Bird Banding in central Argentina: the first effort to establish aging criteria using molt patterns and plumages
Scientific bird banding has been paramount for the development of ornithological research. In North America and Europe, the implementation of this standardized methodology in longstanding monitoring efforts (constant-effort bird banding stations) has provided deep insights into basic life-history aspects of bird species. In contrast, the southern region of the Neotropics historically lacked such efforts. This has delayed... Read More
Ornithological Council bimonthly news brief: Jul-Aug 2024
The Ornithological Council is pleased to provide this bimonthly report covering activities in July and August 2024. Over the last two months, Ornithological Council staff: 1. Met with the Chief of the USGS Bird Banding Lab, in a quarterly meeting to discuss issues of mutual interest. 2. Met with USFWS Migratory Birds Program Headquarters Liaison to Regional Migratory Bird Permit Offices, to discuss current permitting issues. 3. Continued work on a template field study policy for IACUCs to adopt. In response to many inquiries ... Read More
AFO-SCO-WOS 2024 joint meeting recap
Welcome! Between July 29 and August 1, 2024, AFO held its annual meeting jointly with its sister societies, the Wilson Ornithological Society and the Society of Canadian Ornithologists in Peoria, Illinois. Nothing like three full days of fabulous research, learning, and camaraderie to unite and strengthen our ornithological community! Plenaries and talks Each date began with […] Read More
2024 Bergstrom Grants recipients!
We are proud to present the winners of the Bergstrom Grants 2024! Did you know? The Association of Field Ornithologists has a fellowship program aimed at supporting field researchers at all stages of their careers, including non-professional ornithologists. Recently, AFO undertook a reorganization of its fellowship program. A mid-year round of the Bergstrom Grants was […] Read More
Student Presentation Awards 2024
Each year, at our annual conference, we announce the Best Student Presentation Awards. These awards seek to recognize outstanding oral and poster presentations. Students at every level are eligible for these awards. The level of research presented this past August at our AFO-SCO-WOS joint meeting was so high, we had a hard time choosing the […] Read More
Birdsong and environmental stress: how a drought in a community science hotspot enabled a natural experiment
I awoke in my tent before dawn and heard the first songs of the day beginning to permeate the forest. My dog lifted her head and gave me a look of bewilderment that seemed to say, "these jabbering birds are clearly doing just fine since last year’s drought, let’s go back to sleep." As tempting as that might’ve seemed, I put on my boots and picked up my recorder instead. Less than a year prior, in the fall of 2016,... Read More
AFO Member feedback on the decision from AOS to replace all eponymous bird names
Last month AFO leadership sent out an anonymous poll to our members to survey their opinions on the recent decision by the American Ornithological Society (AOS) English Bird Names Committee (EBNC) that all eponymous English bird names in the Western Hemisphere be replaced. Our brief poll was created to provide a formal opportunity for AFO members to provide input on this controversial topic, a step... Read More
Life history of the Red-crowned Woodpecker (Melanerpes rubricapillus; family Picidae) in Colombia
The Red-crowned Woodpecker, Melanerpes rubricapillus (Family Picidae) is one of the 24 species of Melanerpes, a genus found across the Americas and the Caribbean. This woodpecker species is commonly found in both semi-natural and urban environments, where it nests in dry branches, standing dead trees, soft wood, and large cacti. Both male and female woodpeckers are involved in excavating nests [...] Read More
