of seven US ecological priorities: invasive species, infectious disease, climate change, land-use change, biogeochemical cycles, biodiversity, and aquatic ecosystems. A standardized set of sensor technologies and cyberinfrastructure will enable continuous, long-term data collection, storage, and dissemination. NEON will deploy sensors and cyberinfrastructure within 20 distinct climatic domains across the continental United States (in addition to domains for Alaska/tundra/taiga, Hawaii/Pacific Tropical, and Atlantic Neotropical). The domain boundaries were determined using a cluster analysis of climate state variables, combined with air mass seasonality data. (See http://www.neoninc.org for more on the climatic domains and an interactive tool for exploring the maps.) Within each domain (or NEON Node), infrastructure will be deployed in three land-use/land-cover types: wild, managed, and urbanized, each of which will contain transition zones between terrestrial and aquatic systems. Every NEON Node will feature a range of standardized instruments deployed at three fixed sites to provide critical data streams related to the ecological priorities, as well as mobile capacity to conduct routine manual sampling and to respond to sudden ecological events, such as the outbreak of an infectious disease. NEON infrastructure will be networked via state-of-the-art communication and computational tools. It will include cutting-edge laboratory and field-based instrumentation enabling scientists to collect key biological, atmospheric, chemical, and physical measurements; site-based experimental infrastructure; bio-collections facilities and sample archives; and the computational, analytical, and modeling capabilities required for NEON forecasting. NEON will be based on an open architecture that gives scientists access to new and evolving hardware and software technologies. A suite of NEON education programs will explicitly translate NEON science in ways that capture the imagination and attention of the general public, including teachers, students, decision-makers, and citizens from all walks of life. Teachers will have real-time NEON data as a classroom learning resource, students and citizen-scientists will participate in field trips to collect data, and the general public will learn about their environment through daily ecological forecasts. As NEON planning progresses, updated materials describing the project will be available in print and online. The NEON Preliminary Project Execution Plan-a document providing details about the costs, scheduling, and build-out of NEON instruments, facilities, and cyberinfrastructure-will be delivered in 2006.

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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.

HELP FOR ORNITHOLOGISTS HIT BY KATRINA—The Ornithological Council, has established an online database to make it easier for ornithologists who wish to donate ornithological equipment or personal and household goods to ornithologists who sustained losses due to Hurricane Katrina. The database is a "wish list" that allows those who need assistance to list the items they would like to receive. Once items are received, the recipient removes the item from the list. Donors can then be sure that they are providing something that is needed and that has not already been provided. Please visit BIRDNET at http://www.nmnh.si.edu/BIRDNET if you have something you would like to send. All donations will be sent directly to the recipient.

THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THE ORNITHOLOGICAL COUNCIL! Those of you who are members of any of the six ornithological societies (AOU, AFO, Cooper, Raptor Research, Waterbird Society, and Wilson) that comprise OSNA (Ornithological Societies of North America, a joint membership and billing service) have just received or will soon receive your dues renewal notice. As in the past, the renewal notice includes an option to make a contribution to the Ornithological Council. Although most of our support comes from our 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 depend on the contributions of individual ornithologists. However, support from individual ornithologists is also an important source of funding for OC's efforts to "keep the world safe for ornithology." Thank you to all who have contributed in the past. We appreciate your support! To contribute, look for a line on the printed renewal 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 OSNA website (URL: http://www.osnabirds.org) if you renew online. The line for contributions to the OC will appear on the same webpage as the society membership dues and contributions.

USFWS TO REVIEW REGS FOR HUMANE TRANSPORT OF ANIMALS INTO THE UNITED STATES—The USFWS is proposing to update and amend the standards for the humane and healthful transport of wild mammals and birds to the United States. To determine how to proceed, the agency is asking the public for comments and input on whether the current regulations are up to date and adequate. The current standards for transport of mammals and birds now available are in accordance with the accepted international requirements as described in the International Air Transport Association's (IATA) Live Animal Regulations (LAR) published in Oct 1993 (20th edition). This edition is now 12 years old and several updates of the IATA Live Animal Regulations have been published since publication of that edition. Many mammals and birds are protected by CITES and it is a recommendation that all species listed under CITES be transported using the current IATA LAR. The USFWS expects that if it amends its own standards for humane and healthful transport of wild mammals and birds to the United States, these amendments will be consistent with the most current IATA LAR at the time of the final rule, and, therefore, be current with the industry standards for ensuring the humane and healthful shipment of live mammals and birds. The Ornithological Council asks that ornithologists who have imported live birds into the United States assist us in reviewing the current standards and in making recommendations for revisions. If you can help, please contact ELLEN PAUL at ellen.paul@verizon.net.

PERMIT GUIDES—The Ornithological Council has now published the first two of its planned series of guides to research permit regulations and procedures. See http://www.nmnh.si.edu/BIRDNET/PERMITS.html. These comprehensive guides to the many permits needed for ornithological research are intended to provide scientists with both the basic requirements and the more practical ins-and-outs of applying for permits. Some of the permit systems - particularly the import systems for live birds and specimens - are complex and time-consuming processes. Others are relatively simple. In both cases, our intent is to provide step-by-step guides for the ornithologist. Busy ornithologists have not had ready access to clear and consistent information. Attempting to navigate the complexities of permitting is time-consuming and sometimes frustrating. The first two guides address importing live birds and specimens into the USA. The next to be available will be guides to state permitting systems and permits for working on federal lands (such as National Wildlife Refuges, National Parks, BLM property, and National Forests). We will also prepare guides for Migratory Bird Treaty Act permits (including banding permits), export of live birds and specimens, and endangered species permits. Once we have completed the information for the United States, we will post information for research permits in Canada and Mexico. Eventually, we hope to provide information about permits needed to work in countries throughout the Western Hemisphere.

ORNITHOLOGISTS ANDBANDERS AND THE H5N1 SITUATION—The Ornithological Council has prepared a fact sheet for ornithologists, banders, and others who handle wild birds to explain the risks associated with the H5N1 avian influenza and to suggest precautions to avoid contracting the disease. Although H5N1 has not yet appeared in the Western Hemisphere, ornithologists work all over the world, including countries where H5N1 occurs. The fact sheet, which is currently in review, will likely be published before this edition of the Newsletter is published, so please check BIRDNET to obtain a copy. In addition, the Ornithological Council organized a meeting with Department of Interior officials to discuss the potential role of ornithologists, bird-banders, and others in conducting biosurveillance of live birds. Organizations such as the North American Banding Council, the Alaska Bird Observatory, and PRBO Conservation Science (formerly known as the Point Reyes Bird Observatory) have already expressed interest in contributing to this effort. It will also be important to work with public health officials and agriculture officials about the need for continuing biosurveillance and to avert calls for culling or elimination of wild bird flocks. If you or your university or research institution are interested in participating in these efforts, please contact ELLEN PAUL (EM: ellen.paul@verizon.net).

USFWS TO PREPARE SUPPLEMENTAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT ON MIGRATORY BIRD HUNTING—The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has published a notice to advise the public that the USFWS is initiating efforts to prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Sport Hunting of Migratory Birds under the authority of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. The EIS will consider a range of management alternatives for addressing sport hunting of migratory birds under the authority of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. The Service seeks suggestions and comments on the scope and substance of this supplemental EIS, options or alternatives to be considered, and important management issues. Federal and State agencies and the public are invited to present their views on the subject to the Service. While we have yet to determine potential sites of public scoping meetings, we will publish a notice of any such public meetings with the locations, dates, and times in the Federal Register. Comments are due by 6 Jan 2006, to the Chief, Division of Migratory Bird Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of the Interior, MS MBSP-4107-ARLSQ, 1849 C Street, NW., Washington, DC 20240. Alternately, you may fax comments to (703) 358-2217 or e-mail comments to huntingseis@fws.gov. All comments received, including names and addresses, will become part of the public record. Anonymous comments will not be considered. All written comments must be submitted on 8.5-by-11-inch paper. You may inspect comments during normal business hours in room 4107, 4501 North Fairfax Drive, Arlington, Virginia.

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REQUESTS FOR ASSISTANCE

SEABIRD BANDING EXPERTISE? A few years ago the Pacific Seabird Group was asked by the North American Banding Council to produce a Seabird Banding Manual. If you know someone interested in helping with this effort - including reviewing drafts of the completed document, contributing technical information, or writing particular sections - please contact ROB SURYAN at the Oregon State University Hatfield Marine Science Center (EM: rob.suryan@oregonstate.edu). The final product should be a great resource for both novice and experienced bird banders. (From Birding Community E-bulletin - November 2005)

REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE—The International Rusty Blackbird Technical Group (IRBTG) was recently established through the direction of the Smithsonian Institute. It represents researchers of various disciplines working to determine causes for the severe population decline in the Rusty Blackbird. Indications are that only approximately 5% of the population counted in the 1970s remains. The IRBTG is actively working on field projects that require further information from other ornithologists. We need assistance in (1) locating breeding populations, (2) identifying locations of wintering flocks, and (3) collecting tissue samples such as blood and feathers. If you are able to help us with these needs please contact RUSS GREENBERG (EM: greenbergr@si.edu). For more information about IRBTG and the working document "Understanding declines in the Rusty Blackbird (Euphagus carolinus): An indicator of woodland wetland health" see our website (URL: http://nationalzoo.si.edu/ConservationAndScience/MigratoryBirds/Research/Rusty_Blackbird/).

REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE—BioDiversity Research Institute, a nonprofit ecological research group in Gorham, Maine is seeking museum-grade cabinets to house its growing reference collection of birds and mammals. Large cabinets are especially needed for the dedicated collection of >50 loon study skins. Both donated and discounted cabinets are of interest and BRI will pay for shipping and handling costs. Please contact DAVID EVERS (EM: david.evers@briloon.org, PH: 207-839-7600 x100) for more information.

WANTED: PLAYA BUFFER RESEARCH COOPERATORS—Sedimentation is a major threat to playas situated in croplands. The Playa Lakes Joint Venture (URL: http://www.pljv.org) has a long history of promoting and funding projects to protect these playas by establishing grass buffers. Many playas also have been buffered through Farm Bill programs such as the Conservation Reserve Program. Buffers are assumed to adequately protect playas from sedimentation, but have not been formally studied. Some observers report that buffers may greatly reduce the volume of runoff water reaching playas, reducing their value to wetland birds. Given this incomplete understanding of the ecological values of playa buffers, the PLJV seeks to develop a research partnership to address this issue. "Understanding playa buffers is the highest priority research topic identified by our Monitoring, Evaluation, and Research Team, and we're hoping to initiate a project this year," said Brian Sullivan, PLJV's Biological Team Leader. "We'd like to hear from researchers interested in studying playa buffers, and also from potential funding partners." The PLJV is offering incentive funding to researchers who develop and successfully propose playa buffer studies to the Joint Venture. To provide partners with background information on this topic, the PLJV cooperated with USGS scientists to produce a literature synthesis and annotated bibliography on playa buffers. These publications can be downloaded from the USGS web site (URL: http://www.fort.usgs.gov/staff/staffprofile.asp?StaffID=129) or requested from PLJV staff by sending an email to brian.sullivan@pljv.org.

REQUEST FOR SPECIMENS—A fledgling wildlife biology program is building a collection of specimens of birds and mammals. Species found in PA and the northeastern US are of especial interest. Specimens without data are welcome. Will gladly pay shipping. JERRY SKINNER, Keystone College, One College Green, La Plume, PA USA 18801. (EM: jerry.skinner@keystone.edu).

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GRANTS AND AWARDS

FOR INFORMATION ON CONTINUING GRANTS PROGRAMS relevant to ornithological research, visit: http://www.nmnh.si.edu/BIRDNET/Grants/index.html.

TIOF ENDOWMENT FUND PROPOSAL—The International Osprey Foundation (TIOF) is seeking applications for its 16th annual grant program to support research activities of a graduate student primarily focusing on osprey. However, work with other raptor species may be considered. The award recipient will be expected to provide a report on his or her research and use of the funds within one year of receiving the grant. To apply, send a project description of no more than two pages, an itemized estimate of expenses, and the name and address of the graduate supervisor. This project description and estimated budget, along with a cover letter giving whatever personal data you wish to furnish, will serve as your grant application. No further documents are required. Applications must be submitted by 31 Jan 2006 to: TIOF Endowment Fund, P.O. Box 250, Sanibel, Florida, USA 33957-0250. The grant will be awarded on 31 Mar 2006.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR THE 2006 SIGURD T. OLSON LOON RESEARCH AWARD—The LoonWatch program of the Sigurd Olson Environmental Institute at Northland College is accepting proposals for the 20th Anniversary of the Sigurd T. Olson Loon Research Award. This award program is named after biologist Sigurd T. Olson, whose 1952 paper with William H. Marshall, "The Common Loon in Minnesota," continues to be cited as one of the premier baseline reports on the biology of the Common Loon. Since 1986, the Loon Research Award has provided funding for original research that leads to better understanding and management of loon populations. We are accepting proposals for research conducted in North America on any of the Gavia species. Research on behavior, breeding ecology, migration, winter ecology, toxicology, and evolution of loons will be considered. Proposals addressing human impacts to loons will be given special consideration. The award will be designated for research that will be conducted in the 2006 calendar year. Maximum grant award is $2,000. A portion of the award is funded by the North American Loon Research Endowment. Proposal deadline is 16 Dec 2005. The award winner will be notified by 31 Jan 2006. To request proposal guidelines contact LoonWatch at: STO Loon Research Award, Sigurd Olson Environmental Institute, Northland College, Ashland, Wisconsin 54806 (EM: loonwatch@northland.edu, PH: 715-682-1220).

NORTH STAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY TRANSMITTER GRANT PROGRAM — North Star Science and Technology, LLC and American Bird Conservancy announce the 4th annual North Star Science and Technology Transmitter Grant Program. Continuing two major changes instituted last year: 1) The program will award a total of eight (8) satellite transmitters (Argos Platform Transmitter Terminals (PTTs)), to one or two recipients (8 PTTs to one project or 4 PTTs to each of two projects); and 2) The program is open to projects throughout the world. 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 that they serve, with the condition that the resulting data are available for use in Earthspan's (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) will handle the proposal submission process, review proposals, and select the winning projects. Please see http://www.northstarst.com for more information and proposal guidelines. Deadline for proposals is 3 Feb 2006. 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).

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PUBLICATIONS AVAILABLE

BIRDS OF THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS, Henry Henshaw. Softbound ISBN 0-935856-15-3 5.5x8.5", 150 pages, Price: $17.95 (or two copies for $34.00).Hardbound ISBN 0-935856-16-1 5.5x8.5", 150 pages, Price: $28.95. Noted ornithologist and anthropologist Henry Henshaw wrote this highly useful reference during a ten year sabbatical in the Hawaiian Islands. Out of print for decades, the few remaining copies of this scarce work are seldom found outside of academic libraries and private collections. This book is a facsimile reprint of the complete original as published in Honolulu in 1902. More information is available at: http://hawaiibirdsbook.com/Page1.html. You can order from Amazon or directly from us: Lancer, PO Box 1188, Mt Ida, AR 71957-1188 (PH: 870-867-2232, FX: 870-867-3431). We pay postage on orders to us from within the US postal system. Wholesale customers can order through Ingram.

GUIA DE CAMPO KAUFMAN A LAS AVES DE NORTEAMERICA by Kenn Kaufman, translated by Patricia Manzano Fischer, voice descriptions in Spanish by Hector Gomez de Silva. 2005. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston. 392 pages, more than 2,000 digital images based on photographs, more than 600 range maps. ISBN 0-618-57424-7. $18.95. This is the first Spanish-language field guide to the birds of the United States and Canada. Translated from Kaufman’s Focus Guide to Birds of North America (2000) but with classification updated through the AOU’s supplement of July 2004. According to the 2000 census, about 28 million people in the U.S. speak Spanish at home. These represent the main intended audience for the book, but it should also be useful in northern Mexico and to a lesser extent farther south. Although this is a complete field guide, covering every bird species occurring regularly in North America, it is designed to be especially useful to newcomers; the main motivation for producing this edition was a desire to bring more Spanish-speaking persons into an interest in birds and nature. The publisher was justifiably apprehensive about the lack of a pre-existing market for such a guide, so the author subsidized the translation and production of the book and will lose money on it even if sales are good. Ornithologists are urged to consider buying a few copies to contribute to schools, libraries, or nature centers; the book is available through the same channels as any Kaufman or Peterson field guide.

BOLETIN SAO—The Sociedad Antioquena de Ornitologia has released a new issue of the Boletin SAO, a traditional journal focused in Colombian and Neotropical ornithological research. This is a unique Bulletin in terms of the published information; there is not another Colombian, perhaps Latin American, journal at this level. The Bulletin changed its traditional paper publication to electronic in 2004 in order to get a wider audience. We are trying to improve our journal; therefore we would like input from the ornithological community in America. Please find information in the web page (URL: http://www.sao.org.co/publicaciones/boletinsao/Boletin%20sao.htm). We would appreciate your comments and suggestions related to the Bulletin!

DO FEATHERED DINOSAURS EXIST? TESTING THE HYPOTHESIS ON NEONTOLOGICAL AND PALEONTOLOGICAL EVIDENCE. By Feduccia, A., T. Lingham-Soliar, and J. R. Hinchliffe. J. Morphol. 266:125-166 (2005), cover article for the November issue of the journal, is now available on-line at the following address (URL: http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/fulltext/112101271/PDFSTART), or contact Alan Feduccia (EM: Feduccia@bio.unc.edu) for a pdf of article and cover image.

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MEETINGS

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.i-o-c.org/IOComm/index.htm.

* in this section indicates new or revised entry

BIRDS AUSTRALIA'S THIRD BIENNIAL AUSTRALASIAN ORNITHOLOGICAL CONFERENCE will be held at Blenheim, New Zealand on 6 - 10 Dec 2005. This year it will be held in Blenheim, hosted by the Ornithological Society of New Zealand. The Australasian Wader Studies Group will hold their two-day conference immediately following the AOC 2005 at Nelson, from 11 - 13 Dec. Both conferences will have post-conference field excursions. Following the AOC these include boat trips off Kaikoura to see seabirds, Marlborough Sounds launch trips to see inshore seabirds and rare forest species surviving on predator free islands, and the opportunity to visit a Department of Conservation Mainland Island project. After the ASC a two day trip to Farewell Spit will be run. People attending both conferences will be in a position to join AOC field trips before the ASC conference. Conference co-ordinator: SUE BELL, 35 Selmes Rd, RD 3, Blenheim, New Zealand (EM: wmilblenheim@clear.net.nz). For further information visit http://www.osnz.org.nz/conference or http://www.birdsaustralia.com.au/aoc/

*THE 11TH ALASKA BIRD CONFERENCE will be held from 7-9 Feb 2006 in Juneau, Alaska. Call for abstracts and details regarding the conference can be found at http://www.abc2006.juneau-audubon-society.org.

*THE 10TH NORTH AMERICAN CRANE WORKSHOP will be held 7-10 Feb 2006 in Zacatecas, Mexico. For information about activities, registration, and submission of manuscripts, go to http://www.nacwg.org.

THE PACIFIC SEABIRD GROUP will host its annual meeting 15-19 Feb 2006 at the Alyeska Prince Hotel (URL: http://www.alyeskaresort.com/) at the world class ski resort in Girdwood, Alaska. The schedule, field trips, and registration information will be posted at http://www.pacificseabirdgroup.org. Papers on all marine subjects welcome but specific sessions will focus on; what chemical analyses can tell us about seabirds, fisheries/seabird interaction, marine birds as indicators of the marine ecosystem, and planktivorous alcids. Field trips include a pelagic voyage in the Gulf of Alaska, a trip to the Alaska SeaLife Center, and dog sledding. Meeting also coincides with Anchorage’s annual winter festival. Contact VERENA GILL (EM: verena_gill@fws.gov) for questions about local arrangements and registration and KATIE O'REILLY (EM: oreilly@up.edu) for information about the scientific program.

THE FIRST SHOREBIRD SCIENCE IN THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE MEETING will be held at the University of Colorado campus in Boulder, Colorado, between 27 Feb and 2 Mar 2006. The purpose of the meeting is to: (1) bring together biologists studying breeding, staging and wintering shorebirds throughout the Western Hemisphere in one location, (2) promote information sharing on methodologies and study design among biologists working on different shorebird species, (3) promote range-wide studies of shorebirds by fostering collaborations among biologists interested in particular species, 4) integrate science into the implementation of various shorebird conservation plans, and (5) to generate enthusiasm in the shorebird community to conduct additional studies of shorebirds in the future. Additional details of the meeting, including the venue, abstract and symposium submittal deadlines, science program, etc., are posted on the US Shorebird Conservation Plan website (URL: http://www.fws.gov/shorebirdplan/ScienceMeeting.htm). Please mark your calendars now and plan on attending. Questions about meeting arrangements should be addressed to RICK LANCTOT, overall meeting coordinator (EM: richard_lanctot@fws.gov, PH: 1-907-786-3609); BRAD ANDRES, Boulder Logistics Coordinator (EM: brad_andres@fws.gov, PH: 1-303-275-2324); and STEPHEN BROWN, Science Program Committee Chair (EM: sbrown@manoment.org, PH: 1-508-224-6521).

*THE 2006 MIDWEST ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION CONFERENCE will be held 17-19 Mar at St. Louis University in St. Louis, Missouri. The MEEC is a migratory meeting, hosted by universities in the Midwest. The meeting is solely organized and supported by graduate student efforts and attended by nearly 250 graduate students each year. Graduate students are encouraged to present their research in a friendly atmosphere. The keynote speaker this year will be Daniel Simberloff. For more information, send an email to meec2006@hotmail.com.

GAMEBIRD 2006 - A Joint Conference - Quail VI and Perdix XII. 31 May - 4 Jun 2006 at The University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA. The Warnell School of Forest Resources is hosting Gamebird 2006, an international conference on management of gamebirds. This meeting combines the 6th North American Quail Conference and the 12th Perdix Conference to encourage international collaboration and exchange of ideas. The primary focus of this conference will be ecology of gamebirds in managed ecosystems in the previous focus areas of North America and Europe, but also South America, Africa, and Asia. Participation of biologists involved in all aspects of management and research of gamebirds is encouraged. Please see the conference website for details (URL: http://gallus.forestry.uga.edu/QuailVI/) or contact DR. JOHN P. CARROLL (EM: jcarroll@forestry.uga.edu).

24TH INTERNATIONAL ORNITHOLOGICAL CONGRESS 2006, 13-19 Aug 2006, Hamburg, Germany. Call for contributions is closed. Website (URL: http://www.i-o-c.org).

4TH NORTH AMERICAN DUCK SYMPOSIUM AND WORKSHOP, Ramkota Hotel, Bismarck, North Dakota, 23-26 Aug 2006. Organized by North Dakota Game and Fish Department, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Delta Waterfowl, Ducks Unlimited, Inc., USGS Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center, North Dakota Chapter of the Wildlife Society, and Bureau of Reclamation. The theme is "Integrating Waterfowl Science and Management." Contact MIKE JOHNSON (EM: mjohnson@state.nd.us PH: 701-328-6319) for additional information or to be put on the email list for future information and announcements.

NEXT ANNUAL MEETING OF THE COOPER ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY will be held in conjunction with the 4th North American Ornithological Conference 3-7 Oct 2006, in Veracruz City, Mexico.

THE 4TH NORTH AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGICAL CONFERENCE 2006, Wings Without Borders, will be held in Veracruz, Mexico, 3-7 Oct 2006, and is being jointly organized by the American Ornithologists Union, Association of Field Ornithologists, CIPAMEX, Cooper Ornithological Society, Raptor Research Foundation, Society of Canadian Ornithologists/Societe des Ornithologistes due Canada, Waterbird Society, and Wilson Ornithological Society. The conference is also endorsed by the Neotropical Ornithological Society, Pacific Seabird Group, and Society for the Conservation and Study of Caribbean Birds. The Steering Committee is co-chaired by CHARLES M. FRANCIS (EM: charles.francis@ec.gc.ca) and JOSÉ LUIS ALCÁNTARA (EM: jlalcant@colpos.mx). The Scientific Program Committee is co-chaired by JOHN FAABORG (University of Missouri, EM: faaborgj@missouri.edu) and J. FRANCISCO ORNELAS (Instituto de Ecología, EM: ornelasj@ecologia.edu.mx). The full conference program is expected to be assembled in December 2005. The mailing of the Circular of Information and call for papers will be made in January 2006. The Local Committee is co-chaired by ERNESTO RUELAS INZUNZA (EM: ruelas01@prodigy.net.mx) and JUAN E. MARTÍNEZ GÓMEZ (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. Visit the conference web site for more information: (URL: http://www.naoc2006.org).

10TH AMERICAN WOODCOCK SYMPOSIUM (4-6 Oct 2006), hosted by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources at the Ralph A. MacMullan Conference Center near Grayling, MI. For more information visit the symposium website (URL: http://www.michigandnr.com/woodcock-symposium/)

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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NEWS OF MEMBERS

TERRY CHESSER has left the Australian National Wildlife Collection to take up a position as USGS Research Zoologist and Curator of Birds at the National Museum of Natural History, Washington. His new address is USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, MRC-111, PO Box 37012, Washington DC 20013-7012. PH: 202-633-4886. EM: chessert@si.edu

DR. SIEGFRIED ECK, elected a Corresponding Fellow of the AOU in 1988, died on 11 Sep 2005 in Dresden, Germany at the age of 63. Dr. Eck had worked at the Museum für Tierkunde Dresden since 1967 and was curator of birds at the time of his death. He was widely recognized for his enormous contributions towards solving taxonomic and zoogeographical problems of Palaearctic and Asian birds.

M. CLAY GREEN is now an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology, Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas, 78666. PH: 512-245-8037, EM: claygreen@txstate.edu.

DOUGLAS A. GROSS has taken a new position after 27 years in environmental consulting. He is now the Endangered Birds Specialist for the Pennsylvania Game Commission. He also acts as All Bird Conservation coordinator for the state. His new contact information is: PGC Wildlife Biologist - Endangered Birds Specialist, 144 Winters Road, Orangeville, PA 17859. PH: 570-458-4109, EM: dogross@state.pa.us

PROF. ANDREAS HELBIG, a member of the AOU since 1982, and COS since 1979, died in Kloster, Hiddensee, Germany on 19 Oct 2005 at the age of 48. He was head of Vogelwarte Hiddensee (Hiddensee Ornithological Station) of the University of Greifswald, and was well known for his work on molecular systematics of complexes of bird species that are at the transition between subspecies and species.

RAYMOND J. O’CONNOR, a member of the AOU since 1975, elected Elective Member in 1988 and Fellow in 2005, died on 29 Sep 2005 at his home in Greenville, NC at the age of 61, after a long battle with cancer. Dr. O’Connor was Director of the British Trust for Ornithology before moving to the University of Maine for a career in research and teaching. His research focused on modeling continental bird species distribution and dynamics, and pesticide and climate effects on birds.

HAVEN H. SPENCER, a member of the AOU since 1945, and WOS since 1946, died in Lebanon, NH on 11 Sep 2005, at the age of 83.

KATHERINE MCCARVILLE recently joined the faculty at Upper Iowa University, after completing her doctorate in 2004 at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. Her new contact information is: Assistant Professor of Geosciences, Upper Iowa University, P.O. Box 1857, Fayette, Iowa 52142. PH: 563-425-5233, EM: mccarvillek@uiu.edu.

W. ADAM PHELPS has recently left the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries to accept the position of waterfowl research biologist with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Division of Fish and Wildlife. His new contact information is 553 E. Miller Dr., Bloomington, IN 47401. PH: 812-334-1137. EM: Aphelps@dnr.IN.gov.

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NEWS OF MEMBERS

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