HI:
FYI

--
Ian Paulsen
Bainbridge Island, WA, USA
A.K.A.: "Birdbooker"
"Rallidae all the way!"

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, 03 Aug 2005 12:53:22 -0400
From: Lab of Ornithology <lab_of_ornithology-news at cornell.edu>
To: labofonews-L at cornell.edu
Subject: News from the Lab of Ornithology

Dear Lab members and friends:

The furor over the rediscovery of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker has once
again been making headlines, but we're pleased to say it has a happy
ending. We'd like to bring you up to date on many ivory-bill developments
and pass along the latest news from some of our ongoing projects.


IVORY-BILL CHALLENGE DROPPED

Last month we learned that several well-respected researchers planned to
publish a paper in the Public Library of Science that would dispute the
conclusion that the Ivory-billed Woodpecker had been found in eastern
Arkansas. In drafting a response, Cornell Lab of Ornithology director Dr.
John Fitzpatrick supplied sound recordings from Arkansas to back up the
claim that the bird still lives. After hearing those recordings, the
challengers immediately withdrew their paper from publication and
promised their full support in the continuing search for and study of the
ivory-bill. The initial challenge, and the retraction, have been the
subject of stories in the New York Times, Washington Post, the Associated
Press, National Public Radio (NPR), and elsewhere.

The sounds that convinced the skeptics were gleaned from thousands of
hours of recordings made in the Big Woods by autonomous recording units
(ARUs). They captured sounds resembling the kent call that the ivory-bill
is known for, as well as possible double-knock display drums, first from
one bird and what seems to be a reply from a second bird! You'll be able
to hear these recordings when we post them on our web site later this
month after the sound analyses are announced at the American
Ornithologists Union meeting--we'll let you know when they're available.

Other developments:
* Experts in the Lab's Bioacoustics Research Program are continuing to
analyze 18,000 hours of sound recordings gathered in Arkansas from
the ARUs. Special software screens the recordings for sounds of
interest.
* The Ivory-billed Woodpecker Recovery Team has been formed under the
leadership of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. They will draft a
recovery plan for the bird. This group will also include some Lab
staff involved in the original search.
* The Lab has been designated the official repository for ivory-bill
sightings from the public. With that in mind, we've created an online
reporting form to better collect that data.
* If you haven't yet visited, be sure to check out all the information
we have available on our web site related to the Ivory-billed
Woodpecker.
* If you'd like to become part of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker "support
team" we have special gifts for various levels of support.
* Special issues of Living Bird and BirdScope have just come out,
devoted entirely to the Ivory-billed Woodpecker. They contain
first-hand accounts from those who sighted the bird, as well as
updates on the techniques that led to the rediscovery. Members
receive both these quarterly publications. Find out more about
becoming a Lab member.
Field work will resume in Arkansas in November, when the leaves are down
and the weather has cooled. Once again crews will be braving the swamps
(and snakes) hoping for another look at the Ivory-billed Woodpecker and
trying to capture a clearer picture of the bird, either on film or video.

Whatever happens, we'll keep you posted on the latest developments!



APPLAUSE FOR CITIZEN SCIENCE

In the same issue of Science magazine containing the paper about the
rediscovery of the ivory-bill, there was another article about the Lab
and its 50-year dedication to citizen-science programs. By harnessing the
energy and enthusiasm of our vast network of bird watchers, we are able
to find answers to questions about bird populations across a much larger
area. The article points out a long list of successful scientific
publications, fueled by citizen-science data. It's an effort we hope to
expand even further. "Right now, the northeastern seaboard is well
covered," says Lab director John Fitzpatrick. "We'd like more observers
on the ground in states like Arizona and Nevada. Eventually, we'd like to
test hypotheses and conduct experiments on a continental scale."

Man Oh Man What A Manakin!

Groundbreaking research into mysterious wing noises has earned the Lab's
Kimberly Bostwick national attention. Her paper on the Club-winged
Manakin was published in the journal Science this week and picked up by
other mainstream media, including the New York Times and National Public
Radio (NPR). Kim is Curator of the bird and mammal collection at the
Cornell University Museum of Vertebrates, housed here in the Johnson
Center for Birds and Biodiversity.

Armed with a high-speed camera, Kim determined that this manakin makes
popping tick sounds by shaking hollow-cored wing feathers together. The
loud ting note is created when the stiff, curved tip of one feather rubs
against a line of ridges on the central vane of the adjoining feather--a
process compared to rubbing a spoon against a washboard. On top of that,
the manakin shakes its feathers an astonishing 100 times per second. Even
the hyper hummingbird only manages 50 wing beats a second. While insects
are known for rubbing body parts together to create sounds, this is the
only bird found to use the same technique. The Cornell Chronicle also has
a great article on this fascinating research.
?


House Finch Disease Spreading

House Finch eye disease is now confirmed in the West and continues to
cause widespread disease in the East.? Preliminary data show some
differences in the spread of the disease in the West compared to the
East; help us to better understand why!? Participants report daily
observations of sick and healthy birds at their feeders either online or
on paper data forms.? Sign up (free) and you'll receive a kit with
instructions and information in the mail.? Email questions to
housefinch at cornell.edu, or call 1-800-843-2473.



Seeking City Raptors

Do you know of a city hawk or falcon nesting location that could be
monitored by a bird web cam hosted by Urban Bird Studies for educational
purposes? We are looking for an established nesting spot in a large urban
area within the United States or abroad. Urban Bird Studies is a group of
bilingual projects focused on understanding birds in cities around the
world. The projects promote science education and urban conservation and
target communities that are under-represented in ornithology and science.
Email urbanbirds at cornell.edu or call (607) 254-2455 with your
suggestions. The cam is contingent on funding.

And finally, we want to say a word of thanks to all of you who have taken
the time to share your excitement and enthusiasm over the rediscovery of
the Ivory-billed Woodpecker and to support the project through your
generous donations. We appreciate your kind wishes and congratulations.
We hope to have more exciting news in the months ahead as we work with
our partners to save this magnificent bird.

Your friends at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology www.birds.cornell.edu