Field Work and Projects
Ivory-billed Woodpecker
Search in Florida
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Guam Rail
Back into the Wild
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Bird Watching
for students
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| On May 21, 2005 Dr. Geoff Hill, ornithology professor at Auburn University, and two research assistants, Tyler Hicks and Brian Rolek, took a kayak trip down the Choctawhatchee River in the Florida panhandle. Within an hour of launching their boats, they heard a bird hammering loudly on a tree. When the bird flew off through the canopy, Brian got a clear view of a large woodpecker with white on both the upper- and underside of the trailing edge of the wings. An hour later, Geoff heard a double knock, the diagnostic display raps of an Ivory-billed Woodpecker. In this same area, they found large cavity entrances on the trunks of trees and places where woodpeckers had scaled tightly adhering bark from recently dead trees. Brian’s sighting, the double knock, the huge cavity entrances, and the scaled bark all suggested that an Ivory-billed Woodpecker might exist in this mature swamp forest. Members of Feather Link have been fortunate to participate in the field work that is being conducted by Geoff and his staff. We have also provided materials for these ornithologist to continue video taping their efforts. Please go to http://www.auburn.edu/academic/science_math/cosam/departments/biology/faculty/webpages/hill/ivorybill/ to see Geoff’s full report and updates on this project. |
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| In 2007, Feather Link sponsored the work of Eric Duning on Guam and Rota in the introduction of the Guam Rail back into the wild. These birds, along with most of the other avifauna on Guam, have been extirpated by the Brown Tree Snake that was accidentally introduced onto Guam after WWII. Eric assisted in the husbandry of the captive population, on Guam, and the soft release of two birds into suitable habitat on Rota. Look for a full report from Eric in the near future! |
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| Coming soon! Birdwatching curriculum and projects for school groups. |
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