Monday Oct 25,  please join us in the City of Delaware at the Ohio Wesleyan
University, Schimmel- Conrades Science Center, Room 163.  Conversation and
refreshments begin at 7:00 PM; the meetings and programs start at 7:30 PM.
Parking is available next to the Selby Stadium on the east side of Henry
Street and in the lot south of the Science Center next to Branch Rickey
Arena.



Title:  Birding Southeast Arizona : Islands in the Sky



For many avid birders, southeast Arizona is a favorite location.  A series
of mountain ranges form "islands in the sky" that rise out of the desert
below.  A number of resident specialty species can be found almost nowhere
else in the US and there is always the possibility of real rarities crossing
into the area from nearby Mexico.  A beautiful climate, spectacular scenery
and great birds are hard to beat.  In tomorrow night's program Earl Harrison
will present  the area as experienced on a 10 day trip taken in 2010.
Photos of birds, birders & locations will be use to familiarize newcomers
and bring back good memories for folks who have birded the area themselves.
Earl is an avid birder, photographer, and member of Columbus Audubon
Society.  He is on the faculty of Ohio State.



Monday Nov. 14 (moved up a week due to the holiday) Join Aubrey Alamshah, Jr
at Ohio Wesleyan University for her program:



Seasonal changes in maintenance behavior of the House Sparrow (Passer
domesticus). Aubrey Alamshah and Edward H. Burtt, Jr., Dept. Zoology, Ohio
Wesleyan Univ., Delaware, OH 43015



The percentage of House Sparrows (Passer domesticus), and with
feather-degrading bacilli is significantly greater in the winter than the
spring and summer (Burtt and Ichida, 1999). One possible explanation is that
the sparrows engage in less maintenance behavior in winter than in summer.
There are several reasons why this might be: higher energy demands, which
would necessitate more time foraging; shorter days; colder temperatures and
lower humidity so that feather-degrading microorganisms are a lower risk to
the plumage than in warm, humid weather (Burtt and Ichida 2004). However,
seasonal changes in the maintenance behavior of passerines is a largely
unstudied subject. House Sparrows bathe, dust bathe, head scratch, bill
wipe, sun, and preen (Summers-Smith 1963, Anderson 2006). We

observed changes in the form and frequency of the behavior in House Sparrows
held in an outdoor aviary. We caught twelve House Sparrows in Ashley, Ohio.
We banded each bird with an aluminum band and a unique combination of color
bands, measured the weight and wing length, examined condition of their
feathers, and sampled their plumage for microorganisms. The birds were then
released into an outdoor aviary, 8m x 4.5m x 2.5m. We observed the birds for
2-3 hours/week, noting the occurrence of maintenance behavior in each
individual, its sequential organization, and bout length. The study is still
in progress, but we will compare changes in maintenance behavior and time
allotted to such behavior throughout the seasons. Seasonal differences in
the behavior may explain seasonal variation in the plumage microbiota of the
House Sparrow.





The title can be "Maintenance behavior and potential effects on plumage
microbiota of the House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)". As for the bio, I am a
Junior Pre-professional zoology major and psychology minor, I've done
research under Dr. Burtt since the start of my freshman year, mainly on the
maintenance behavior of House Sparrows. I'm a mentor for the Microbiology of
Birds freshman honors tutorial and will be one of two TA's for the
ornithology class taught by Dr. Burtt next semester. I'm also an RA in Hayes
hall and a member of the Honors Board. I've been a volunteer at the Ohio
Wildlife Center for 9 years and was employed by them for about a year. Right
now I'm looking at graduate schools and plan on studying animal behavior.








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