Migratory passerines travel annually between breeding and wintering locations, often traveling thousands of kilometers. The biology behind these behaviors represents some of the most complex and exciting, yet least understood phenomena known to science. Understanding the linkages between these seasonal events can have important implications for population dynamics, as well as conservation and management strategies. The research programs of the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center at SCBI cover the ecology and evolution of migration, migratory connectivity, breeding and non-breeding life history, population dynamics, and the ecological services that migratory birds provide. This two-week course is designed to capitalize on this expertise to teach conservation professionals and field scientists the most current methods in the research of bird migration including theoretical concepts, field and laboratory methods, data analysis and applied conservation strategies.
Field sessions will involve training in avian sampling techniques including: mist-netting, banding, aging and sexing, tissue sampling, and distance sampling. Participants will conduct daily, early morning three-hour mist-netting sessions. A tracking module will include stable isotope geochemistry, geolocator deployment and analysis, and field radio-telemetry. Full modules will focus on analysis of mark-recapture data in rmark, and distance sampling analysis using program DISTANCE. R packages used in the analysis of isotope, geolocator, and standard telemetry data will also be demonstrated. Lecture topics will include: migratory connectivity, seasonal interactions, radar ornithology, life-cycle analyses, overwinter ecology, applied genetics, ecophysiology, threats to migration, and applied conservation strategies. Finally, participants will learn to prepare museum study skins of bird specimens. SCBI scientists will lead the course, and guest lecturers from local hot spots of migratory bird work will provide students a glimpse into exciting, ongoing research and conservation efforts.
Analytical modules will be spread throughout the course and will rely heavily on use of the program R. Participants will be provided with resources to introduce themselves to (or refresh their memory of) R before arriving to the course. All participants are therefore expected to be familiar with basics of programming in R before arriving to the course.
