Field Ornithology

EEB 3898 Field Methods in Ornithology

Intensive Summer Session 1, June 8th - 26th, 2009 MTWThF

Instructor: Diego Sustaita

Office: Biol/Pharm 404

Phone: 860-486-0309

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

Course Objectives

• Acquire bird identification skills

• Learn basic field research techniques, study design, and data analysis

• Develop basic understanding of local bird biology & ecology

• Tentative* schedule:

Week 1 Topic [assignment] Week 2 Topic [assignment] Week 3 Topic [assignment] M 08 -Course introduction -Bird identification [Sibley intro/ lecture notes handout] M 15 -Point count/transect lecture & activity [Manuwal & Carey 1991 pgs. 11-14; Reynolds et al. 1980] M 22 -Group project(s) [TBA] T 09 -Distance calibration -Survey of local birds [TBA] T 16 -Territory mapping lecture & activity (I) [Manuwal & Carey 1991 pgs. 14-17/ Ortega & Cappen 1999] T 23 Survey of forest birds [TBA] W 10 -Primer of avian ecology -Survey of local birds [MacArthur 1958] W 17 -Behavioral observation lecture & activity [Green et al. 1996] W 24 Survey of coastal birds [TBA] Th 11 -Survey of local birds -Census techniques lecture – line transects

[Manuwal & Carey 1991 pgs. 9-11; Anderson et al. 1979] 	Th 18	-Density estimation lecture & activity

[Thomas et al. 2002] -Territory mapping activity (II) Th 25 -Habitat diversity & community analysis [Stiling, Chapt.16]

F 12 -Exam 1 -Mist-netting/banding (Pomfret Audubon Center) [Silkeye et al. 1999] F 19 -Exam 2 Habitat measurement lecture & activity [Bibby et al. 1985] F 26 -Instructor evaluations -Final exam