Annie

Advanced Ornithological Techniques, a Course for Latin Americans September 9-16, 2020 at Powdermill Nature Reserve Powdermill Nature Reserve is pleased to announce that we will be holding an Advanced Ornithological Techniques Course for Latin Americans the 9th-16th of September 2020. Topics may include, but are not limited to, the following: best banding practices, ageing birds via molt limits, Motus Wildlife Tracking systems, molecular identification of diet and gut microflora, ecological impacts of frugivorous birds (seed rain), bioacoustics, citizen science, using long-term datasets, threats to birds and conservation, field methods, and utility of museum specimens for ecological research. Most of the course will be in English with Spanish-speaking instructors participating in many of the modules. Most mornings will be spent in the field with live birds, and these sessions will be complemented with afternoon lectures, discussions, demonstrations, and hands-on activities. Participants will gain experience ageing birds, applying nanotags, and assembling automated receiving (i.e., Motus) stations. The banding portion of this course is an excellent primer for NABC (North American Banding Council) Bander Certification as we will cover banding ethics, banding methodology, molt terminology, and use of the Pyle Guide, and participants will gain a solid foundation of the ornithological topics covered in the other modules of this course. On the last day of the course, participants will travel to the Carnegie Museum of Natural History to tour the collections and visit the National Aviary in Pittsburgh. Powdermill Nature Reserve (PNR), the field station of the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, is located in the beautiful mountains of Western Pennsylvania near the town of Rector. The course is grant-funded, free to Latin Americans, and includes food and housing on-site throughout the entirety of the course. Participants are responsible for the cost of their flights, travel visas, and airport lodging if flight times require it. Participants are expected to arrange their own flights to and from the Pittsburgh International Airport for arrival on September 8 and departure on September 16, and to obtain appropriate travel visas. Group transportation to and from the Pittsburgh airport will be provided. Participants will be accepted by application only. To apply, please send your resume or CV and a letter of interest explaining how you will use this course to further your ornithological research to Annie Lindsay, Banding Program Manager, (LindsayA@carnegiemnh.org) by April 20, 2020.

Spring Extraction/Banding Workshop: Wednesday, May 13 - Sunday, May 17, 2020 The workshop will begin before dawn on Wednesday (5/13) and end Sunday (5/17) at noon. Participants should plan to arrive Tuesday as we may have an introductory lecture that evening. The majority of time will be spend in the field with live birds, however these sessions will be complemented with some afternoon or evening presentations. This workshop is an excellent primer for NABC (North American Banding Council certifications as we will cover banding ethics, banding methodology, molt terminology, and use of the Pyle Guide. The focus of this workshop is to hone handling songbirds, extracting birds from mist nets, and banding skills, but we will also cover the other topics mentioned above, and is appropriate for beginner- to intermediate-level banders. The cost is $750/person and on site lodging (with kitchen) and breakfast is included. Space is limited, therefore priority will be given to those with opportunities to continue to utilize the skills we teach through work or volunteering. This workshop will be NABC-approved. If you are interested in attending this workshop, please fill out the google form: http://goo.gl/forms/kaQiLhs1aZ I will begin to send invitations to register in mid-December to early January.