Field Ornithology

Birds are considered important indicators of habitat quality and are often the focus of conservation-oriented research, restoration, and monitoring. This program is intended to foster the development of strong bird identification and natural history skills, and to expose students to a variety of field and analytical methods commonly used in bird monitoring and avian research. We will link theory to practice in via a series of online lectures, data analysis workshops, quizzes, and field activities aimed at linking observational skills with data collection and analysis.  Students will demonstrate their learning through active participation in course activities and assignments including weekly meetings and information sharing, field journal entries, research assignments, and quizzes.

Our work will be conducted remotely, using Canvas and Zoom. The faculty will offer alternative assignments if conditions or illness prevent students from accessing our synchronous meetings, which will allow students to earn comparable credit.