2009 Methow Conservation Course
A Bird’s-Eye View of the Methow: the Ecology and Conservation of Birds

Course Syllabus
Instructor Biographies
Course Reading List

Suggested readings for each class are listed below. Links are included where available.

Class 1: February 9, 2009 Feathers and Flight with Howard Ferguson

1.  Clarke, Julia A., Claudia P. Tambussi, Jorge I. Noriega, Gregory M. Erickson, and Richard A. Ketcham. 2005. Definitive fossil evidence for the extant avian radiation in the Cretaceous. Nature. 433: 305-308.

2.  Hackett, Shannon J. et al. 2008. A phylogenetic study of birds reveals their evolutionary history. 320:1763-1768.

3. Parsell, D. L. 2001. “Feathered” fossil bolsters changing image of dinosaurs. National Geographic News. April 25.

4. Prum, Richard O. 2003. Dinosaurs take to the air. Nature 421:323-324.

5. Sibley, Charles G. On The Phylogeny and Classification of Living Birds.

6. What's in a Bird’s Family Name?

Class 2: February 17 – A Bird’s Day (or Night) Out with Libby Mills

Class 3: February 23 – Be Fruitful and Multiply with Dr. Dan Stephens

1.  Geiger, Beth. 2008. For the Birds: Is restoration helping our migrating birds? Washington Wildlands Spring/Summer: pgs 6-7.  Please read online at: www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/washington/files/forthebirds.pdf.

2.  The MAPS program: cooperative demographic monitoring. The Institute for Bird Populations 2008 Annual Report. Pgs 4-5  Please read online at: www.birdpop.org/ibpannrep.htm.

Class 4: March 2 – The Annual Cycle of Birds with Dale Swedberg

1.  Bird Migration on the Wild Birds Unlimited web site:  www.wbu.com/education/birdmigration.html

2.  Duncan, C. D., B. Abel, D. Ewert, M. L. Ford, S. Mabey, D. Mehlman, P. Patterson, R. Sutter, and M. Woodrey. 2002. Protecting stopover sites for forest-dwelling migratory landbirds: A Nature Conservancy issue paper. 26 pp. The Nature Conservancy, Migratory Bird Program, Portland, ME. [read pages 6 – 8].

Class 5: March 9 – Conservation Challengeswith Don McIvor

1. American Bird Conservancy. Global Warming’s Impact on Birds. Fact Sheet. 2 pp.

2. Bonfield, S. 2007. Climate change and Carolina Wrens, Gray Jays, Adelie Penguins, and other birds: What the birds we enjoy are telling us about the health of our planet. Birder's World 21:24-28.

3. Knight, M. 2008. A timeline of climate change science. CNN.  Included in most binders, but also available at:  www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/science/03/31/Intro.timeline/index.html.

Class 6: March 16 – Taking Action with Dr. Mike Schroeder and East-slope Coniferous Forests with Ken Bevis and Kent Woodruff

1. Field, C. B., L. D. Mortsch, M. Brklacich, D. L. Forbes, P. Kovacs, J. A. Patz, S. W. Running, and M. J. Scott. 2007. North America. Pages 617-652 in M. L. Parry, O. F. Canziani, J. P. Palutikof, P. J. van der Linden, and C. E. Hanson, editors. Climate Change 2007: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability. Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK.

2. Flannery, T. 2005. The Weather Makers. Text Publishing Co, Melbourne, Australia.

3. Lawler, J. J., and M. Mathias. 2007. Climate Change and the Future of Biodiversity in Washington. 42 pp. University of Washington, Seattle.

4. Price, J., and P. Glick. 2002. The Birdwatcher's Guide to Global Warming. 32 pp. American Bird Conservancy and National Wildlife Federation. www.abcbirds.org/newsandreports/globalwarming/birdwatchersguide.pdf

5. Wormworth, J., and K. Mallon. 2006. Bird Species and Climate Change: The Global Status Report version 1.0. Page 75. Climate Risk PTY, LTD, Fairlight, NSW

6. Conservation Strategy for Land Birds in the East Slope of the North Cascades – Executive Summary.

General References

Alderfer, J., editor. 2005. Complete Birds of North America. National Geographic, Washington, D.C.

Birds of North America Online:  life history series complied by Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the American Ornithologist’s Union. http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/BNA/.  Each species has a single detailed account chapter published as a separate account paper. There is a vast library of information here, but BNA requires an annual subscription for access. Go through eBird.org to subscribe and save a few dollars.

Ehrlich, Paul, D. S. Dobkin, D. Wheye, and O. Agilis 1988. The Birder's Handbook: A Field Guide to the Natural History of North American Birds.

Elphick, C., J. B. Dunning, Jr., and D. A. Sibley, editors. 2001. The Sibley Guide to Bird Life and Behavior. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.

Gill, Frank. 2006. Ornithology. W. H. Freeman; Third Edition. 720 pp.

Link, Russell. 1999. Landscaping for Wildlife in the Pacific Northwest. University of Washington Press. 320 pp.

www.orwapif.org/consplan/html
Several different plans discuss the issues and strategies for bird conservation in different habitats in Oregon and Washington.

www.sagebrushbird.org
A network of organizations working for bird conservation in shrub steppe.  Several publications are available to read.

www.abcbirds.org
American Bird Conservancy.  A leading conservation organization for bird conservation.

www.partnersinflight.org
The international network working on bird conservation issues in the western hemisphere.  They have a very long list of available resources.