Begin forwarded message: Contact: Miyoko Chu Cornell Lab of Ornithology (607) 254-2451 [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>
Unlocking Clues to Bird "Personality" Citizen scientists to engage in unique study Ithaca, NY, February 2006-It is serious science, with a novel twist-using a brightly colored or patterned object to measure how birds respond to the new and unexpected. Bird watchers will play a key role in this engaging new "Personality Profiles" experiment run by The Birdhouse Network, a citizen-science project of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Across North America, thousands of participants in The Birdhouse Network monitor the activities of cavity-nesting birds, including nest-building and raising young. This spring, bluebirds, swallows, and wrens may find a harmless, novel object tacked to their nest box. Will they be curious or cautious? "We believe that examining birds' responses to novel objects can help us understand why some bird species respond well and others poorly to human disturbance," says Dr. Janis Dickinson, a behavioral ecologist and director of Citizen Science at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Participants in this study will follow a strict protocol that includes watching nesting pairs for up to an hour and sending their observations to the Lab of Ornithology. Scientists there will look for large-scale trends in the exploratory behaviors of cavity-nesting birds. A bird's "personality" may also be associated with other behaviors, such as whether it migrates or stays put, or whether it lives in the city versus the country. A bird's shyness or boldness may also speak to its success in a world increasingly dominated by human development. The Birdhouse Network's volunteers put nest boxes in their yards and monitor the number of eggs and young in the nest. People of all ages and skill levels can participate. To find out more or to receive a welcome packet, visit www.birds.cornell.edu/birdhouse, or call (800) 843-2473. The project fee is $15 ($12 for Lab members). SIDEBAR: Nest Box Cams, a Peek Inside the Mysterious Lives of Cavity-Nesting Birds Since 1999, The Birdhouse Network (TBN) has provided live images of nesting birds to viewers around the world. Using a system of Nest Box Cams-small cameras placed near nests-Internet viewers can follow species such as bluebirds, swallows, Barn Owls, American Kestrels, and even Osprey, as they build their nest, lay eggs, hatch and feed the young, and much more. Developed and managed by the TBN staff, the cams have attracted nearly half a million viewers. "The cams are a great way to get a close-up-and-personal look at what goes on inside a nest box, something that just wouldn't be possible without the cams," says Tina Phillips, TBN's project leader. To get a peek or receive a video of nesting bluebirds and help support the cams, visit The Birdhouse Network's web site at www.birds.cornell.edu/birdhouse. To become a sponsor of the cams, contact Tina Phillips at 800/843-2473 or, if outside the U.S. 607/254-2473. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology is a membership institution interpreting and conserving the earth's biological diversity through research, education, and citizen science focused on birds forward by Jim Williams, Wayzata, Minnesota
