Difference between revisions of "EEB 287: Ornithology Laboratory"

From EEBedia
Jump to: navigation, search
 
 
(32 intermediate revisions by 3 users not shown)
Line 2: Line 2:
 
   |__TOC__
 
   |__TOC__
 
   |}
 
   |}
−
[[Image:Carmine_Bee_tree2-F.Gallo.jpg| left]]
+
[[Image:Wesahead.JPG|thumb|left]]
  
−
''Carmine Bee eaters; Photo copyright Frank Gallo''
+
 
 +
''Western Sandpiper; drawing copyright Bridget Keimel''
  
 
== Basic Course Information ==  
 
== Basic Course Information ==  
Line 16: Line 17:
 
'''Office Phone:''' 486-4502      '''Office Hours:''' By appointment
 
'''Office Phone:''' 486-4502      '''Office Hours:''' By appointment
  
−
'''Email: margaret.rubega@uconn.edu'''  
+
'''Email: margaret.rubega@uconn.edu'''
 +
 
 +
 
<font color= "#FF0000">Your emails to me '''MUST contain the phrase "EEB 287” in the subject line;''' email received without that phrase, and especially those with a blank subject line, will be DELETED without being read.</font>
 
<font color= "#FF0000">Your emails to me '''MUST contain the phrase "EEB 287” in the subject line;''' email received without that phrase, and especially those with a blank subject line, will be DELETED without being read.</font>
  
  
−
'''Teaching Assistants:''' Susan Meiman & Jason Hill      '''Office:''' PharmBio 310
+
'''Teaching Assistants:''' Susan Meiman (susan.meiman@huskymail.uconn.edu) & Jason Hill (jason.hill@uconn.edu)     '''Office:''' PharmBio 310   '''Office Phone:''' 486-3005      '''Office Hours:''' (Sue) MW 12:00 - 1:00 pm, (Jason)Th 11 am -1 pm
  
−
'''Office Phone:''' 486-3005      '''Office Hours:''' (Sue)MW 12:00 - 1:00 pm, (Jason)Th 11 am -1 pm
 
  
−
'''email: susan.meiman@huskymail.uconn.edu          jason.hill@uconn.edu'''
 
  
−
== Required text ==
+
== Required Texts ==
  
 
MANUAL OF ORNITHOLOGY (Yale Univ.), by N.S. Proctor and P.J. Lynch
 
MANUAL OF ORNITHOLOGY (Yale Univ.), by N.S. Proctor and P.J. Lynch
Line 35: Line 36:
  
  
−
== Class Schedule ==
+
== Class Schedule ==
  
 +
(<font color= "#FF0000">very</font> subject to change; check back before every lab)
 
{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
 
{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
−
!width="50"|Lecture #
 
 
!width="75"|Date
 
!width="75"|Date
−
!width="300"|Subject
+
!width="350"|Required Reading
−
!width="300"|Required Reading
+
!width="350"|Subject 
 
!width="300"|Meeting notes, and other resources  
 
!width="300"|Meeting notes, and other resources  
 
|-  
 
|-  
−
| 1 || Jan 25 ||What are birds and why would we study them? || Pgs. xxi- xxvi and Chapter 1 || [1–6]
+
| Jan 25 ||P & L p. 274-281,286-287; Sibley p. 9-14; Clark p. 1-19 || Tools of the Trade: Optics, Field Guides, Field Notebooks ||  
 
|-  
 
|-  
−
| 2 || Jan 28 || Birds of the World ||Chapter 1 & online at: www.whfreeman.com/gill3e ||    
+
| Feb 1 || P & L p. 22-37, 47-65, 263-265; Sibley p. 15-21; Clark p. 21-40 || North American Bird Orders; topography & field marks || <font color= "#FF0000">CHECK UNIVERSITY WEB SITE BEFORE LEAVING HOME </font> in case of class cancellation and BRING YOUR FIELD NOTEBOOK
 
|-  
 
|-  
−
| 3 ||Jan 30 || Climate Change & Birds || Pgs. 269 - 271 || 
+
| Feb 8 || Handouts ||Field Techniques: Survey Methods  ||  
 
|-  
 
|-  
−
| 4 || Feb 4 || Avian evolution || Chapter 2 || [13 – 21]
+
| Feb 15 ||  || Birding, whole class || BE ON TIME! WE LEAVE AT 8 AM!
 
|-  
 
|-  
−
| 5 || Feb 6 || Feathers || Chapter 4  || [81–115]
+
| Feb 22 ||  ||CANCELLED DUE TO SNOW ||  
 
|-  
 
|-  
−
| 6 || Feb 11 || Flight || Chapter 5 || [117,136–139, 148–151, 156–163]
+
| Feb 29  || Handouts|| Birding First, then Opportunities in Ornithology - You Mean I Can Get Paid For This Stuff? || Be on time! We leave at 8 am! Bring your resume, if you have one, for the second half of lab. If you haven't looked at it yet, check out: [http://www.osnabirds.org/on/ornjobs.htm Jobs in Ornithology], the job board for the Ornithological Societies of North America.
 
|-  
 
|-  
−
| 7 || Feb 13 || Physiology: Endothermy and Thermoregulation || Chapter 6 (pgs. 150-164) ||
+
| March 7 || P & L p. 81-105  || Birding first (BE ON TIME!) then Feathers & Aerodynamics  ||Meet in Front of Torrey; we leave at 8 am
 
|-  
 
|-  
−
| 8 || Feb 18 || Feeding, feeding structures and feeding behavior || Chapter 1 (pgs. 13-15) || [122–130, 152-154]
+
| March 14 ||  ||NO CLASS - SPRING BREAK - GO BIRDING! ||  
 
|-  
 
|-  
−
| 9 || Feb 20 || Physiology: Digestion and Excretion; Water Balance || Chapter 6 (pp. 164-179) || [175-187, 219-239]
+
| March 21 || ||'''MIDTERM EXAM''' - Birding After||
 
|-  
 
|-  
−
| 10 || Feb 25 || TEST 1 || Lectures 1-9; all associated readings ||   
+
| March 28 || P & L p. 266-273 || Weather and Bird Movements  || If weather allows, we'll bird first then do the EBird Setup Lab. Horrible weather = weather and bird movement lab.  
 
|-  
 
|-  
−
| 11 || Feb 27 || Physiology: Respiration and Circulation || Chapter 6 (141-150) || [189-217]
+
| April 4 || P & L Chapters 6 & 7, 205-209, 219-226 ||Anatomy - Musculature and Internal Organs ||
 
|-  
 
|-  
−
| 12 || Mar 3 || Sensory Biology and Intelligence || Chapter 7 || [241-262]
+
| April 11 || Sibley; herons, gulls, and ducks || Tour de Local Birds || 4 hour field trip -- we'll be out of the lab from 8-12.
 
|-  
 
|-  
−
| 13 || Mar 5 || Communication: Visual ||Pgs. 344-359 || 
+
| April 18 ||Chap. 5 || Anatomy - Skeletons ||   8 am - birding first
 
|-  
 
|-  
−
| 14 || Mar 17 || Communication: Vocal || Chapter 8 ||   
+
| April 25 ||P & L p. 66-77 ||Feet, Beaks, and Body Form  ||   
 
|-  
 
|-  
−
|   ||March 10 - 14  ||'''SPRING BREAK''' || NO CLASS ||
+
| May 2 || Handouts || Field Techniques: Behavioral Observations ||  
 
|-  
 
|-  
−
| 15 || Mar 19 || Annual Cycles || Chapter 9 || 
+
| May 5 ||'''8-10am'''|| '''FINAL EXAM in TLS 371'''||
−
|-  
+
−
| 16 || Mar 24 || Migration || Chapter 10 (pgs. 273-295) || 
+
−
|-
+
−
| 17 || Mar 26 || Navigation || Chapter 10 (pgs. 295-306) || 
+
−
|-
+
−
| 18 || Mar 31 ||  Social Behavior || Chapter 11  ||
+
−
|-
+
−
| 19 || Apr 2 || TEST 2  || Lectures 10-18, all associated reading || 
+
−
|-
+
−
| 20 || April 7 || Reproduction: Mating Behavior || Pg. 359 through Chapter 13 || 
+
−
|-
+
−
| 21 || Apr 9 || Reproduction: Physiology ||Chapter 14 || [219-239]
+
−
|-
+
−
| 22 ||Apr 14 ||Reproduction: Nests and Nesting || Chapter 15 || 
+
−
|-
+
−
| 23 || Apr 16 || Reproduction: Growth and Development of Young || Chapter 16 (pgs. 467-482) || 
+
−
|-
+
−
| 24 || Apr 21 || Reproduction: Parental Care || Chapter 16 (pgs. 482-502) || 
+
−
|-
+
−
| 25 || Apr 23 || Avian Conservation I: Rare and Endangered Species || Chapter 21 || 
+
−
|-
+
−
| 26 || Apr 28 || Avian Conservation II: Population Monitoring || Pgs. 558-569 ||
+
−
|-
+
−
| 27 || Apr 30 || Over-runs,  review? ||      ||
+
−
|-
+
−
|  || May 7 || FINAL EXAM || ALL MATERIAL TO DATE ||
+
 
|}
 
|}
−
 
  
 
== Grading ==
 
== Grading ==
  
−
Grading in this course is done on a straight percentage-of-points basis, i.e., to obtain an A, you need to earn 90% or more of the available points on tests and minute papers. <font color= "#FF0000">The grades will '''not''' be "curved", and there will be '''no''' opportunities for "make-up" or "extra-credit" points.</font> If you miss a test or minute paper, you will receive a score of zero. If you have a legitimate reason (click here for a sample of legitimate vs. lame excuses) to miss a test or minute paper, you may be excused (at the discretion of the instructors) IF AND ONLY IF you provide written documentation (for example, a doctor's note documenting illness; an obituary documenting a death in your family). In cases where the instructors determine you have a legitimate excuse, there still will be no make-ups administered: you will be graded only on the basis of the points contained in the tests and minute papers you did complete. NOTE that this method reduces the number of points you can afford to lose and still do well in the course.  
+
Grading in this course is done on a straight percentage-of-points basis, i.e., to obtain an A, you need to earn 90% or more of the available points. <font color= "#FF0000">The grades will '''not''' be "curved", and there will be '''no''' opportunities for "make-up" or "extra-credit" points.</font> Attendance on the field trips is '''required'''. If you miss a field trip, you lose 10 points. If you miss a test, you will receive a score of zero. If you have a legitimate reason (click here for a sample of legitimate vs. lame excuses) to miss a field trip or test, you may be excused (at the discretion of the instructors) IF AND ONLY IF you provide written documentation (for example, a doctor's note documenting illness; an obituary documenting a death in your family). In cases where the instructors determine you have a legitimate excuse, there still will be no make-ups administered: you will be graded only on the basis of the points contained in the field trips and tests you did complete. NOTE that this method reduces the number of points you can afford to lose and still do well in the course.  
  
−
Attendance is not taken, and is not required; however, if you miss class you may miss in-class minute papers (see below). As noted above, there are no opportunities for making-up missed minute papers.  
+
These policies have been developed over years of teaching this and other courses, and are designed to ensure fair treatment of everyone by eliminating discrepancies in testing and evaluation, and by eliminating differences in the amount of field and study time available to students. I am very willing to discuss my reasoning for these policies, but if you try to talk me into making an exception to them for you, you will fail, and probably make me grumpy to boot.
  
−
These policies have been developed over years of teaching this and other courses, and are designed to ensure fair treatment of everyone by eliminating discrepancies in testing and evaluation, and by eliminating differences in the amount of study time available to students. I am very willing to discuss my reasoning for these policies, but if you try to talk me into making an exception to them for you, you will fail, and probably make me grumpy to boot. 
 
  
 +
== Point Structure for Grading ==
  
−
== Tests/Minute Papers==
+
'''COURSE POINT TOTAL  300 POINTS'''
  
−
'''COURSE POINT TOTAL  310 POINTS'''
+
Test 1:    50 points,    March 3   
  
−
Test 1:     75 points,    Feb. 25    (Covers material from Lectures 1-9)
+
[http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/images/c/c3/EEB_287_Test_1_Key.pdf  Test 1 Key]
  
−
Test 2:    75 points,    April 2     (Covers material from Lectures 10-18)
+
Final:    100 points,    May 5     (50 points for post-midterm material, 50 points for  from material from the WHOLE COURSE)
  
−
Final:    150 points,    May 7    (75 points are dedicated to material from Lectures 19-27,                                75 points are dedicated to material from the WHOLE COURSE)
+
Ebird Set-up Document: [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/images/c/c5/Ebird_Setup_Document.pdf click here]
  
−
'''TEST TOTAL        300 points'''
+
[http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/images/f/fe/Field_Notebook_Guidelines.pdf Field Notebook:]      30 points  
  
−
Minute papers: are short (it takes a minute!), UNGRADED (if you write something relevant, you're good -- there are no "right" answers) responses to questions we will pose in class. They are worth 1 point each, and there will be 10 of them over the whole semester. Ten points may seem trivial, but it's worth remembering that it's the equivalent of 3 percentage points, enough in borderline cases to make the difference between a B+ and an A. The questions on the minute papers are designed to provide us with feedback on your background preparation for certain material, to assess whether you understood what we just tried to teach you, and to prompt you to assess your own understanding of the material.  
+
[http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/images/f/f6/Independent_observation_guidelines.pdf Independent Field Observations]:      70 points and [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/images/7/7f/POINT_COUNT_PROTOCOL.pdf Point Count Protocol] and [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/images/6/62/Point_Count_Datasheet.pdf Point Count Datasheet] and
 +
[http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/images/3/38/Point_count_example.pdf Point Count Example]
  
−
'''MINUTE PAPER TOTAL  10 Points'''
+
Independent Field Observation Locations: [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/images/4/40/Heep_Site_Map.pdf Map of Hillside Environmental Education Project]
  
 +
Field Trips          50 points    (Field trips are required: you ''lose'' 10 points for every missed trip, 20 if you miss the all day trip. Note that field trips are VERY subject to change, depending on birds, weather, circumstances, and whim. Don't assume you know what you are going to miss.)
 +
 +
All-Day field trip:  April 5
  
 
== Academic Rules/Conduct ==
 
== Academic Rules/Conduct ==
Line 137: Line 115:
 
== Questions ==
 
== Questions ==
  
−
If you have questions, by all means collar me or email me and ask. I will post both the questions (questioners will be anonymous) and answers here.  
+
''If you have questions, by all means collar me or email me and ask. I will post both the questions (questioners will be anonymous) and answers here.  
 +
''
 +
 
  
 
== Useful and Amusing Links ==
 
== Useful and Amusing Links ==
  
−
Coming soon!
+
[http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/ Bird songs online!]
  
 +
[http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0326/p16s01-sten.html Cell phone towers and bird strikes]
  
−
   
+
[http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/images/2/20/CRC_internship_info.pdf Bird Rehabilitation Internship Opportunity!]
  
 +
[http://www.lab.fws.gov/featheratlas/ Feather Identification Resource Online!] The Feather Atlas of North American Birds provided high-resolution scans of flight feathers of the major groups of birds; useful for comparison with found feathers whose origin you aren't sure of.
 +
 +
[http://www.osnabirds.org/on/ornjobs.htm Jobs in Ornithology], the job board for the Ornithological Societies of North America. THE central clearing house for field research internships and jobs.
 +
 +
[http://sibleyguides.blogspot.com/  David Sibley's Blog], wherein the field guide guy riffs mostly on the finer and philosophical points of bird identification, and reports his experiments in window treatments to prevent bird strikes.
 +
 +
[http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4721675 NPR piece and song by Sufjan Stevens] about the Ivory-billed Woodpecker "rediscovery", and the effect on Brinkley, AK. See also this [http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/23/us/23woodpecker.html?_r=1&sq=ivory-billed%20woodpecker&st=nyt&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&scp=3&adxnnlx=1201806152-N6IIgTiowayZI2rwhCUzZA recent NY Times article] on the effect in Brinkley as hope has faded that the bird is actually there. (Thanks to Kevin Burgio for the link.)
 +
 +
[http://www.surfbirds.com/blogs/mbalame/archives/2008/03/photo20080313.html North Coast (Oregon) Diaries] Comments on photo documentation versus detailed notes. See also the March 2 post on Ugly Gulls (browse Main calendar).
 +
 +
[http://listserv.umd.edu/archives/ecolog-l.html ECOLOG-L listserve postings] Job postings, other miscellaneous information and discussions about field ecology.
  
−
[[Category:EEB Courses]]
+
[[please Delete this page]]

Latest revision as of 15:54, 28 January 2009

Wesahead.JPG


Western Sandpiper; drawing copyright Bridget Keimel

Basic Course Information

Spring 2008

Meets: Fridays, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m, TLS 371

Instructor: Dr. Margaret Rubega Office: PharmBio 500

Office Phone: 486-4502 Office Hours: By appointment

Email: margaret.rubega@uconn.edu


Your emails to me MUST contain the phrase "EEB 287” in the subject line; email received without that phrase, and especially those with a blank subject line, will be DELETED without being read.


Teaching Assistants: Susan Meiman (susan.meiman@huskymail.uconn.edu) & Jason Hill (jason.hill@uconn.edu) Office: PharmBio 310 Office Phone: 486-3005 Office Hours: (Sue) MW 12:00 - 1:00 pm, (Jason)Th 11 am -1 pm


Required Texts

MANUAL OF ORNITHOLOGY (Yale Univ.), by N.S. Proctor and P.J. Lynch

BIRDS OF STORRS (Natchaug Ornithological Society) by G.A. Clark, Jr.

SIBLEY GUIDE TO BIRDS (Knopf), by D.A. Sibley.


Class Schedule

(very subject to change; check back before every lab)

Date Required Reading Subject Meeting notes, and other resources
Jan 25 P & L p. 274-281,286-287; Sibley p. 9-14; Clark p. 1-19 Tools of the Trade: Optics, Field Guides, Field Notebooks
Feb 1 P & L p. 22-37, 47-65, 263-265; Sibley p. 15-21; Clark p. 21-40 North American Bird Orders; topography & field marks CHECK UNIVERSITY WEB SITE BEFORE LEAVING HOME in case of class cancellation and BRING YOUR FIELD NOTEBOOK
Feb 8 Handouts Field Techniques: Survey Methods
Feb 15 Birding, whole class BE ON TIME! WE LEAVE AT 8 AM!
Feb 22 CANCELLED DUE TO SNOW
Feb 29 Handouts Birding First, then Opportunities in Ornithology - You Mean I Can Get Paid For This Stuff? Be on time! We leave at 8 am! Bring your resume, if you have one, for the second half of lab. If you haven't looked at it yet, check out: Jobs in Ornithology, the job board for the Ornithological Societies of North America.
March 7 P & L p. 81-105 Birding first (BE ON TIME!) then Feathers & Aerodynamics Meet in Front of Torrey; we leave at 8 am
March 14 NO CLASS - SPRING BREAK - GO BIRDING!
March 21 MIDTERM EXAM - Birding After
March 28 P & L p. 266-273 Weather and Bird Movements If weather allows, we'll bird first then do the EBird Setup Lab. Horrible weather = weather and bird movement lab.
April 4 P & L Chapters 6 & 7, 205-209, 219-226 Anatomy - Musculature and Internal Organs
April 11 Sibley; herons, gulls, and ducks Tour de Local Birds 4 hour field trip -- we'll be out of the lab from 8-12.
April 18 Chap. 5 Anatomy - Skeletons 8 am - birding first
April 25 P & L p. 66-77 Feet, Beaks, and Body Form
May 2 Handouts Field Techniques: Behavioral Observations
May 5 8-10am FINAL EXAM in TLS 371

Grading

Grading in this course is done on a straight percentage-of-points basis, i.e., to obtain an A, you need to earn 90% or more of the available points. The grades will not be "curved", and there will be no opportunities for "make-up" or "extra-credit" points. Attendance on the field trips is required. If you miss a field trip, you lose 10 points. If you miss a test, you will receive a score of zero. If you have a legitimate reason (click here for a sample of legitimate vs. lame excuses) to miss a field trip or test, you may be excused (at the discretion of the instructors) IF AND ONLY IF you provide written documentation (for example, a doctor's note documenting illness; an obituary documenting a death in your family). In cases where the instructors determine you have a legitimate excuse, there still will be no make-ups administered: you will be graded only on the basis of the points contained in the field trips and tests you did complete. NOTE that this method reduces the number of points you can afford to lose and still do well in the course.

These policies have been developed over years of teaching this and other courses, and are designed to ensure fair treatment of everyone by eliminating discrepancies in testing and evaluation, and by eliminating differences in the amount of field and study time available to students. I am very willing to discuss my reasoning for these policies, but if you try to talk me into making an exception to them for you, you will fail, and probably make me grumpy to boot.


Point Structure for Grading

COURSE POINT TOTAL 300 POINTS

Test 1: 50 points, March 3

Test 1 Key

Final: 100 points, May 5 (50 points for post-midterm material, 50 points for from material from the WHOLE COURSE)

Ebird Set-up Document: click here

Field Notebook: 30 points

Independent Field Observations: 70 points and Point Count Protocol and Point Count Datasheet and Point Count Example

Independent Field Observation Locations: Map of Hillside Environmental Education Project

Field Trips 50 points (Field trips are required: you lose 10 points for every missed trip, 20 if you miss the all day trip. Note that field trips are VERY subject to change, depending on birds, weather, circumstances, and whim. Don't assume you know what you are going to miss.)

All-Day field trip: April 5

Academic Rules/Conduct

All students should be aware of the guidelines on academic integrity contained in the Student Conduct Code. The Conduct Code is available at http://www.dosa.uconn.edu/student_conduct.html.


Questions

If you have questions, by all means collar me or email me and ask. I will post both the questions (questioners will be anonymous) and answers here.


Useful and Amusing Links

Bird songs online!

Cell phone towers and bird strikes

Bird Rehabilitation Internship Opportunity!

Feather Identification Resource Online! The Feather Atlas of North American Birds provided high-resolution scans of flight feathers of the major groups of birds; useful for comparison with found feathers whose origin you aren't sure of.

Jobs in Ornithology, the job board for the Ornithological Societies of North America. THE central clearing house for field research internships and jobs.

David Sibley's Blog, wherein the field guide guy riffs mostly on the finer and philosophical points of bird identification, and reports his experiments in window treatments to prevent bird strikes.

NPR piece and song by Sufjan Stevens about the Ivory-billed Woodpecker "rediscovery", and the effect on Brinkley, AK. See also this recent NY Times article on the effect in Brinkley as hope has faded that the bird is actually there. (Thanks to Kevin Burgio for the link.)

North Coast (Oregon) Diaries Comments on photo documentation versus detailed notes. See also the March 2 post on Ugly Gulls (browse Main calendar).

ECOLOG-L listserve postings Job postings, other miscellaneous information and discussions about field ecology.

please Delete this page

Retrieved from "http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php?title=EEB_287:_Ornithology_Laboratory&oldid=10035"