Unlocking the Mysteries and Marvels of Bird Migration

OneNOAA Science Seminar Series

Title: Unlocking the Mysteries and Marvels of Bird Migration

Presenter: Chris Eberly, Executive Director, Maryland Bird Conservation Partnership

Sponsor: NOAA's National Ocean Service (NOS) Science Seminar Series. Coordinator is Tracy.Gill@noaa.gov

Remote Access: Register at https://noaabroadcast.adobeconnect.com/eberlymigration/event/registration.html 
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https://noaabroadcast.adobeconnect.com/common/help/en/support/meeting_test.htm 
Audio is over the computer, so adjust the volume on your computer speakers or headset. Users should use either google, IE or Edge on Windows or Safari if using a Mac. Questions will be addressed in the chat box.

Abstract: Humans utilize technology in amazing ways to travel near and far. GPS can help us find anyplace on earth, planes take us to far away lands, and cars allow us to roam freely. Without these things we would not be able to venture far from home. Now imagine flying 3,000 miles with no rest, no refueling, and no water. Oh, and by the way, you weigh half an ounce and do this in 80 non-stop hours.  The Blackpoll Warbler does this (plus an additional 4,500 miles) during its migration every fall. Arctic Terns make a 22,000-mile figure eight from the Arctic to Antarctic and back each year.Swainson’s Hawks travel 7,000 miles and switch from eating ground squirrels in the West to grasshoppers in Argentina. Technology is also helping scientists unravel the complexities of bird migration. GPS, light-level geolocators,weather surveillance radar, and nanotags are unlocking these long-held secrets.  We will look at examples of amazing migrations, from raptors to shorebirds to songbirds. But along this scientific journey, we would be remiss if we did not take a step back and simply be in awe of these magnificent creatures that have been a source of inspiration for humans for thousands of years.

Bio(s): Chris Eberly has been Executive Director of the Maryland Bird Conservation Partnership since 2017. Chris worked in the computer industry for 11 years before attending graduate school at the University of Georgia where he earned an M.S. in natural resources and ornithology. Following grad school,he became the first coordinator of the Department of Defense’s bird conservation program (DoD Partners in Flight program), a position he held for 17 years. After serving as Executive Director of the Gulf Coast Bird Observatory in Texas, he was excited to return to Maryland to head up the Maryland Bird Conservation Partnership. Chris strives to connect people to birds through Bird City Maryland, the Maryland Bald Eagle Nest Monitoring Program, and the Farmland Raptor Program. He is also currently president of the Anne Arundel Bird Club.

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(Chris Eberly, Executive Director, Maryland Bird Conservation Partnership)