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The Kitzes Lab at the University of Pittsburgh is hosting a Large-Scale Bioacoustic Monitoring workshop at the University of Delaware on November 8th from 10 am to 2 pm. Our lab deploys small, automated acoustic recorders at field sites in Pennsylvania and beyond, then develops AI-based tools for detecting the sounds of particular species in those field audio recordings. We use this approach to answer a variety of research questions across ecology and conservation. This workshop is free for all participants and is supported by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s Delaware River Program. In this workshop, participants will learn how to prepare and deploy acoustic recorders, manage and store acoustic data, and utilize acoustic data in statistical models. We are hoping for participation from researchers who are interested in modern tools for ecology and conservation and who hail from a wide variety of professional stages and backgrounds, including both graduate and undergraduate students and technicians.  Please register for this workshop online at bit.ly/acoustic-workshop. Contact brooke.goodman@pitt.edu with any questions! We hope to see you on the 8th

Representatives Jared Huffman (D-Ca.) and Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) teamed up to introduce two pieces of bird-related legislation into the U.S. Congress, just before the Congress adjourned until after the November elections. The Migratory Bird Protection Act will modernize the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, codifying long-standing protections for birds from “incidental take,” such as preventable harm from industrial activities. It will direct the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to develop new permit system for incidental take and establish a Migratory Bird Recovery Fund to help direct resources to birds of conservation concern. The bill was previously introduced in 2021. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service had begin a rulemaking to regulate incidental take, but that action was put on hold by the administration in late 2023.  The Albatross and Petrel Conservation Act would implement a 1999 international agreement to conserve 31 species of albatrosses, petrels and shearwaters, known as the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels. Thirteen other countries have already ratified the agreement. Given that the current Congress ends in December, these bills are unlikely to advance this session, but hopefully the momentum created by their introduction will carry over to the next Congress. About the Ornithological Council The Ornithological Council is a consortium of scientific societies of ornithologists; these societies span the Western Hemisphere and the research conducted by their members spans the globe. Their cumulative expertise comprises the knowledge that is fundamental and essential to science-based bird conservation and management.  The Ornithological Council is financially supported by our member societies and the individual ornithologists who value our work. If the OC’s resources are valuable to you, please consider joining one of our member societies or donating directly at Birdnet.org. Thank you for your support!

Birds Canada and Environment and Climate Change Canada recently released ‘The State of Canada’s Birds’, which provides population assessments for 463 bird species regularly occurring in Canada. It expands on similar reports from 2012 and 2019 and, like those reports, is based on over 50 years of monitoring data. According to the report, grassland birds have declined by 67% since 1970. Shorebirds have declined by 42% since 1980. Aerial insectivores have also declined (43% since 1970), but that decline is slowing, with some species possibly starting to rise again. There is also good news in the report. Since 1970, three groups have increased: waterfowl (46%), birds of prey (35%), and wetland birds (21%). These increases show that actions to protect birds and their habitat can reverse population declines. Read a summary of the report here. Read the full report here.  About the Ornithological Council The Ornithological Council is a consortium of scientific societies of ornithologists; these societies span the Western Hemisphere and the research conducted by their members spans the globe. Their cumulative expertise comprises the knowledge that is fundamental and essential to science-based bird conservation and management.  The Ornithological Council is financially supported by our member societies and the individual ornithologists who value our work. If the OC’s resources are valuable to you, please consider joining one of our member societies or donating directly at Birdnet.org. Thank you for your support!

Canada has proposed that the Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) be down-listed from CITES Appendix I to Appendix II. The Peregrine Falcon, which is widely distributed globally with a steady population, was first listed under CITES in 1977. Species protected under Appendix I of CITES are those that are found to be threatened with extinction and are afforded the highest level of protection under the convention, including a prohibition on commercial trade. Appendix II includes species that are not currently threatened with extinction, but may become so without trade limitations. The proposal will be discussed at the next CITES Conference of the Parties, which will take place in Uzbekistan in late 2025. Canada also proposed down-listing the falcon in 2016, but concerns were brought forth that other parties to the convention felt that not enough consultation with other parties was done. That proposal was voted down. To ensure that all interested parties can weigh in on the current proposal, Canada is asking for feedback from CITES parties and others interested organizations and individuals, by email with the subject line “Notification 2024/113 on Peregrine Falcon” to cites-science@ec.gc.ca by 30 November 2024. About the Ornithological Council The Ornithological Council is a consortium of scientific societies of ornithologists; these societies span the Western Hemisphere and the research conducted by their members spans the globe. Their cumulative expertise comprises the knowledge that is fundamental and essential to science-based bird conservation and management.  The Ornithological Council is financially supported by our member societies and the individual ornithologists who value our work. If the OC’s resources are valuable to you, please consider joining one of our member societies or donating directly at Birdnet.org. Thank you for your support!

Dr. Keith Alan Hobson Obituary (https://necrocanada.com/) It is with deep sadness that we announce the peaceful passing at home on October 2, 2024 of Dr. Keith Alan Hobson at the age of 70, following a brief battle with cholangiocarcinoma. Born on July 10, 1954, in Harrow, England, to Harold Hobson of Elsecar, Yorkshire, and Eleanor Violet (née Blaskett) of London, Keith immigrated to Vancouver, BC, with his family in 1966. He is survived by his younger sister , Debra Ann Dailey of Wakaw, Saskatchewan. His older sister, Julie Frances Constantini, resides in Teramo, Italy, and his middle sister, Hazel Lilian Hobson, passed away in Kailua, Hawaii. Keith shared a deep connection with nature, a passion he nurtured throughout his life. On June 6, 2004, he married B. Xiomara Mora Alvarez, and together, they dedicated themselves to conservation efforts, particularly focusing on Monarch butterfly conservation and ecology in Mexico. Keith was a pioneering figure in isotope ecology, contributing to the understanding of food webs and the migration of insects, birds, and mammals through innovative isotope analysis. His work spanned ecosystems from the Arctic to the Antarctic, including every province and territory in Canada. His groundbreaking research fundamentally transformed our knowledge of animal migration and dietary ecology, influencing conservation efforts worldwide. Keith earned a Bachelor of Science in Physics from Simon Fraser University in 1977, where he later worked for seven years in the Archeology Department's stable isotope lab. He completed his M.Sc. at the University of Manitoba in 1988 and pursued a Ph.D. at the University of Saskatchewan, where his fascination with isotope ecology blossomed. He later became a postdoctoral fellow at the Freshwater Institute in Winnipeg, Manitoba. In 1992, he joined Environment Canada in Saskatoon as a Senior Research Scientist. He also served as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Saskatchewan and, in 2015, took on a role as a Professor of Biology at Western University in London, Ontario. His prolific career included publishing over 650 scientific papers and editing a seminal textbook on using stable isotopes to track migratory animals. Dr. Hobson's contributions were recognized with numerous accolades, including his election as a Fellow of the American Ornithologists' Union in 2004, the Royal Society of Canada in 2013, and the International Ornithological Union in 2018. His tireless work and mentorship touched countless students, collaborators, and researchers, particularly in Latin America, where he conducted research in Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, and more recently, Cuba. Beyond his professional achievements, Keith was known for his generosity, humility, and sharp sense of humor. His playful impressions of humans and animals, particularly his favorite bird – the cormorant – brought joy to those around him. His legacy will live on in the many lives he touched and the field of ecology, which he is profoundly influenced. Dr. Hobson is survived by his family, friends, and colleagues in the global scientific community, all of whom will miss his guidance, friendship, and unwavering commitment to conservation. The world has lost a brilliant mind, but its contributions will continue to inspire future generations of scientists. In lieu of flowers, Dr. Hobson requested that those wishing to honor his memory to plant a tree.