Category: Blog
all posts except for those exclusive to other sections (e.g., Book Reviews) should be tagged with the blog category
Guest feature | Song dialects of the Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Many bird species, like humans, have distinct regional dialects. A New Yorker may refer to a midday meal as “lunch”, but in the south that meal is “dinner”. Likewise, the song of a Common Yellowthroat in the east may sound very different from one in the west... Read More
Guest feature | Interview with Jonathan Slaght, Blakiston’s Fish Owl researcher and author of Owls of the Eastern Ice
While arranging the review of Owls of Eastern Ice, I had the pleasure of interviewing the author, Jonathan Slaght. Our conversation is below. Ashworth For those not familiar with Owls of the Eastern Ice, can you share sort of a Reader’s Digest condensed version of your book and the research that went into it? Slaght […] Read More
Guest feature | Cryptic migration in a common feeder bird shows it’s a great era for avian natural history
With all of the incredible revelations in ornithology during the 21st century, it’s easy for a young birder who wants to “discover new things about birds” to feel like they’re late to the scene. But upon getting deeper into field ornithology, it becomes readily apparent how much basic life history of North American birds remains […] Read More
OC bimonthly news brief January-February 2022
The Ornithological Council is pleased to provide this bimonthly report covering activities in January and February 2022. The Ornithological Council’s mission is to: Ensure that the best ornithological science is incorporated into legislative, regulatory, and management decisions that affect birds; Enhance the ability of ornithologists to pursue professional activities; and Promote the influence of ornithology... Read More
OC bimonthly news brief September-October 2021
The Ornithological Council is pleased to provide this bimonthly report covering activities in September and October 2021. The Ornithological Council’s mission is to: Ensure that the best ornithological science is incorporated into legislative, regulatory, and management decisions that affect birds; Enhance the ability of ornithologists to pursue professional activities; and Promote the influence of ornithology... Read More
AFO news | Upcoming event on ornithology careers outside academia
On October 22 at 4 pm EDT, the Wilson Ornithological Society and the Association of Field Ornithologists will be hosting the first of a series of quarterly virtual events for grad students and early professionals members of either society. The inaugural event, a panel discussion on “Careers in Ornithology and Avian Conservation Outside the Academy” moderated by WOS 2nd Vice President Auriel Fournier... Read More
Journal of Field Ornithology | The process of developing JFO into an Open Access journal
The new relationship between AFO and Resilience Alliance comes after a two year process to find a new publisher for the Journal of Field Ornithology. The publications landscape has changed considerably in the last decade with a number of intersecting trends. Academic libraries are reducing their publications budgets and increasingly seeking to purchase bundles and not individual subscriptions... Read More
Guest feature | Consequences and the strategy behind nest reuse in a Neotropical thrush
Have you ever seen a bird building its nest? The complex architecture of such structures is intriguing and lovely per se, but it is impossible not consider the hundreds, if not thousands, of trips carrying nesting material. A finished nest results from several days of parental effort aiming at providing adequate microclimate and protection to their offspring. It seems logical that all that energy... Read More
