OPUS: Stopover Biology of Intercontinental Migratory Birds:

University Of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg MS

Investigators

Abstract

Migration is a fundamental characteristic of the life history of many organisms. Over two-thirds of all the songbirds that breed in temperate North America move long distances to non-breeding areas in Mexico, Central and South America, and the islands of the Caribbean. This project will support a critical synthesis of field and laboratory research since the early 1980s on the biology of migrating birds. The foci of the work will be the challenges migrants face when they stop over during migration, how migrants contend with those challenges, and the consequences of their response to en route challenges, the sum of which determine the success of migrations. Two synthetic products will be created: a book and a complementary set of audio-visual (A-V), internet-accessible presentations designed for educational use and outreach. Synthesis of this large body of research is especially important now, as changing global climate may challenge organismal adaptations that have been successful in the past. This project will advance understanding of migration and will reach beyond the scientific community by way of informal science education. The biology of migrating birds us attractive for science education and for making connections with nature. The two, related products will be widely accessible to students and the scientific community, and the set of internet-accessible, downloadable A-V presentations will be designed to be accessible by and attractive to a broader public audience. The A-V presentations will focus on how migratory birds respond to the challenges that arise during stopover, will be made available through a web interface, and will be freely available for educational purposes.