Subject: [Tweeters] WFO Conference - Keynote Speaker on Gunnison Sage-Grouse
Date: Jul 26 11:40:07 2006
From: Jay Withgott - withgott at comcast.net



Hi OBOL & Tweeters --

I promise that this will be my last posting re: the Western Field
Ornithologists (WFO) conference in September, but we have just landed
an exciting keynote speaker for the banquet on 23 Sept. Dr. Jessica
Young was a central figure in the discovery of the Gunnison
Sage-Grouse. Her work helped lead the AOU to add this bird to the
AOU Checklist in 2000, making it the first newly described bird
species in the United States in more than 100 years. In her keynote
address, Dr. Young (of Western State College of Colorado) will survey
her research on the behavior, genetics, and conservation of the
Gunnison Sage-Grouse (including courtship display video clips):

Love at the Lek: Can too much sex cause extinction?
Dr. Jessica Young of Western State College of Colorado will present
her research and conservation experiences with the Gunnison
Sage-Grouse. Dr. Young researched the behavioral biology and
genetics of the Gunnison Sage-Grouse in the late 1980s and 1990s. In
2000, the Gunnison Sage-Grouse was recognized as a distinct species
by the American Ornithological Union, based on research conducted by
Dr. Young and others. Her presentation will focus on how behavior
may influence speciation, extinction processes, and persistence of
this remarkable bird. In addition, she will discuss current
controversies about its conservation status.


* The full conference program is online at:
http://www.wfo-cbrc.org/confer_2006.html.
* The registration form is at: http://www.wfo-cbrc.org/wfo06reg.doc.
* Abstracts for papers are being accepted until 5 AUGUST; see:
http://www.wfo-cbrc.org/call_for_papers_2006.doc.

Hope to see you in Boulder,

Jay Withgott
Portland, OR
withgott at comcast.net