Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center Staff
Training young Scientists
In its first five years, the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center (SMBC) has developed a unique, interdisciplinary approach to the conservation of migratory birds. The SMBC combines research, education, training, and policy analysis to foster throughout the western hemisphere greater understanding, appreciation, and protection of birds and the grand phenomenon of avian migration. Our emphasis is on clarifying the causes for declines in migratory bird populations before the situation becomes desperate. The SMBC bridges the academic, policy-making, and public worlds, both within the United States and internationally, to promote the protection of migratory birds and their habitats. We incorporate public and policy issues into our research--looking both at the way human-made changes affect bird populations and the way bird habitat preservation will affect human populations, and we translate our research findings into recommendations for public and policy action.
The impact of SMBC's efforts over the last five years has been far-reaching. From the Northwest Territories and Siberia to Mexico and Guatemala, and from Cleveland, Ohio, to Panama City, Panama, the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center has influenced public awareness about habitat conservation and has affected habitat management actions throughout the western hemisphere and beyond. In the years ahead, our research, education, and policy efforts will continue to provide critical information on, and realistic approaches toward, the conservation of migratory birds, and indeed, of all wildlife and plants that share their habitats in both temperate and tropical areas.
Russell Greenberg, Director. Russ received his Ph.D. from U.C. Berkeley in 1981. He was a post-doctoral fellow and research associate at the National Zoo (Smithsonian) until 1991, when he became Director of the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center. Greenberg conducts research on the ecology of birds in the tropics, including sites in Panama, Mexico, Guatemala, and the Caribbean. He also works on migratory birds in the temperate zone of the U.S., Canada, and Russia. Research interests include habitat selection, the ecology and evolution of migration, interspecific interaction, and use of man-modified tropical habitats. His research to date has resulted in the publication of 60 papers and three books on habitat and bird conservation.
Lisa Petit, Research Zoologist. Lisa received her Ph.D. from the University of Arkansas in 1991. Prior to joining the SMBC in 1992, Lisa was a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the Arkansas Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit of the National Biological Service at the University of Arkansas. Her research topics have ranged from habitat selection, foraging behavior, and mating strategies of warblers to the development of bird-habitat indicators of forest health for the Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program of the U.S. EPA. Currently, her research focuses on effects of human land use patterns on migratory landbirds on both the temperate breeding and tropical wintering grounds.
Robert Rice, Policy Research Scientist. Bob obtained his doctorate in Geography at the University of California, Berkeley. Bob's interests center around agroecology and land use policy issues in Central America and Mexico, areas in which he has lived and worked periodically in various capacities since the mid-1970s. His research focuses on agricultural modernization and the interplay between agriculture and the environment.
John Sterling, Wildlife Biologist. John received his B.A. from Humboldt State University. Between 1980 and 1992, when he joined the staff of SMBC, John worked on many ornithological research projects in California, New Mexico, Costa Rica, Peru, Ecuador, and for the Smithsonian in the Yucatan and Chiapas, Mexico. His interests include the ecology of forest birds in Canada, Russia, and the Neotropics, and western riparian bird distribution and conservation.
Mary Deinlein, Education Specialist. Mary received a B.S. in Biology and an M.S. in Ecology from Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana. Before joining the SMBC staff in 1993, Mary's work experiences included being a wildlife rehabilitator, zoo keeper, public education specialist, and field research assistant on a variety of behavioral and ecological projects. Mary first became interested in migratory birds while working on an avian population dynamics study at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest in New Hampshire. Her interests include field work, natural history, international travel, background research, and the development of educational publications.
Mandy Marvin, Administrative Assistant. Mandy earned a B.A. in English Literature with a minor in Biology from The College of William and Mary in Virginia. While there, Mandy was introduced to ornithology and was involved in the local bird club and assisted in Peregrine Falcon reintroduction efforts in \/irginia. In addition to being SMBC fund manager and handling the day-to-day operations of the Center, Mandy assists in the creative development of programs and edits and proofreads many of the SMBC publications.
1990- Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center established by Congress
Bilingual booklet, Southern Mexico: Crossroads for Migratory Birds released
Award-winning booklet, Birds over Troubled Forests published
Migratory Bird Information Kit produced
1991- Research initiated on land use and migratory birds in Chiapas, Mexico
First training course for Latin Americans on monitoring migratory birds held in Mexico
1992- Symposium on "Forest Remnants in the Tropical Landscape"
Research initiated on use of natural and artificial habitats by migratory birds in Panama
1993- First International Migratory Bird Day, May 9.
Research initiated on impacts of forest fragmentation on nesting success in Ohio and Maryland
Research initiated in boreal forests of Siberia
Bilingual booklet, Bridging the Americas: Migratory Birds in Costa Rica and Panama released
Migrant Exchange Program initiated
Fact Sheet Series launched
Forest Remnants in the Tropical Landscape: Benefits and Policy Implications published
Forest Patches in the Tropical Landscape and the Conservation of Migratory Birds published
1994 - Research in Chiapas ends abruptly with Zapatista uprising on January 1
Dia Internacional de las Aves Migratorias: Una Guia para Organizar Actividades distributed
Research initiated on effects of microhabitat and forest fragmentation on birds in Panama
First year our team enters the World Series of Birding fundraising and conservation event
1995 - Workshop on "Establishing management priorities for the conservation of migratory birds in North America," held at Patuxent Environmental Science Center
Bring Back the Birds published by Stackpole Press
SMBC Home Page goes online
Research initiated on habitat quality of coffee plantations for birds in Mexico, Guatemala, and Panama.
Habitat Quality of Different Land Uses
A major focus of the Center's field research is the response of migratory bird populations to different land uses in Latin America. Russell Greenberg and Lisa Petit conduct field research in Mexico, Guatemala, and Panama to determine the impacts of human land use and to seek creative approaches to improve the quality of settled lands for migratory bird habitat.
In Mexico and Guatemala, Russ Greenberg investigates the importance to migratory birds of different agricultural and pastoral systems. In particular, riparian corridors, acacia-based silvopastoral systems, and mixed shade coffee plantations are important refuges for migratory birds in otherwise cleared landscapes.
Lisa Petit has completed a survey of migratory bird use of both natural and anthropogenic habitats in central Panama and concluded that the quality of certain human-modified habitats compares favorably to forest. These include residential areas with an abundance of trees, and shaded coffee plantations. In addition, the value of cattle pastures to both migratory and resident birds can be enhanced dramatically if portions are left fallow for even one year or if greater numbers of trees are left standing.
Shade-grown Coffee
Of special significance in the research of the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center is the importance of shade-grown coffee as an agricultural land use that provides relatively high-quality habitat for migratory and resident Neotropical birds.
Work in Guatemala and Chiapas, Mexico, showed that shaded coffee plantations that use a taxonomically and structurally diverse canopy supported a high diversity and abundance of migratory birds, whereas plantations with less diverse shade or no canopy at all were poor habitats for birds. Work in Panama (in collaboration with Jeff Parrish of Brown University) demonstrated the importance for bird communities of the proximity of coffee plantations to large forest reserves.
Other ongoing work in Mexico and Panama examines in further detail the conservation value to birds of shade coffee plantations relative to sun-grown coffee and tropical forest habitats, by addressing effects on survival as well as abundance of migratory and resident species. In addition, researchers will identify important food plants and other resources that increase the carrying capacity of coffee agroecosystems for birds.
Forests in the Panama Canal Area
Ongoing research on forest-dwelling birds in the fragmented landscape of central Panama addresses the importance of forest size and isolation, as well as internal vegetative features, to both the abundance and survival of migratory and resident forest birds. Results of this research will serve as a basis for recommendations to the U.S. Department of Defense and to the Government of Panama on how to manage expansive and ecologically important military lands when they revert to Panamanian control in the year 2000.
Research in the Temperate Zone
Forest Fragmentation
Working in collaboration with Dan Petit of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Lisa Petit has just completed data collection in a broad-based study of the landscape and habitat characteristics that influence nesting success of forest birds in fragmented landscapes. The research design includes comparisons of different regions (Ohio versus Maryland) and different land use types (urban versus agricultural) as well as comparisons of forest size. They have found that the two major potential threats to migratory bird reproductive success are influenced differently by habitat factors. Cowbird parasitism appears to be higher in urban than in agricultural areas and is less related to the fragment size than to the habitat features within the patch. Predation is high regardless of fragment size or the nature of the surrounding habitat. Beginning in 1995, the focus of this research shifted to address the direct and cumulative costs of cowbird parasitism for host species with different vulnerabilities to parasitism.
Basic Ecological Research
In the firm belief that we need to learn much more about the ecology and evolution of migratory birds, the biologists of the SMBC also conduct basic research on the ecology of migratory birds. Greenberg has examined the role of migratory bird species in seed dispersal, as well as the importance of interspecific aggression in determining habitat and resource use by migratory birds. Petit investigates ecological segregation of migrant and resident birds occupying mangrove habitats.
Also in the realm of basic research, Russ Greenberg and John Sterling, along with a Russian-American field crew, finished the third year of a pan-boreal comparison of the structure of insectivorous bird communities. In 1995, work was conducted in the Kostroma Region of northern Russia, and previous sites include central Siberia and the Northwest Territories, Canada. The work is detailing the ecological similarities and dissimilarities of taxonomically distinct avifaunas in similar habitats.
A Network of Researchers
In addition to staff research, the SMBC has supported a variety of research projects conducted by collaborators within and beyond the Smithsonian Institution. These projects include long-term studies of the breeding biology of two forest-dependent migrants, the Hooded and Kentucky warblers; a search for genetic markers for populations of Black-throated Blue Warblers; the genetics of mating systems in three species of warblers; and the overwinter survivorship of migratory birds in forest and second-growth habitats in Belize.
A critical component of all research efforts of SMBC staff has been the training of young biologists throughout North and Central America, the Caribbean, and in Russia. To date, 12 Latin American, 4 Russian, and 25 North American students have received valuable, intensive training in scientific methodology and research approaches in both temperate and tropical ecosystems. Four Mexican students produced theses based upon work they performed in conjunction with SMBC research, and SMBC staff members currently co-advise two North American graduate students.
In addition to research-associated training, SMBC was instrumental in developing the first intensive course designed to train Latin Americans in techniques for monitoring birds. This course was first offered in Mexico in 1991, and is now under the direction of Point Reyes Bird Observatory and the USDA Forest Service. Since its beginning, demand for the course has grown dramatically, as it offers the training which is so vital to the development of effective conservation efforts throughout the Neotropics.
The SMBC has taken the results of its field work out of academic circles to influence how land is actually managed. The policy issues are the same as issues addressed in SMBC research activities, providing a highly synergistic conservation approach.
Forest Remnants
Addressing the general issue of the importance of small stands of native vegetation in the agricultural landscape, SMBC released its first policy white paper based upon a symposium sponsored by SMBC on "Forest Remnants in the Tropical Landscape" in September of 1992. This white paper not only summarizes what we know about the value of small forest patches to birds, but outlines the importance of these habitats to people living in rural areas of the tropics. The white paper has been distributed widely to organizations and agencies interested in resource management and rural development. In addition, an edited volume on this topic will be published in the spring of 1996.
Shade Coffee
Shade coffee plantations currently face the force of modernization, a process that usually means loss of canopy and the introduction of agrochemical inputs. For a traditional agricultural system that serves as an important habitat for migratory birds, such landscape changes portend problems of hemispheric proportions. In an attempt to educate and to effect change, the SMBC has taken this issue to both the public at large and the coffee industry:
An essay published in the November 1994 Smithsonian magazine, as well as articles in newspapers across the U.S. and on the New York Times wire service, has helped bring this issue to worldwide attention. Even the venerable International Coffee Organization in London, England, is scheduled to host an international seminar entitled "Coffee and the Environment", in May 1996. Staff from the SMBC will present a paper on shade vs. non-shaded coffee.
The SMBC developed a photo-essay exhibit, "Shade-grown Coffee: Good for Birds, Good for Business", displayed at the Specialty Coffee Association of America's (SCAA) 1995 convention. The exhibit also was displayed in Cape May, NJ, at the International Partners in Flight Workshop. In April 1996, the SMBC will again attend the SCAA meetings, where an informational booth and participation in an environmental panel will help spread the word about the role of shade coffee in migratory bird conservation.
Staff of the SMBC are currently collaborating with other organizations, such as the Natural Resources Defense Council, Conservation International, Rainforest Alliance, and groups within the coffee industry, on various aspects of shade coffee conservation.
The First Sustainable Coffee Congress
One particular challenge now facing those interested in coffee and the environment is to establish a set of criteria that can be used to define a "sustainable" or "environmentally- sensitive" coffee for the marketplace. To that end, the SMBC will host the First Sustainable Coffee Congress, scheduled for 16-18 September 1996, at the Smithsonian in Washington, DC. The goal of the Congress is to bring together representatives from all areas of the coffee industry so that the issue of coffee and the environment--especially as it relates to migratory bird populations--can be addressed in a responsible manner.
Other Policy Issues
SMBC has been particularly active within the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Initiative (a consortium of government and non-governmental agencies and private industry known
as Partners in Flight) since its inception in 1991. Greenberg and Petit have contributed toward the program by attempting to incorporate more fully the results of scientific research into Partners in Flight activities in North and Latin America.
In 1995, Lisa Petit collaborated with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Biological Service to organize a workshop bringing together scientists from throughout North America to discuss state-of-the-art approaches to managing temperate zone lands for migratory birds.
Because of their vast extent, tropical cattle pastures loom large as a habitat in need of improvement for bird populations. SMBC is working on the use of native legumes in tropical cattle pasture management as a way of decreasing the obvious negative impact of this land use on migratory birds in particular and the environment in general. We are collaborating with scientists from the Instituto de Ecologia in Xalapa, Mexico, in a study of the management of acacia on pastureland. Greenberg will be presenting results of this work at the International Prosopis symposium in Washington, DC, in March 1996.
The Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center has rapidly become the place to go for up-to-date information on migratory songbirds. Each year, our small staff responds to more than 1,000 public inquiries for information regarding the natural history and conservation of migratory birds. We regularly provide background information to journalists and policy makers, and we provide technical guidance to land managers in federal, state, and county agencies, nongovernmental organizations, and in the private sector both in the U.S. and in Latin America.
The Center has become a renowned resource for information regarding international, national, and regional educational programs and materials concerning Neotropical migratory birds. Professional guidance is offered to educators seeking programs or materials suitable to their needs, and consultation is available for developers of new educational programs and materials.
Speaking on Behalf of the Birds
SMBC staff regularly give presentations for Audubon chapters, bird clubs, nature centers, college classes, and elementary school classrooms. We also participate as instructors and presenters at workshops for more specialized audiences such as land managers, naturalists, and educators. Some of the more divergent audiences have included members of the Specialty Coffee Association of America and staff at the World Bank.
Casting a Wide Net
Articles written by SMBC staff have appeared in a variety of popular magazines. In the March 1995 issue of WildBird magazine is a feature article by Lisa and Dan Petit on the ecology of migratory birds in the tropics. Russ Greenberg highlighted the connection between birds, coffee, the environment, and the uprising in Chiapas, Mexico, in the November 1994 issue of Smithsonian magazine.
In the world of television documentaries, SMBC field work in Mexico was featured in the Canadian Broadcasting Company's "The Nature of Things," and Lisa Petit's research was the focus of a Maryland Public Television program, "Outdoors Maryland". SMBC research was also featured in a video produced for Fairfax County Public Schools in Virginia.
Extending our "Web"
As of December 1995, Internet surfers have been able to access the SMBC's Home Page, which offers an assortment of information, including a country-by-country annotated list of migratory land birds in the Western Hemisphere.
Educational Publications
The SMBC offers a variety of both technical and popular educational publications. Popular publications serve to raise public awareness of the ecology and natural history of Neotropical migratory birds and relevant conservation issues, and to educate people about what they can do to turn their concern into action on behalf of migratory birds. Technical publications report research findings and translate these findings into policy recommendations that will benefit migratory birds while taking into account the socioeconomic needs of humans.
See pages 9-12 for a complete list of available publications.
International Migratory Bird Day
A centerpiece of our outreach program is International Migratory Bird Day (IMBD), celebrated on the second Saturday in May in the United States, and on the second Saturday in April in Latin America. Founded by the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center in 1993 in cooperation with Partners in Flight, this annual, hemisphere-wide celebration is dedicated to the conservation of Neotropical migratory birds. Since its beginning, thousands of individuals and hundreds of Audubon chapters, conservation organizations, nature centers, parks, refuges, bird clubs, and schools have participated. Through educational fairs, habitat restoration projects, bird walks, bird counts, slide shows, film series, and more, these participants have helped to rally support for migratory bird conservation. IMBD is currently celebrated in all 50 states and in a number of countries throughout Latin America.
Each year, the SMBC hosts two events in honor of IMBD--one designed to raise public awareness and the other to galvanize support for migratory birds from the professional conservation community and public officials. In 1993 and 1994, the public events consisted of a festival and educational fair held at the National Zoo which featured interactive exhibits by conservation organizations, "avian" arts and crafts for children, entertaining talks, and Latin American food and music. In 1995, IMBD was recognized by the release of Bring Back the Birds, a "how-to" guide to bird conservation co- authored by Russ Greenberg and Jamie Reaser, and public lectures given by Russ Greenberg. Additionally, leaders in the professional conservation community, along with public officials and members of the media, have been invited each year to a bird walk followed by a brunch and short, informative talks.
In 1994, the SMBC developed a handbook for IMBD event organizers in Latin America entitled Dia International de las Aves Migratorias: Una Guia para Organizar Actividades. The handbook was designed for two related purposes: to promote and facilitate participation in IMBD, and to provide background material and environmental education activities. This handbook is provided free of charge to environmental educators and conservation organizations in Latin America. Approximately 200 organizations and individuals located throughout Latin America have received the handbook.
International Pen Pal Program
The Migrant Exchange Program is a cross-cultural conservation
education program that links classrooms in the United States with
classrooms in Latin America. Through letters and artwork, students
exchange information and impressions that focus on social, cultural,
and biological aspects relating to Neotropical migratory birds,
their habitats, and their conservation. So far the program has
reached 50 classes, representing 1200 students in five countries.
Collaborations for Public Outreach
Partners in Flight
SMBC's Mary Deinlein and her predecessor, Jamie Reaser, have played important roles within the Information and Education (I&E) section of Partners in Flight. From the coordination of International Migratory Bird Day, to the production of a resource guide, to development of innovative educational materials on birds, the SMBC has joined forces with the national and international arms of Partners in Flight's I&E committee. On a state level, SMBC has worked hand in hand with the Maryland I&E Committee to develop a school program that promotes educational activities focusing on migratory birds.
Econciencia
Through the contribution of funds, materials, and equipment, the SMBC supports a unique conservation education project in Quintana Roo, Mexico, called Econciencia. Under the direction of Adriana de Castro and Arturo Bayona, school children from Mayan communities learn about the diverse wildlife and habitats of their Yucatan Peninsula, especially the many migratory birds that winter there.
Scientific publications
Bereson, R., J. Rhymer, and R.C. Fleischer. In Press. Extra-pair fertilizations in Wilson's warblers and correlates of cuckoldry. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology.
Canterbury, G., D.R. Petit, L.J. Petit, and T.E. Martin. An index of biotic integrity for forests using bird-vegetation relationships. Ecological Applications (in review).
Conway, C.1995. Overwinter survival of Neotropical migratory birds in early-successional and mature tropical forests. Conservation Biology 9:855-864.
Evans Ogden, L. J. and B. J. Stutchbury. 1994. Hooded Warbler. In The birds of North America. No. 110. American Ornithologists' Union, Lawrence, Kansas.
Gradwohl, J. and R. Greenberg. 1991. Small forest reserves: Making the best of a bad situation. Climatic Change 19:253-257.
Greenberg, R. 1992. Differences in neophobia between naive Song and Swamp sparrows. Ethology 91:17-24.
Greenberg, R. 1992. Fate of forest migrants in non-forest habitats in Quintana Roo, Mexico. Pp.273-286 in J. M. Hagan III, and D.W. Johnston (eds.). Ecology and conservation of Neotropical migrant landbirds. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, DC.
Greenberg, R. 1992. Innate response to a single habitat cue in Song and Swamp sparrows. Oecologia 92:299-300.
Greenberg, R. 1992. Introduction to section on non-breeding season. Pp.175-177 in J. M. Hagan III, and D. W. Johnston (eds.). Ecology and conservation of Neotropical migrant landbirds. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, DC.
Greenberg, R. 1993. Frugivory and coexistence in a resident and a migratory vireo on the Yucatan Peninsula. Condor 95:990-999.
Greenberg, R., C. Macias Caballero, and P. Bichier. 1993. Defense of homopteran honeydew by birds in the Mexican highlands and other warm temperate forests. Oikos 68:519-524.
Greenberg, R.1994. Migratory bird populations in acacia woodlands in Chiapas: How different are Africa and Mesoamerica? Journal fur Ornithologie 135:478.
Greenberg, R. and J. Salgado Ortiz.1994. Interspecific defense of pasture trees by Yellow Warblers in winter. Auk 111 :672-682.
Greenberg, R., J. Salgado Ortiz, and C. Macias.1994. Aggressive competition for critical resources among migratory birds in the Neotropics. Bird Conservation International 4:115-127.
Greenberg, R.1995. Insectivorous migratory birds in tropical ecosystems: The breeding currency hypothesis. Journal of Avian Biology 26:260-264.
Greenberg, R.1995. Novelty responses: The bridge between psychology, behavioral ecology, and community ecology. Trends in Ecology and Evolution.10:165-166.
Greenberg, R.1995. Research priorities for migratory bird conservation in Mexico. In M. Wilson and S. Sader (eds.). The conservation of Neotropical migratory birds in Mexico. Maine Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station Publ. 727.
Greenberg, R.1995. Use of managed forest patches by migratory birds in Chiapas, Mexico. In M. Wilson and S. Sader (eds.). The conservation of Neotropical migratory birds in Mexico. Maine Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station Publ. 727.
Greenberg, R., M. Foster, and L. Marquez. 1995. The role of White-eyed Vireos in the dispersal of Bursera fruit on the Yucatan Peninsula. Journal of Tropical Ecology 11:619-639.
Greenberg, R. and P. Bichier. In Press. Bird populations in rustic and planted shade coffee plantations in eastern Chiapas. Biotropica.
Greenberg, R. In Press. Bird populations in forest patches in Southern Mexico. In J. Schelhas and R. Greenberg (eds.). Forest Patches in Tropical Landscapes. Island Press, Washington, DC.
Howlett, J.S. and B. J. Stutchbury.1995. Nest concealment and predation in Hooded Warblers: Experimental removal of nest cover. Auk 113:1-9.
Mark, D. and B. J. Stutchbury.1994. Response of a forest-interior songbird to the threat of cowbird parasitism. Animal Behaviour 47:275-280.
Mabey, S.E. and M.V. McDonald. 1995. Kentucky Warbler. In Virginia Breeding Bird Atlas Species Accounts.
McDonald, M. V. and R. Greenberg. 1991. Nest departure calls in New World songbirds. Condor 93:365-374.
McDonald, M.V. 1995. Kentucky Warbler. In Biographies of North American Birds. American Ornithologists' Union, Lawrence, Kansas.
McDonald, M.V., W.J. McShea, and P. Leimgruber. 1995. Identification of egg predators using fluorescent powder and blacklight. Journal of Field Ornithology
Morton, E. S., M. Van der Voort, and R. Greenberg. 1993. How does a warbler choose its habitat?: Field support for laboratory experiments. Animal Behaviour 46:47-53.
Niven, D.1994. Factors affecting breeding and winter habitat use in the Hooded Warbler. Ph.D. Dissertation, University of Illinois.
Perfecto, l., R. Greenberg, R. Rice, and M. Van der Voort. In Press. The role of shade coffee plantations in the protection of biodiversity. BioScience
Petit, D.R., L.J. Petit, and K.G. Smith. 1992. Habitat associations of migratory birds overwintering in Belize, Central America. Pp. 247-256 in Ecology and conservation of Neotropical migrant landbirds. J.M. Hagan III and D.W. Johnston (eds.). Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington DC.
Petit, D.R., L.J. Petit, T.E. Martin, R.E. Thill, and J.F. Taulman. 1994. Breeding birds of late-rotation pine- hardwood stands: Community characteristics and similarity to other regional pine forests. Pp. 103-116 in J.B. Baker (Ed.). Ecosystem management research in the Ouachita Mountains: Pretreatment conditions and preliminary findings. USDA Forest Service, Southern Forest Experiment Station, General Technical Report S0-112, New Orleans, LA.
Petit, D.R., L.J. Petit, V.A. Saab, and T.E. Martin. 1995. Fixed-radius point counts in forests: Factors influencing effectiveness and efficiency. Pp. 51-59 in C.J. Ralph, S. Droege, and J. Sauer (eds.). Monitoring bird population trends by point counts. USDA Forest Service, General Technical Report PSW-GTR-149.
Petit, L.J., D.R. Petit, T.E. Martin, R.E. Thill, and J.F. Taulman. 1994. Predicting the effects of ecosystem management harvesting treatments on breeding birds in pine-hardwood forests. Pp.117-125 in J .B. Baker (ed.). Ecosystem management research in the Ouachita Mountains: Pretreatment conditions and preliminary findings. USDA Forest Service, Southern Forest Experiment Station, General Technical Report S0-112, New Orleans, LA.
Petit, L.J., D.R. Petit, and T.E. Martin. 1995. Landscape-level management of migratory birds: Looking past the trees to see the forest. Wildlife Society Bulletin 23:420-429.
Petit, L.J. and D.R. Petit In Press. Factors governing habitat selection by Prothonotary Warblers: Field tests of the Fretwell-Lucas models. Ecological Monographs.
Petit, L.J. and D.R. Petit. In Press. Cowbird parasitism of Acadian Flycatchers and Wood Thrushes in contrasting landscapes. In T. Cook, S.K. Robinson, S. Rothstein, J.N.M. Smith, and S.G. Sealy (eds.). Ecology and management of cowbirds. University of Texas Press, Austin, Texas.
Petit, L.J. and D.R. Petit. In Press. Host selection by cowbirds in North America: Adaptation to life history traits or ecological opportunism? In T. Cook, S.K. Robinson, S. Rothstein, J.N.M. Smith, and S.G. Sealy (eds.). Ecology and management of cowbirds. University of Texas Press, Austin, Texas.
Rice, R. 1993. New technology in coffee production: Examining landscape transformation and international aid in northern Latin America. Internal report, Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center.
Rice, R. 1994. The history and land use patterns of coffee and cacao production in the Ocosingo-Altamirano-las Margaritas area of Chiapas, Mexico: 1950-Present. Internal report, Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center.
Rice, R. 1994. Land use history in the cattle sector of eastern Chiapas, Mexico: The role of markets and road construction. Internal report, Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center.
Rice, R. Coffee in eastern Chiapas, Mexico: Land use, production, and social groups. Agricultural and Human Values (in review).
Robinson, S.K., S. Rothstein, J. Grzybowski, M. Brittingham, F. Thompson, and L.J. Petit. 1993. Management implications of cowbird parasitism on Neotropical migrant songbirds. Pp. 93-102 in D.M. Finch and P.W. Stangel (eds.). Status and management of Neotropical migratory birds. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Range and Experiment Station, General Technical Report RM-229, Fort Collins, Colorado.
Robinson, S.K., S.l. Rothstein, M. Brittingham, L.J. Petit, and J. Grzybowski. 1995. Brood parasitism in the Brown-headed Cowbird: Effects on host populations. In T.E. Martin and D.M. Finch (eds.). Ecology and management of Neotropical migratory birds: A synthesis and review of critical issues. Oxford University Press, New York, NY.
Schelhas J. and R. Greenberg (eds.). 1996. Forest Patches in Tropical Landscapes. Island Press, Washington, DC.
Schelhas, J. and R. Greenberg. 1994. Forest patches in the tropical landscape and the conservation of migratory birds. White Paper No.1 of the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center (in English and Spanish).
Sterling, J. 1996. Migratory Bird Lists for Latin American Countries. http://www.si.edu/natzoo/zooview/smbc/smbchome.htm
Sterling, J. and P. Paton.1996. The breeding distribution of Vaux's Swift in California. Western Birds 27:30-40.
Sterling, J. Birds of Modoc County, California. In R. Erickson and M. Patten, (eds.). The status and distribution of California Birds. In prep.
Sterling, J. and J. Hunter. Birds of Trinity County, California. In R. Erickson and M. Patten, (eds.). The status and distribution of California Birds. In prep.
Stutchbury, B.L. Does male-like coloration in female Hooded Warblers increase nest predation? Condor 97:559-564.
Stutchbury, B.J., J.H. Rhymer, and E.S. Morton. 1994. Extra-pair paternity in Hooded Warblers. Behavioral Ecology 5:384-392.
Stutchbury, B.J. and L.J. Evans Ogden. In Press. Adoption in Hooded Warblers: Does extra-pair paternity play a role? Auk.
Vidal, R. M., C. Macias Caballero, and C. D. Duncan. 1994. The occurrence and ecology of the Golden-cheeked Warbler in the highlands of Northern Chiapas, Mexico. Condor 96:684-691.
Warkentin, I., R. Greenberg, and J. Salgado Ortiz. 1995. Songbird use of gallery woodland in recently cleared and older settled landscapes of the Selva Lacandona, Chiapas, Mexico. Conservation Biology 9:1095-1106.
Popular articles and books
Greenberg., R. 1994. Birds and Coffee. Smithsonian Magazine (November issue).
Greenberg, R. and J. Reaser. 1995. Bring Back the Birds. Stackpole Press, Mechanicsburg, PA.
Petit, L.J. and D.R. Petit. 1995. Wintering south of the border: The tropical lives of migratory birds. WildBird Magazine (March issue).
SMBC educational publications:
Birds Over Troubled Forests. This colorful, award winning, 32-page booklet introduces readers to the amazing world of migratory birds through lively descriptions of their natural history, behavior, and conservation.
Checklist of Neotropical Migrants. Checklist with information on ranges, habitat, and diet.
Fact Sheets. Informational series on issues critical to migratory bird conservation.
#1: Why Migratory Birds are Crazy for Coffee
#2: How Birds Keep Our World Safe From Plagues of Insects
#3: Brown-Headed Cowbirds: From Buffalo Birds to Modern Scourge
#4: Have Wings, Will Travel: Avian Adaptations for Migration
#5: Western Rivers: Magnets for Migrants
#6: Travel Alert for Migratory Birds: Stopover Sites in Decline
#7: Migratory Land Birds in the Andes
Forest Patches in the Tropical Landscape and the Conservation of Migratory Birds. A policy paper which addresses the conservation of forest patches as a strategy for conserving migratory birds and as an Important component of sustainable land use. Available in English or Spanish.
Forest Remnants in the Tropical Landscape: Benefits and Policy Implications. (Symposium Proceedings). Internationally renowned ecologists, conservationists, social scientists, and land-use policy specialists discuss the socio-economic and ecological importance of forest remnants.
Forest Remnants Project Directory. A directory of conservation and development projects worldwide associated with forest remnants.
Uniendo las Americas: Aves Migratorias en Costa Rica y Panama/Bridging the Americas: Migratory Birds in Costa Rica and Panama; and El Sur de Mexico: Cruce de Caminos para los Pajaros Migratorios/ Southern Mexico: Crossroads for Migratory Birds. Bilingual booklets that provide an introduction to the intriguing lives of birds that journey annually to and from Mexico and Central America.
The myriad of research, training, conservation policy, and educational efforts of the SMBC could not be carried out effectively without the participation and assistance of a great many people. The SMBC staff gratefully acknowledges the following members of the extended Migratory Bird Center family:
Research Collaborators
Courtney Conway
Gary Graves
Rob Fleisher
M. Victoria McDonald
Eugene Morton
Jeffrey Parrish
Daniel Petit
John Rappole
Bridget Stutchbury
Justin Ward
Visiting Scientists
Vladimir Pravosudov
Judith Rhymer
John Schelhas
Ian Warkentin
Conservation Specialist
Jamie Reaser
Program Assistants
Jackie Spiecher
Policy Assistants
Stephanie Firestone
Walter Hartwig
Laurie Hunter
Melissa Stern
Martha Van der Voort
Research Assistants
Peter Bichier
Mexico/Guatemala
Andrea Cruz Angon
Hector Flores Arceo
Claudia Macias Caballero
Ines Castro
Claudia Gonzales Enriquez
Melissa Hayes
Javier Salgado Ortiz
Robert Reitsma
Russia/Canada
Todd Easterla
Gjon Hazard
Richard Hoyer
Vitaliy Kontorshikov
Anna Kozlenko
Olga Romanenko
Panama
Karla Aparicio
Alberto Castillo
Dan Christian
Scott Comings
Katya Gorrichategui
Megan Grady
Ashley Harris
Arvind Panjabi
Hugh Powell
Dina Roberts
Megan Whitman
Alan Williams
Ruby Zambrano
Ohio/Maryland
Anne Banks
Alynne Bayard
Rachel Bridgewater
John Bridgham
Dan Christian
Scott Comings
Charlie Filer
Megan Grady
Ashley Harris
Mi Ae Kim
Anna Kozlenko
Garrett Lowe
Ken Petit
Hugh Powell
Diane Ryckebusch
Steve Sherman
Megan Whitman
Alan Williams
Kentucky Warbler Project Interns
Andrea Cruz Angon
Alexandra Sangmeister
Hooded Warbler Project Interns
Leslie Evans
Joan Howlett
Dan Niven
Black-throated Blue Warbler Project Intern
Patricia Gutierrez
Education and Outreach
Elsy Anzalone
Adriana de Castro
Leslie Harroun
Cecilia Jacobson
Lucinda Leach
Henry Louie
Ruth Stolk
Susana Struve
Art and Design
John Anderton
Katy Belt
Lucinda Crabtree
Shannon Palmer
Betsy Rubinstein
Ellen Seefelt
Sophie Webb
Joan Wolbier
Julie Zickefoose
Volunteers
Liz Davenport
Doris Day
Mildred Hall
Hannah Lee
Yoonhee Macke
Bob Pechacek
Christina Wu
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