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
  
'''Intensive Summer Session 1, June 6th - 24th, 2011''' '''MTWThF'''  
+
'''Intensive Summer Session, May 11th - 29th, 2015'''
  
Instructor: '''[mailto:a.rico@uconn.edu Alejandro Rico]'''
+
'''Meets:''' M-F, 7:30 am to 11:30 am, TLS 371
  
Office: Biol/Pharm 404
 
  
Phone: 860-486-0309
+
Instructor: '''[mailto:kevin.burgio@uconn.edu Kevin Burgio]'''
  
Office hours: variable & flexible (call, email, drop by)
+
Office: Biol/Pharm 402
  
 +
Email: kevin.burgio@uconn.edu
  
 +
Office hours: variable & flexible (email, drop by)
  
'''Course Objectives'''
+
Website: [http://www.monkparakeetresearch.org UConn Monk Parakeet Research]
  
➢ Acquire bird identification skills
 
  
➢ Learn how to take field notes
 
  
➢ Learn and apply basic field research techniques, study design, and data analysis
+
'''Course Objectives'''
 
+
➢ Develop an individual project
+
  
 +
Upon completion of this course, students will be proficient in taking field notes, basic bird anatomy, song structure, and identification skills needed to accurately identify bird species. Students will have instruction and experience in the following: bird survey design, the most commonly used bird census methods, and field-based behavioral observation. Lastly, students will be introduced to current statistical approaches used to analyze data collected in the field.
  
  
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[[Image:Binos.jpg| right]]
 
[[Image:Binos.jpg| right]]
  
'''Required'''
+
'''Required'''
  
o The Sibley Field Guide to the Birds of Eastern North America
+
1. The Sibley Field Guide to the Birds of Eastern North America
  
o Binoculars (available from us if you don’t have any)
+
2. Bibby CJ, Burgess ND, Hill DA, Mustoe S, editors. 2000. Bird census techniques. San Diego, USA: Academic Press
  
o Field notepad/notebook
+
3. Binoculars (available from us if you don’t have any)
  
'''• Recommended'''
+
4. Field notepad/notebook ({{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/images/b/b4/Field_Notebook_Guidelines_2013.pdf}} Basic guidelines)
  
o Sibley’s birding basics
+
5. Closed-toe shoes (no sandals) or hiking boots, & proper outdoor clothing (you may encounter poison ivy, ticks and biting insects, and/or bad weather)
  
o Birding by Ear: Eastern and Central North America
+
'''Recommended'''
  
o Old shoes or hiking boots, & proper outdoor clothing (poison ivy, weather)
+
1. Sibley’s Birding Basics
  
o Insect repellent (ticks, mosquitoes)
+
2. Peterson's Birding by Ear: Eastern and Central North America
  
o Sunscreen
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3. Insect repellent (ticks, mosquitoes)
  
 +
4. Sunscreen
  
 
+
'''Tentative schedule - Note that because so much of what we do depends on the weather, the schedule is very subject to change!'''
'''Tentativeschedule'''
+
  
 
{| border="1" cellpadding="2"  
 
{| border="1" cellpadding="2"  
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!style="background:" width="300"|Topic
 
!style="background:" width="300"|Topic
 
|-  
 
|-  
| M 06 || Course introduction and timeline; Bird identification (Optics, Guides and Notes. Reading: MANUAL OF ORNITHOLOGY pags. 274, 276-279 and 286-287), Campus birding || M 13|| Bird families (Taxonomy), Local birding (Yale Forest), Field notebooks (First Submission)  
+
| M 11 || Course introduction and timeline; Bird identification (Optics, Guides and Notes)  
|| M 20 || Survey of coastal birds
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|| M 18 || Survey of local birds; notebooks (First Submission)
 +
|| M 25 || Independent project data collection (Final); data analysis
  
 
|-  
 
|-  
| T 07 || Topography and Field Marks; Feet, Beaks and Body Form; Field exercises, start project thinking (written ideas)
+
 
|| T 14 || Individual project presentations; Paper submission (Introduction and Methods)
+
| T 12 || Topography and Field Marks Feet, Beaks and Body Form; Field exercises; Start projects 
|| T 21 || Banding demo, Pomfret Center, Connecticut Audubon Society / Field notebooks (Final Submission)
+
|| T 19 || Individual project presentations  
 +
|| T 26 || Survey of coastal birds
 
|-  
 
|-  
| W 08 || 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 & Capen 1999
+
 
|| W 15 || MIDTERM EXAM; birding after
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| W 13 || Field research techniques, hypotheses testing, study design, and data analysis  
|| W 22 || Individual project presentations and assisted work on the paper
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|| W 20 || '''MIDTERM EXAM'''
 +
|| W 27 || Survey of local birds. Field notebooks (Final Submission)
 
|-  
 
|-  
| Th 09 ||  Survey of local birds (Mansfield Hollow),  Individual project guidelines discussion and project selection
 
|| Th 16 || Individual project data collection I (Methods adjustment)
 
  
|| Th 23 || HEEP site field activity (use of eBird); PAPER SUBMISSION (FINAL)
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| Th 14 || Survey of local birds, Review, Project guidelines discussion and selection
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|| Th 21 || Individual project data collection I (Methods adjustment)  
 +
|| Th 28 || Review session in preparation for the final;
 
|-  
 
|-  
| F 10 || Capture/banding demonstration, Pomfret Center, Connecticut Audubon Society
 
|| F 17 || Individual project data collection II (Final)
 
  
|| F 24 || FINAL EXAM; Instructor evaluations
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| F 15 || Banding demo(?)
 +
|| F 22 || Individual project data collection II (Assisted)
 +
|| F 29 || FINAL EXAM; Instructor evaluations
  
 
|-  
 
|-  
 
</span>     
 
</span>     
 
|}
 
|}
'''*''': Schedule is subject to change pending weather conditions, or unforeseen birding and research opportunities.
+
 
  
  
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Exams:
 
Exams:
June 15th (MIDTERM) [50 points];
+
May 20st (MIDTERM)         [50 points];
June 24th (FINAL) [50 points]
+
May 29th (FINAL) [50 points]
  
 +
Activities and Quizzes:
 +
5 (10 points each)                                      [50 points]
  
Individual Project Paper:
+
Final Project Presentation:
June 14th (Intro and Methods) [30 points];
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May 28th                                 [70 points];
June 23rd (Final) [50 points]
+
 
+
 
+
Individual Project Presentations:
+
June 14th (Intro and Methods) [20 points];
+
June 22nd (Final) [25 points]
+
 
+
  
 
Field Notebook Submissions:
 
Field Notebook Submissions:
June 13th (First) [20 points];
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May 19th (First) [25 points];
June 21st (Final) [25 points]
+
May 28th  (Final) [25 points]
  
 +
Field trips and birding exercises (5 points each):
 +
Dates will be weather dependent                    [30 points]
  
Field trips = Birding exercises (5 points each):
+
Total:         [300 points]
June 9th, 10th, 13th, 20th, 21st, 23rd    [30 points]
+
 
+
 
+
Total: [300 points]
+
  
  
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'''Additional References & Websites'''
 
'''Additional References & Websites'''
 +
 +
• Local Birds ID tool: http://www.whatbird.com/Expert/Expert.aspx
  
 
• MANUAL OF ORNITHOLOGY (Yale Univ.), by N.S. Proctor and P.J. Lynch: http://books.google.com/books?id=nQ3vLQkEWQMC&printsec=frontcover&dq=general+warbler+bill+shape#v=onepage&q&f=false
 
• MANUAL OF ORNITHOLOGY (Yale Univ.), by N.S. Proctor and P.J. Lynch: http://books.google.com/books?id=nQ3vLQkEWQMC&printsec=frontcover&dq=general+warbler+bill+shape#v=onepage&q&f=false

Revision as of 20:00, 7 April 2015

EEB3898flyer.jpg

EEB 3898: Field Methods in Ornithology

Intensive Summer Session, May 11th - 29th, 2015

Meets: M-F, 7:30 am to 11:30 am, TLS 371


Instructor: Kevin Burgio

Office: Biol/Pharm 402

Email: kevin.burgio@uconn.edu

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

Website: UConn Monk Parakeet Research


Course Objectives

Upon completion of this course, students will be proficient in taking field notes, basic bird anatomy, song structure, and identification skills needed to accurately identify bird species. Students will have instruction and experience in the following: bird survey design, the most commonly used bird census methods, and field-based behavioral observation. Lastly, students will be introduced to current statistical approaches used to analyze data collected in the field.


Course Materials

Binos.jpg

Required

1. The Sibley Field Guide to the Birds of Eastern North America

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

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

4. Field notepad/notebook (Pdficon small.gif Basic guidelines)

5. Closed-toe shoes (no sandals) or hiking boots, & proper outdoor clothing (you may encounter poison ivy, ticks and biting insects, and/or bad weather)

Recommended

1. Sibley’s Birding Basics

2. Peterson's Birding by Ear: Eastern and Central North America

3. Insect repellent (ticks, mosquitoes)

4. Sunscreen

Tentative schedule - Note that because so much of what we do depends on the weather, the schedule is very subject to change!

Day Topic Day Topic Day Topic
M 11 Course introduction and timeline; Bird identification (Optics, Guides and Notes) M 18 Survey of local birds; notebooks (First Submission) M 25 Independent project data collection (Final); data analysis
T 12 Topography and Field Marks Feet, Beaks and Body Form; Field exercises; Start projects T 19 Individual project presentations T 26 Survey of coastal birds
W 13 Field research techniques, hypotheses testing, study design, and data analysis W 20 MIDTERM EXAM W 27 Survey of local birds. Field notebooks (Final Submission)
Th 14 Survey of local birds, Review, Project guidelines discussion and selection Th 21 Individual project data collection I (Methods adjustment) Th 28 Review session in preparation for the final;
F 15 Banding demo(?) F 22 Individual project data collection II (Assisted) F 29 FINAL EXAM; Instructor evaluations



Grading

Exams: May 20st (MIDTERM) [50 points]; May 29th (FINAL) [50 points]

Activities and Quizzes: 5 (10 points each) [50 points]

Final Project Presentation: May 28th [70 points];

Field Notebook Submissions: May 19th (First) [25 points]; May 28th (Final) [25 points]

Field trips and birding exercises (5 points each): Dates will be weather dependent [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

• Local Birds ID tool: http://www.whatbird.com/Expert/Expert.aspx

• MANUAL OF ORNITHOLOGY (Yale Univ.), by N.S. Proctor and P.J. Lynch: http://books.google.com/books?id=nQ3vLQkEWQMC&printsec=frontcover&dq=general+warbler+bill+shape#v=onepage&q&f=false

• Bibby CJ, Burgess ND, Hill DA, Mustoe S, editors. 2000. Bird census techniques. San Diego, USA: Academic Press.: http://books.google.com/books?id=Ld5wkzPp49cC&printsec=frontcover&dq=Bibby&ie=ISO-8859-1&cd=2&source=gbs_gdata#v=onepage&q&f=false

• Gill F. 2007. Ornithology. New York: W. H. Freeman and Company. : http://books.google.com/books?id=zM0tG5ApO0UC&printsec=frontcover&dq=ornithology+gill&hl=en&src=bmrr&ei=4iTsTfHvN4b2gAeg3o3ZCQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CC4Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false

• 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


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