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372 records · Page 21Linked to original sources
USGS1991

[Book review] Seabirds of Hawaii: Natural history and conservation

This volume is a rather odd contribution, a hybrid between an academic work and a popular book, and both suffers and benefits from these attributes. The 18 chapters are divided into four parts that deal with the environment and humans (3 chapters and ca. 12% of the text), comparative biology of Hawaiian seabirds (5 chapters, 26%), treatments of Hawaiian seabird groups by family (7 chapters, 34%), and conservation (3 chapters, 16%). At the end of the book are an appendix of common and scientific names for plants, birds, mammals, fish, and a few invertebrates; a 6-page "selected" bibliography with pertinent references for each chapter; and an index.

The Auk↗
USGS1993

[Book review] Bird trapping and bird banding: A handbook for tapping methods all over the world

This book is a translation of a German edition published in 1978 by Die Neue Brehm-Bucherei, which in turn is a summary of four parts published earlier (1967-1970). Its main title, a direct translation of the German Vogelfang und Vogelberingung is misleading. Only six pages deal with matters one might usually expect in a book with "bird banding" as part of the title. This includes a single paragraph that admonishes against brightly colored clothing, one stating that binoculars are indispensable when checking trapping locations, and a half-page on dangers to the bander such as sinking in marshes and falling from ladders and cliffs. The remaining five pages deal with gathering cages or devices and with handling and releasing birds.

The Auk↗
USGS1993

Research, conservation, and collaboration: The role of visiting scientists in developing countries

As awareness of environmental problems and the need to protect our natural resources or use them wisely has grown, scientists have become increasingly interested in conservation. Some individuals are involved in conservation-related activities through research or teaching, but most of us participate only as citizens concerned about the world in which we live. Often, we decline to take an active role in conservation issues because we think that "it will take too much time away from our science," or that it is "too much trouble." Both perspectives, I think, are inaccurate. Sometimes investigators fail to participate because they are ignorant of the ways in which scientists (or scientific organizations) interface with conservation - in other words, of how one goes about getting personally involved. Whatever the reason, this lack of involvement is unfortunate, because scientists, and especially "whole organism" biologists (including ornithologists), can make unique contributions to conservation programs, as scientists , without a significant increase in effort or any change in the quality of their work. At the same time, they reap both professional and personal rewards.

The Auk↗
USGS1986

An assessment of ground-nest depredation in a catastrophically disturbed region, Mount St. Helens, Washington

The explosive eruption of the Mount St. Helens volcano on 18 May 1980 severely affected a large ar- ray of plant and animal populations (Edwards and Schwartz 1981, MacMahon 1982, Wissmar et al. 1982) over a vast area (>600 kM2) (Fig. 1). Volcanic eruptions are relatively common agents of large-scale biotic disturbance, yet few studies have addressed either short- or long-term effects on avian populations (see Hayward et al. 1982 for entry on pre-1980 literature). We present data gathered during 1980- 1984 on relative abundances of birds in disturbed areas near Mount St. Helens. These data indicate that a ground-nesting species was numerically dominant in the early posteruption avifauna. We also test the null hypothesis that predation rates on ground nests were unaltered by the eruption. We assumed that the breeding abundance of ground-nesting species is affected significantly by nesting success in previous years (Duebbert and Lokemoen 1980) and speculated whether dramatic changes in ground-nest predation rate might have occurred as a result of the eruption.

Washington↗
USGS1989

Thirty-seventh supplement to the American Ornithologists' Union Check-list of North American birds

This third supplement subsequent to the 6th edition (1983) of the A.O.U. "Check-list of North American Birds" consists of changes adopted by the Committee on Classification and Nomenclature as of 1 March 1989. The changes fall into nine categories: (1) six species are added to the main list ( Pterodroma longirostris, Larus crassirostris, Streptopelia decaocto, Cocccyzus julieni, Chrysolampis mosquitus, Emberiza aureola ) because of new distributional information; (2) five species ( Ara cubensis, Chlorostilbon bracei, Empidonax occidentalis, Polioptila californica, Pipilo crissalis ) are added to the main list because of the splitting of species already on the list; (3) one name ( Anthus rubescens ) is changed because of the splitting of a species from outside the Checklist area; (4) two names ( Morus bassanus, Nyctanassa violacea ) is removed from the main list to Appendix B because of re-evaluation of Northern Hemisphere records; (6) three species ( Pterodrama rostrata, P. alba, P. solandri ) are moved from Appendix A to Appendix B, and one ( P. defilippiana ) is added to Appendix B because of questionable sight records; (7)A.O.U. numbers are added to three species ( Ciccaba virgata, Myiopagis viridicata, Molothrus bonariensis ) on the basis on new distributional records or supporting data; (8) several corrections in spelling or citations are made; and (9) English names are changed for twelve species to accommodate worldwide usage of these names. No new distributional information is included except as indicated above (i.e. minor changes of distribution are not noted). These actions bring the number of species recognized as occurring in North America (main list) to 1,945.

The Auk↗
USGS1989

The correct citation and spelling of Ptiliogonys and type locality of Ptiliogonys cinereus

William Swainson published descriptions and illustrations of many new forms of New World birds. In some of his earlier papers, Swainson cited his own works (of which only some parts have been published) as well as some manuscripts that were never published (see McMillan 1971). Swainson also referred to works that were published later under different titles. For example, Swainson (1827a) listed several names of birds and cited his "Mexican Zoology," a work that was never published. Later he (Swainson 1831-1832) referred to the "Cat. of Mex. Mus. App. p. 4 (1824)," in which he claimed to have described the taxa he had listed in Swainson (1827a). Modern authorities (e.g. Greenway 1960: 371; American Ornithologists' Union [AOU] 1983: 582) refer to the 1824 source as the original publication for the genus they render as Ptilogonys and (AOU 1983) for the species Ptilogonys cinereus . However, there is no evidence that the 1824 work was ever seen as a manuscript or published. In this paper, I review the use of "Swainson, 1824," as a citation and discuss the actual publication, spelling of the names Ptiliogonys and Ptiliogonys cinereus , and type locality of the species.

The Auk↗
USGS1991

On forming an Ornithological Council

It has begun to bother me that the ornithological societies seem to be playing an extremely minor role in anything to do with conserving, preserving, or salvaging the environment. We realize-or we tell each other that we do-that birds are an important part of the world's ecosystems, that they can often serve as indicator species of environmental problems, that what affects bird populations can and will eventually affect the human population. But as organizations, we lack a mechanism to tell anyone other than ourselves about our concerns or how the knowledge our study produces can be used to help efforts to protect either the birds themselves or the environment of which they and we are parts. We can, and some do, share our concerns and knowledge individually, but we have no effective way to say that 5,000 ornithologists think that "Plan A is a good idea" or "Plan B could lead to declines in bird populations" or even that "Plan C would have a very bad (or good) effect on the scientific study of birds that is needed to know whether Plans A and B are good." Our current mechanism for action is pretty much restricted to adopting resolutions saying, in effect, "We think you shouldn't have done that" or "We wish you would do something." Even the timing of this mechanism leaves much to be desired if we really intend to have any effect.

The Auk↗
USGS1991

[Book review] The known birds of North and Middle America: Distribution and variation, migrations, changes, hybrids, etc, Part I, Hirundinidae to Mimidae, Certhiidae

"Known Birds" is the culmination of Allan Phillips' long and productive career in elucidating the taxonomy and relationships of North American, particularly Mexican, birds. It reflects many years of largely independent work in the field, museum, and library. Although Part I includes contributions by Robert W. Dickerman, Amadeo M. Rea, and J. Dan Webster, the series (Part II will be available by the time this long-overdue review of Part I appears) reflects Phillips' views of avian systematics and his idiosyncratic scientific philosophy.

The Auk↗
USGS1991

[Book review] Birds of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, Oregon

Although John Warham has worked for at least 40 years on procellariids, this book is much more than just a summary of a distinguished research career. It is a useful synthesis of the vast and often obscure literature on the more than 100 species of shearwaters, petrels, albatrosses, and fulmars that comprise the avian order with the widest range of body mass (19.5 g to 8.7 kg) and widest distribution, throughout the world's oceans, from the tropics to open leads in polar ice packs. The order's literary credentials are also impressive, with contributions from Dionysus (200 AD), St. Augustine, and Cole- ridge (not cited). Warham has also unearthed useful references from journals not examined by many ornithologists, such as Bocagiana , Il-Merill , and the Journal of the Manx Museum . He also appears to have done a good job of covering the Japanese-language literature.

The Auk↗
USGS1993

Differential migration of Blue Grouse in Colorado

We examined migration of adult Blue Grouse ( Dendragapus obscurus ) in north-central Colorado by radio tracking 13 males and 19 females. Elevational changes associated with movements to winter areas were greater for males (median = 488 m, range = 183-671 m) than females (median = 122 m, range = -61-760 m). Males (median = 10.5 km, range = 1.0-29.4 km) also moved farther than females (median = 1.0 km, range = 0.1-28.0 km), resulting in partial segregation of sexes during winter. Directional orientation of movements to wintering areas was nonrandom for long-distance (>3 km) migrants. Median elevational change (122 m) and distance (0.6 km) between the first-winter and first-breeding areas for seven juvenile females were similar to movements of adult females. Males (median = 7 July) departed breeding areas earlier than females (median = 11 August), but arrived (median = 14 October) on winter areas about the same time as females (median = 23 October). Both sexes exhibited fidelity to winter areas. The average distance between winter locations ranged from 94 to 312 m (median = 135 m) for 11 radio-marked adults, suggesting Blue Grouse were sedentary on their winter ranges.

The Auk↗
USGS1977

Unusual foraging by a fork-tailed storm-petrel

While conducting an offshore bird census from the sea beach at Nelson Lagoon, Alaska Peninsula (56°00'N, 161°10'W) at 1700 on 17 September 1976 1 saw a Fork-tailed Storm Petrel ( Oceanodroma f. furcata ) feeding on the beached remains of an adult gray whale ( Eschrichtius robustus ) that had been trapped by ice and died the previous April. I watched it for about 15 min. The sky was overcast with a 25-knot offshore wind, gusting to 35 knots. Seas were running from 3 to 4 m, and the tide was high. This observation is of note because it provides direct evidence of a terrestrial (i.e. nonpelagic) foraging capability by O. furcata . It also furthers the scant knowledge on the use of beached marine mammals for food by pelagic and inshore avifauna, especially during adverse weather when normal foraging habits might be inhibited.

Alaska↗