Field assistant needed for a study of ecology of colonial, cooperative breeding in the Hispaniolan Woodpecker in the Dominican Republic. The field research assistant will participate in data collection during an intensive 4-month field season marking the beginning of this long-term study. Assistant duties will include (but are not limited to) nest-searching, behavioral observations (including nest watches), color band reading, mist-netting, playback experiments, and data entry. Work will begin at the end of January and go until late May 2012. Applications will be accepted until positions are filled.
Location: Parque Nacional Los Haitises (near the village of Sabana de la Mar), Dominican Republic Job description: The Hispaniolan Woodpecker (Melanerpes striatus) is a colonially breeding species, and some records suggest it also is a cooperative breeder, with more than two birds contributing care to a single brood. Little is known about the extent and form of cooperative breeding in this species, and most fieldwork in the coming season will focus on describing the social organization of woodpecker colonies. Other topics of interest include the costs, benefits, and consequences of group living, including the influence of parasites, and the operation of sexual selection in cooperative societies. Neotropical bird species are generally poorly known with many aspects of their natural history incomplete or wholly unknown. Hispaniola is an island with many endemic and/or poorly known species that will reveal their intriguing secrets to those motivated and patient enough to look. While our work will focus primarily on Hispaniolan Woodpecker, opportunities to collect data on the islands other poorly known avian denizens will arise, and we will exploit these opportunities when possible. Any such observations of other bird species made by field assistants could result in publications (so an added bonus of this fieldwork is the potential to not only add a publication to your CV but also make a real contribution to our knowledge of Hispaniolan birds and Neotropical ornithology). Field research assistants will participate in data collection during an intensive 4-month field season representing the beginning of this long-term study. Assistant duties will include (but are not limited to) nest-searching, behavioral observations (including nest watches), color band reading, netting, and playback experiments. Days will be long and the work will be physically and mentally demanding, but for those seeking to gain experience in field research you wont be disappointed. The work week will typically be 6 days long in humid, mosquito-filled forests, involving hiking muddy, steep hills; this work will leave you exhausted at the end of the day! Assistants will be involved in all aspects of the project, including discussions of the conceptual framework of the project. Dates: late January late May 2012. College graduates and undergraduates who can take a leave of absence for the spring semester are particularly encouraged to apply. Students are encouraged to apply for academic credit for their work at their home institution. Salary: Free housing and discounted (possibly fully covered) airfare to the Dominican Republic (food costs will also likely be covered). Deadline: Until positions are filled Qualifications: Those with previous field experience (especially those who have mist-netting and/or behavioral observation experience) and a strong interest in bird behavior are highly preferred, but such skills are not absolutely necessary (indeed, I will train you with numerous field protocols). Other important qualifications include 1) willingness to work very long hours in tropical conditions (that means buggy, sweaty, and very wet), 2) commitment to paying attention to detail (e.g., writing legibly) for the entire 4 months of work, 3) ability to get along well with others in a very cramped environment (you will be in close contact with myself and possibly 1 other field assistant for the whole 4 months), 4) ability and willingness to work alone in the field and to work in an area where encounters with venomous invertebrates is a very real possibility (there are plenty of stinging and/or spiny plants, as well), and 5) willingness to cook (all meals will have to be prepared ourselves). Knowledge of the Spanish language is also a big plus! Applicants must have a strong interest in field research as a possible (or definite) career goal (i.e., applying because youd like to see a tropical forest before going off to medical school is not something Im looking for). Application: Send a cover letter (1 page) detailing your interests and career goals and how you see this internship fitting in with them, a resume or CV (keep it to relevant details), an unofficial transcript (or simple list of courses and grades on a spreadsheet), and the names and contact information (email and phone) of 2-3 references (ideally with some experience with how you work in a research/field context). APPLY ONLY IF YOU CAN COME OUT FOR THE ENTIRE 4 MONTH FIELD SEASON AND YOU DO NOT REQUIRE A STIPEND. Contact: Joshua B. LaPergola, Graduate Student, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology; email: jbl96 AT cornell.edu
