UW’s WYOBIRD and Biodiversity Institute to Host WYOBIRD Day

The University of Wyoming campus community and the public can learn about bird capture and banding; participate in bird-themed crafts and games; and listen to a keynote address about bird migration as part of WYOBIRD Day Saturday, Sept. 14. The event is free.

A woman in plaid kneeling down to release a dark brown bird with white spots while several people look on. — Therese Turner, a UW junior from Broomfield, Colo., majoring in wildlife and fisheries biology and management, handles a spotted towhee at the bird banding station in Laramie. Kylie Schelhaas, left in background, a UW junior from Cheyenne double-majoring in zoology, and environment and natural resources, and Grace Peters, a sophomore from Rapid City, S.D., majoring in wildlife and fisheries biology and management, observe. (Erik Schoenborn Photo)

Hosted by WYOBIRD (Wyoming Bird Initiative for Resilience and Diversity) and the UW Biodiversity Institute, events will take place from 7:30 a.m.-7 p.m. in the Berry Biodiversity Conservation Center and on private property in Laramie.

WYOBIRD has a mission to advance knowledge, appreciation, and conservation of birds locally and globally. The initiative achieves this by conducting novel research on birds; training a new generation of scientists at UW through hands-on training; and sharing science through networking, public outreach, and seminar speakers.

“This event provides an opportunity for people to learn about birds, see birds up close, and talk to students and faculty about the types of research they do on birds,” says Corey Tarwater, an associate professor in the UW Department of Zoology and Physiology, the Robert B. Berry Distinguished Chair in Ecology, and director of WYOBIRD. “WYOBIRD is excited to share our love of birds with the public and to talk to them about the amazing birds we see in our backyards and those from faraway places.”

The schedule is as follows:

Bird banding demonstrations and birding, 7:30-9 a.m. or 9-10:30 a.m., Laramie: See how ornithologists capture, handle and measure birds at the fall banding stations. Attendees can learn how to identify birds by sight and sound. Advance registration is required. To register, go to https://share.hsforms.com/1wl0HSzcYS2u7r7U-wyGSgg5katt.
Bird-themed crafts and games, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Berry Center: Learn about bird nests; bird color; how to identify birds; migration; the tools ornithologists use to study birds; and more.
Evening social, student posters and keynote address, 4-7 p.m., Berry Center: Peter Marra, dean of the Earth Commons Institute for the Environment and Sustainability, the Laudato Si’ Professor of Biology and the Environment, and a professor in the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University, will provide the keynote address, “The Epic Migration of Birds,” from 4:30-5:30 p.m. There will be a cash bar and appetizers.

More than 20 UW students and faculty members will take part in heading up WYOBIRD Day activities.

Participating UW students, listed by hometowns, are:

Bakersfield, Calif.—Erik Schoenborn, a doctoral student in the Program in Ecology and Evolution.
Burleson, Texas—Kim Jordan, a master’s student majoring in zoology and physiology.
Deltona, Fla.—Zach Holmes, a doctoral student in the Program in Ecology and Evolution.
Douglas—Jahshua Sanchez, a fifth-year undergraduate student majoring in zoology.
Fairbanks, Alaska—Amanda Norton, a doctoral student studying rangeland ecology and watershed management.
Laramie—Don Jones, a master’s student majoring in zoology and physiology.
Norwalk, Ct.—Kelly Roberts, a master’s student majoring in zoology and physiology.
Philadelphia, Pa.—Emily Shertzer, a doctoral student in the Program in Ecology and Evolution.
Rapid City, S.D.—Grace Peters, a sophomore majoring in wildlife and fisheries biology and management.
Seattle, Wash.—Erin Stewart, a master’s student majoring in zoology and physiology.
West Hempstead, N.Y.—Sarah Palmieri, a doctoral student in the Program in Ecology and Evolution.