Difference between revisions of "Field Ornithology"

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<span style="font-size: x-large">EEB 3898: Field Methods in Ornithology
 
<span style="font-size: x-large">EEB 3898: Field Methods in Ornithology
  
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'''Intensive Summer Session 1, June 8th - 26th, 2009''' '''MTWThF'''  
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'''Intensive Summer Session 1, June 7th - 25th, 2010''' '''MTWThF'''  
  
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Instructor: '''[mailto:diego.sustaita@uconn.edu Diego Sustaita]'''
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Instructor: '''[mailto:a.rico@uconn.edu Alejandro Rico]'''
  
 
Office: Biol/Pharm 404
 
Office: Biol/Pharm 404
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Office hours: variable & flexible (call, email, drop by)
 
Office hours: variable & flexible (call, email, drop by)
  
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<span style="font-size: large"><font color="#FF3300">Announcements</font></span>
 
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<br/>
 
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<font color="#FF3300">• '''22 June''': Updates to schedule</font>
 
  
  
 
'''Course Objectives'''
 
'''Course Objectives'''
  
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• Acquire bird identification skills
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➢ Acquire bird identification skills
 +
 
 +
➢ Learn how to take field notes
 +
 
 +
➢ Learn and apply basic field research techniques, study design, and data analysis
  
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• Learn basic field research techniques, study design, and data analysis
+
➢ Develop an individual project
  
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• Develop basic understanding of local bird biology & ecology
 
  
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• Tentative*  schedule:
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'''Tentative*  schedule'''
  
 
{| border="1" cellpadding="2"  
 
{| border="1" cellpadding="2"  
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!style="background:" width="300"|Topic
 
!style="background:" width="300"|Topic
 
|-  
 
|-  
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| M 08 || Course introduction; Bird identification [Sibley introduction] || M 15|| Exam 1; Point count activity
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| M 07 || Course introduction and timeline; Bird identification (Optics, Guides and Notes) || M 14|| Capture/banding demonstration; Field notebooks (First Submission)
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  || M 22 || Capture/banding activity [{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/fieldornithology/silkeyetal1999.pdf}}Silkeye et al. 1999]; Exam 2
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  || M 21 || Survey of coastal birds; Field notebooks (Final Submission)
  
 
|-  
 
|-  
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| T 09 || Survey of local birds; Primer of avian ecology [{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/fieldornithology/macarthur1958.pdf}}MacArthur 1958]
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| T 08 || Topography and Field Marks; Feet, Beaks and Body Form; Field exercises
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  || T 16 || Territory mapping lec [Manuwal & Carey 1991 pgs. 14-17/{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/fieldornithology/ortega%26capen1999.pdf}}Ortega & Cappen 1999]; Territory mapping activity (I)
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  || T 15 || Individual project presentations; Paper submission (Introduction and Methods)
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  || T 23 || Data analysis lab I: Density estimation [{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/fieldornithology/thomasetal2002.pdf}}Thomas et al. 2002]
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  || T 22 || Weather and Bird Movements; Individual project data analysis
 
|-  
 
|-  
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| W 10 || Survey of local birds  
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| W 09 || Survey of local birds (Mansfield Hollow), start project thinking (written ideas) 
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|| W 17 || Radiotelemetry activity [{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/fieldornithology/chapt7.pdf}}Chapt. 7: Radio telemetry and bird movements]
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|| W 16 || MIDTERM EXAM; birding after
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|| W 24 || Habitat measurement lec [{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/fieldornithology/bibbyetal1985.pdf}}Bibby et al. 1985]; Habitat meas activity; Habitat analysis I: Habitat structure
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|| W 23 || Individual project presentations and assisted work on the paper
 
|-  
 
|-  
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| Th 11 || Census techniques: Study design & line transects lec [{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/fieldornithology/manuwal%26carey1991.pdf}}Manuwal & Carey 1991 pgs. 9-11; {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/fieldornithology/andersonetal.1979.pdf}}Anderson et al. 1979]; Line transect activity
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| Th 10 || Field research techniques, hypotheses testing, study design, and data analysis; {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/fieldornithology/andersonetal.1979.pdf}}Anderson et al. 1979; {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/fieldornithology/ortega%26capen1999.pdf}}Ortega & Cappen 1999
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  || Th 18 || Radiotelemetry activity (cont'ed)
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  || Th 17 || Individual project data collection I (Methods adjustment)  
  
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|| Th 25 || Survey of coastal birds [{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/fieldornithology/craig%26beal1992.pdf}}Craig & Beal 1992]
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|| Th 24 || Point count theory and field activity (use of eBird); PAPER SUBMISSION (FINAL)
 
   
 
   
 
|-  
 
|-  
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| F 12 || Point count/transect lec [Manuwal & Carey 1991 pgs. 11-14;{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/fieldornithology/reynoldsetal1980.pdf}}Reynolds et al. 1980]
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| F 11 || Individual project guidelines and selection; Local birding
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  || F 19 || Behavioral obs. lec [{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/fieldornithology/greenetal1996.pdf}}Green et al. 1996]; Behavioral obs activity; Territory mapping activity (II)
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  || F 18 || Individual project data collection II (Final)
  
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|| F 26 || Habitat analysis II: Species diversity & community analysis [{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/fieldornithology/macarthur%26macarthur1961.pdf}}MacArthur & MacArthur 1961]; Final exam; Instructor evaluations  
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|| F 25 || FINAL EXAM; Instructor evaluations
  
 
|-  
 
|-  
 
</span>     
 
</span>     
 
|}
 
|}
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Note: Schedule is subject to change pending weather conditions, or unforeseen birding and research opportunities.  
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'''*''': Schedule is subject to change pending weather conditions, or unforeseen birding and research opportunities.  
 +
 
  
 
'''Course Materials'''
 
'''Course Materials'''
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'''• Required'''
 
'''• Required'''
  
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o The Sibley Field Guide to the Birds of Eastern North America (from Co-op)
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o The Sibley Field Guide to the Birds of Eastern North America
  
 
o Binoculars (available from us if you don’t have any)
 
o Binoculars (available from us if you don’t have any)
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'''• Recommended'''
 
'''• Recommended'''
  
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o Sibley’s birding basics (Knopf, New York, 2002)
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o Sibley’s birding basics
  
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o Birding by Ear: Eastern and Central North America – Peterson Field Guides
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o Birding by Ear: Eastern and Central North America
  
 
o Old shoes or hiking boots, & proper outdoor clothing (poison ivy, weather)
 
o Old shoes or hiking boots, & proper outdoor clothing (poison ivy, weather)
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'''Assignments'''
+
'''Grading'''
 +
 +
Exams:
 +
June 16th (MIDTERM) [50 points];
 +
June 25th (FINAL) [50 points]
  
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• Daily reading assignments
 
  
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• Class exercise worksheets
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Individual Project Paper:
 +
June 15th (Intro and Methods) [30 points];
 +
June 24th (Final) [50 points]
  
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• Directed project write-ups
 
  
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• Weekly exams, covering:
+
Individual Project Presentations:
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[[Image: Owlwatching.gif| right]]
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June 15th (Intro and Methods) [20 points];
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o Bird ID by sight & sound
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June 24th (Final) [25 points]
  
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o Basic biology (e.g., from observations; field guide; “All About Birds”)
 
  
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o Material from lectures & readings
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Field Notebook Submissions:
−
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June 14th (First) [20 points];
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o Field technique scenario questions
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June 22nd (Final) [25 points]
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+
−
 
+
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'''Grading'''
+
  
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• Midterm exams (50 points)
 
  
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• Daily worksheets/field notes (150 points)
+
Field trips (5 points each):
 +
June 8th, 9th, 10th, 14th, 21st, 24th    [30 points]
  
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• Directed project assignments (50 points)
 
  
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• Final exam (50 points)
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Total: [300 points]
  
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• Total (300 points)
 
  
 
Grading scale: A = 100-90%, B = 89-80%, C = 79-70%, D = 69-60%, F = 59-0%.   
 
Grading scale: A = 100-90%, B = 89-80%, C = 79-70%, D = 69-60%, F = 59-0%.   
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Plus/minus system will be used for the final grade. Perfect attendance & participation are mandatory! 
+
Plus/minus system will be used for the final grade.  
  
  
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'''Website design by Diego Sustaita'''
  
 
[[Category:EEB Courses]]
 
[[Category:EEB Courses]]

Revision as of 01:47, 7 June 2010

EEB3898flyer.jpg

EEB 3898: Field Methods in Ornithology

Intensive Summer Session 1, June 7th - 25th, 2010 MTWThF

Instructor: Alejandro Rico

Office: Biol/Pharm 404

Phone: 860-486-0309

Office hours: variable & flexible (call, email, drop by)


Course Objectives

➢ Acquire bird identification skills

➢ Learn how to take field notes

➢ Learn and apply basic field research techniques, study design, and data analysis

➢ Develop an individual project


Tentative* schedule

Day Topic Day Topic Day Topic
M 07 Course introduction and timeline; Bird identification (Optics, Guides and Notes) M 14 Capture/banding demonstration; Field notebooks (First Submission) M 21 Survey of coastal birds; Field notebooks (Final Submission)
T 08 Topography and Field Marks; Feet, Beaks and Body Form; Field exercises T 15 Individual project presentations; Paper submission (Introduction and Methods) T 22 Weather and Bird Movements; Individual project data analysis
W 09 Survey of local birds (Mansfield Hollow), start project thinking (written ideas) W 16 MIDTERM EXAM; birding after W 23 Individual project presentations and assisted work on the paper
Th 10 Field research techniques, hypotheses testing, study design, and data analysis; Pdficon small.gifAnderson et al. 1979; Pdficon small.gifOrtega & Cappen 1999 Th 17 Individual project data collection I (Methods adjustment) Th 24 Point count theory and field activity (use of eBird); PAPER SUBMISSION (FINAL)
F 11 Individual project guidelines and selection; Local birding F 18 Individual project data collection II (Final) F 25 FINAL EXAM; Instructor evaluations

*: Schedule is subject to change pending weather conditions, or unforeseen birding and research opportunities.


Course Materials

Binos.jpg

• Required

o The Sibley Field Guide to the Birds of Eastern North America

o Binoculars (available from us if you don’t have any)

o Field notepad/notebook

• Recommended

o Sibley’s birding basics

o Birding by Ear: Eastern and Central North America

o Old shoes or hiking boots, & proper outdoor clothing (poison ivy, weather)

o Insect repellent (ticks, mosquitoes)

o Sunscreen


Grading

Exams: June 16th (MIDTERM) [50 points]; June 25th (FINAL) [50 points]


Individual Project Paper: June 15th (Intro and Methods) [30 points]; June 24th (Final) [50 points]


Individual Project Presentations: June 15th (Intro and Methods) [20 points]; June 24th (Final) [25 points]


Field Notebook Submissions: June 14th (First) [20 points]; June 22nd (Final) [25 points]


Field trips (5 points each): June 8th, 9th, 10th, 14th, 21st, 24th [30 points]


Total: [300 points]


Grading scale: A = 100-90%, B = 89-80%, C = 79-70%, D = 69-60%, F = 59-0%. Plus/minus system will be used for the final grade.


Additional References & Websites

• Bibby CJ, Burgess ND, Hill DA, Mustoe S, editors. 2000. Bird census techniques. San Diego, USA: Academic Press.

• Gill F. 2007. Ornithology. New York: W. H. Freeman and Company.

• Stiling P. 1999. Ecology: theories and application. New Jersey: Prentice Hall.

• Clark, G. A. 1999. Birds of Storrs, Connecticut and vicinity. 3rd Ed. Mansfield, CT: Natchaug Ornithological Society & Joshua’s Tract Conservation and Historic Trust.

• SORA (Searchable Ornithological Research Archive): http://elibrary.unm.edu/sora/index.php

• Cornell Lab of Ornithology “All About Birds”: http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds

• Natchaug Ornithological Society: http://www.nosbird.org/ (esp. “local hotspots” http://www.nosbird.org/hotspots.html)

• Connecticut Ornithological Association: http://www.ctbirding.org/index.htm

• CT Audubon Society: http://www.ctaudubon.org/

• CT Department of Environmental Protection: http://www.ct.gov/dep/site/default.asp


Website design by Diego Sustaita

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