The workshops and training sessions at AOS 2024 offer opportunities both for hands-on learning exercises, where participants engage in a mix of lectures and activities, and for panel discussions on a wide range of timely topics highlighting exciting advances in ornithological research, management, social justice, education, and conservation.
All workshops are scheduled for Tuesday, 1 October 2023.
If you have any questions, please email meeting@americanornithology.org.
A new tool in the toolbox: Automated no-code analyses of animal tracking data using MoveApps
Instructor: Ashley K. Lohr, North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences / Movebank
Cost: $15
Maximum number of participants: 20
Room: Longs Peak Chasm Lake
Time: 0900-1500
Target audience: Ornithologists looking for an efficient, user-friendly way to manage and analyze animal tracking data to achieve research objectives or conservation and management goals (e.g., state/federal agency wildlife managers, non-profit biologists, graduate students, etc.).
Analytical techniques for animal movement data are developing at a rapid pace. Many biologists lack the time and expertise needed to leverage popular programming languages and stay up-to-date with new software developments. Such barriers to data analysis and interpretation hinder the conservation decision-making process, at a detriment to at-risk species and populations. To address these barriers we built MoveApps (moveapps.org), a user-friendly no-code analysis platform for animal tracking data. The platform is a free, web-based service, bypassing the need for users to download and install software while ensuring available analysis tools are accessible to a global audience. MoveApps is designed to analyze public or private animal tracking data stored in Movebank (a free, global repository for bio-logging data), which are harmonized to a shared data model and set of attributes.
Past outreach efforts indicated that a substantial number of North American wildlife managers support a user-friendly platform such as MoveApps and acknowledge its potential to make data analysis more efficient, generate internal reports, more easily share results and visualizations with partners and funders, and encourage managers to store data in one place (i.e., Movebank) rather than on local hard drives spread throughout a region. Since releasing MoveApps in February 2021, more than 700 people from at least 32 countries have registered for an account. There are currently over 100 analysis tools available on the website contributed by both our development team and the greater movement ecology community.
Due to the growing number of avian telemetry projects being conducted in North America, we want to provide an opportunity for ornithologists to learn how to apply MoveApps to their own data. Workshop participants will receive a slideshow introduction to Movebank/MoveApps plus a live workflow demonstration before transitioning to a guided hands-on working session during which instruction and troubleshooting will be provided. We will explore methods for data filtering and transformation, visualization, home range estimation, behavioral assessments, and environmental integration via two case studies using publicly-available datasets stored on Movebank. Supplementary materials will be provided so participants can work at their own pace. The workshop will be limited to 20 registrants to ensure participants receive sufficient assistance from the instructor.
Using active learning methods in ornithology, ecology, and environmental sciences: A case study for teaching using population growth
Instructor: Melissa S. Bowlin, University of Michigan-Dearborn
Cost: $15
Maximum number of participants: 40
Room: Longs Peak Granite Pass
Time: 0800-1100
Target audience: Instructors who teach population ecology (logistic and exponential growth) in their classes; many ornithologists are likely tasked with teaching ecology and environmental science courses
The Ecological Society of America (ESA) recently launched its Four-Dimensional Ecology Education Framework (4DEE) to increase eco-literacy. One of the four dimensions of the project is Human-Environment Interactions, or HEI; incorporating these in ecology teaching improves students’ perceived value of environmental classes, their understanding of ecological concepts and, hopefully, future policy decisions. This workshop will focus on how to teach a case study on exponential and logistic population growth that incorporates human-environment interactions developed by Dr. Bowlin. The active learning exercise we will cover can be used in ornithology, ecology, and environmental science courses in lieu of lecturing on population growth. Many ornithologists teach either major or non-major ecology classes, and students often struggle with the mathematical and theoretical aspects of ecology. The workshop will cover the 4DEE framework, best practices for teaching the case study described above, and potential extensions to the case study.
Automated Radio Telemetry: Study Design and Data Analysis
Instructors: Jessica M. Gorzo, Cellular Tracking Technologies, LLC; and Sean Burcher, Cellular Tracking Technologies LLC
Cost: $15
Maximum number of participants: 30
Room: Emerald Mountain Aspen Glen
Time: 0800-1200
Target audience: Target audience: ornithology researchers with banding/mist-netting permits and/or projects, as well as lab members who would be working with data analysis.
Research questions and sub-topics applicable include:
- Diurnal time budgets
- Habitat use and selection
- Home range/territory size
- Movement patterns across landscapes
- Monitoring efforts for threats on the landscape (e.g. wind farms)
Cellular Tracking Technologies (CTT) produces devices that transmit radio signals at 434 MHz and 2.4 GHz, as well as receivers to detect and parse information encoded in those signals. Devices that transmit signals at these frequencies can be made small enough (i.e. tags) to be affixed to passerines (e.g., Raza 2022) and smaller animals. A signal from a CTT radio tag can be detected by a CTT Node which records the tag ID, received signal strength indication (RSSI), a timestamp, and signal validation (if applicable). Depending on the research question being investigated, an optimal type, number, and spatial configuration of radio receivers can be determined.
In order to derive locations of wildlife carrying radio transmitters, it is necessary to characterize the response of the radio receiver(s) to transmissions from radio tags throughout the study area. After characterizing this response, it is possible to determine the relationship between RSSI and distance (Guoquan et al. 2018) for a given tag and receiver combination. This relationship can then be used in a range-based methodology to derive locations from radio detection data. Gorzo and Burcher have developed methodology and tools for characterizing radio receiver networks and deriving the locations of radio tags within a given network with a high degree of accuracy. These methods are of interest to any researcher wishing to use radio telemetry devices in a study and continue to be developed and used by the greater ornithology research community (Bil et al. 2023).
We will discuss the following:
- Research questions that can be addressed with radio tags
a. Discussion of implications and differences between frequencies - Study design associated with relevant research questions
a. Calibration data collection
b. Receiver configuration
c. Demonstration of CTT Sidekick™ and tags - Curating and organizing telemetry data
a. Database structures
b. API and data management tools available through the “celltracktech” R package - Analytical approaches and options to interpret radio tag data
a. A walkthrough of the CTT R toolset, including the latest version of the R package “celltracktech” and associated localization tools
b. Primitive geometry location method
c. Trilateration
d. Grid search method
e. Machine learning methodology - Data visualization
- Help researchers with data from their projects (as applicable/time allows)
Beneficial Practices for Motus Success
Instructors: Todd Alleger, American Bird Conservancy; William Blake, American Bird Conservancy; Adam Smith, American Bird Conservancy; Matt Webb, Bird Conservancy of the Rockies; Alison Fetterman, WCT, Northeast Motus Collaboration; Lisa Kiziuk, WCT, Northeast Motus Collaboration; Jon Rice, Carnegie Museum of Natural History; Stu Mackenzie, Birds Canada; Sarah Kendrick, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Cost: $15
Maximum number of participants: 50
Room: Emerald Mountain Bible Point
Time: 0800-1600
Target audience: Researchers, students or educators using Motus
The Motus Wildlife Tracking System has revolutionized how we record animal movement and behaviors in nature using collaborative automated radio telemetry. This workshop is aimed towards those who have or will soon install Motus stations or implement species tracking projects. We will demonstrate beneficial practices to design, install, and maintain functional, and robust Motus stations. The discussions may include collaborative project goals, planning strategies, troubleshooting, and more. Participants will receive useful materials, will have an opportunity to hear from Motus leaders from different geographic regions, all with their unique challenges, and will leave with an understanding of how to sustain their stations as well as the benefits of collaborative project goals for all who use the Motus network.
Bird Song Ecology and Improving your “Birding by ear” identification ability
Instructor: Daniel Edelstein, freelance/independent Avian Biologist & Birding Guide
Cost: $15
Maximum number of participants: 15
Room: Longs Peak Keyhole
Time: 1000-1400
Target audience: beginner and advanced birders
In this workshop, participants will 1) Employ visual and audio techniques to increase both beginning and experienced attendants’ ability to distinguish different bird species’ songs; 2) Introduce current scientific methods and research related to bird song ecology, including how birds develop their songs; and 3) Employ techniques to assist attendants’ long-term memory of correctly recalling bird species by their songs*. (* = optional Field session featured after initial classroom presentation.)
The Rocky Mountain Avian Data Center 2.0: Connecting Natural Resource Practitioners with IMBCR Breeding Bird Monitoring Data
Instructors: Jennifer Timmer, Bird Conservancy of the Rockies; Jessie Reese, Bird Conservancy of the Rockies; Matthew McLaren, Bird Conservancy of the Rockies
Cost: $15
Maximum number of participants: 40
Room: Longs Peak Granite Pass
Time: 1300-1500
Target audience: Wildlife biologists, land managers, and other natural resource practitioners making management and conservation decisions affecting bird populations and their habitats.
Bird Conservancy of the Rockies and partners created the Integrated Monitoring in Bird Conservation Regions (IMBCR) program in 2008 in response to national recommendations for improving avian monitoring. Today, the IMBCR program is the second largest breeding bird monitoring program in the nation, spanning the Great Plains to the Great Basin. We pool monitoring resources across funding partners and sampling occurs in a spatially balanced, probabilistic framework. This creates efficiencies in data collection and analysis, and allows for inference to multiple scales, from a National Forest unit up to state or region-wide. We provide several population metrics each year for 300+ species, including estimates of certainty. These estimates, such as density and population trend, represent the best available information for breeding bird populations. Bird Conservancy recently updated our online data portal, the Rocky Mountain Avian Data Center (RMADC), to make these estimates and other survey information easily accessible to IMBCR partners and the public. In this workshop, we will introduce you to the RMADC 2.0, explain what information is available on the site and how to interpret it, and go over a few data applications. For example, we will show how a biologist with the U.S. Forest Service can query population estimates for species of concern within their Forest for project planning, and determine which species are decreasing with certainty within their Forest and Region. Participants should bring their own laptop so they can explore the RMADC 2.0 after the lecture-based portion of the workshop.
Mixed Effects Modeling Primer: Assessing model fit, checking residuals, and drawing sound inference
Instructor: Jared Swenson, WEST Inc.
Cost: $15
Maximum number of participants: 40
Room: Emerald Mountain Aspen Glen
Time: 1300-1500
Target audience: Ecologists at all stages of their career looking to sharpen their analytical skill set. Familiarity with program language R will be beneficial, but not required to benefit from the workshop. Scripts and datasets will be provided.
Drawing reliable and meaningful inference from mixed effects models of complex ecological systems is critical to the validity of ecological research. While the literature available for building robust and statistically sound mixed effects models is vast, it can be challenging to synthesize and apply consistently. The goal of the workshop is to provide guidance for ecologists building mixed effects models with diverse data structures and study designs. This workshop will review how to apply mixed effects models for data with multiple sources of variation and rigorously check model assumptions to make reliable inference from model outputs. First, we will review how to fit a mixed effects model and discuss various data types, conditional distributions, fixed effects structure, random effects structure, and link functions. Then, we will review how to assess model fit using hypothesis tests, residual checks, and graphical tools. Finally, we will focus on making inference and displaying results. The workshop will provide a hands-on demonstration of how to handle these complex issues in programming language R. Participants should use laptops with an installed copy of R/RStudio and the glmmTMB and DHARMa packages.
Navigating diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility in ornithology
Instructors: Sheylda Díaz-Méndez, Internship Program Manager, Environment for the Americas; Carina Ruiz, Associate Director, Environment for the Americas; Vivian Meade, Internship Programs Manager, Environment for the Americas; Miguel Matta, World Migratory Bird Day Latin American Coordinator, Environment for the Americas; Drew Lister, Intern, National Park Service Office of Indian Affairs; Andrea Grosse, Grants Administrator, Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; Irlanda Moreno, Intern, Birdability
Cost: $15
Maximum number of participants: 48
Room: Emerald Mountain East Portal
Time: 0900-1100
Target audience: Everyone is welcome. Attendees interested in how to diversify their programs, organizations, field research teams, and more.
The diversity workshop was first offered in Puerto Rico, and due to its success, was offered again in Canada. This third diversity workshop proposes to expand on the first two by considering the importance of reviewing scientific literature beyond borders, by addressing the accessibility needs of researchers and conservation professionals, and by learning how to better work with indigenous communities. The conservation of migratory birds presents multifaceted challenges, encompassing distance, diverse habitats, and numerous threats. Adding to this complexity is the imperative to foster collaboration among varied partners, both within and across borders. This session will address the needs of underrepresented professionals, international professionals, and early-career professionals, among others, including barriers to participating in international collaborations, to publishing papers, to being cited in publications, and to having access to conduct research because of varied disabilities. We will also share how Indigenous knowledge may be better incorporated into bird conservation efforts and how trust can be established among diverse groups. Sessions will consist of presenters, activities and one-on-one discussion of cases with participants.
Nest box monitoring technologies: Tips, tricks and choosing the best technologies to meet your study objectives and field conditions
Instructors: Douglas M. Bonham, Field Data Technologies; Dr. Donald J. Brightsmith, Texas A&M University; Dr. Constance J. Woodman, Texas A&M University; Dr. Christopher Evelyn, University of California Santa Barbara
Cost: $15
Maximum number of participants: 48
Room: Longs Peak Boulderfield
Time: 1300-1500
Target audience: The full range of conference attendees from students, amateur ornithologists, early professionals, and senior professionals. The technology is evolving so rapidly that even the most experienced professionals will need updates on the possibilities. Students and early-career professionals will need advice and direction so as not to waste precious research grant money on devices that don’t meet their study objectives or are too difficult to support in the field.
The goal of this workshop is to equip ornithologists with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to choose and deploy nest monitoring technologies that will meet their study objectives and that will reliably operate within their operating conditions, environment, and budgetary constraints. Importantly, this workshop will equip attendees with the ability to ask critical questions of technology vendors resulting not only the best choices for devices but also leveraging potential customizations that could boost their field research from average to ground breaking.
Technology is evolving fast. To understand and manage the evolving technical options, researchers should understand the basic building blocks of a digital data-logging device so that they can mix and match features in ways that efficiently and effectively answer their research questions. This workshop will target the following learning objectives and methods.
Learning Objective 1: Understand the basic building blocks of a digital data-logging device.
- Methods: Informal lecture with questions at any time, slides, and display example batteries, solar panels, and circuit boards.
- Major points: Power supplies, processors, data storage, wireless, motion, and weather sensors.
Learning Objective 2: Understand orders-of-magnitude differences in power consumption between device features. See how feature choices impact power consumption, and therefore power supply requirements.
- Methods: Informal lecture, slides with charts of comparisons.
- Major points: Compare power consumption for still images, video, weather sensors, motion sensors, and sampling rates.
Learning Objective 3: Nest box design for electronic monitoring—know the factors that should be planned for while building nest boxes.
- Methods: Show-and-tell example instrumented nest boxes and discuss advantages and disadvantages.
- Major points: Battery replacement, operational checks, preliminary data, moving devices to active nests, beaks, talons, obstructions, and predators.
Learning Objective 4: Safety for you and the birds.
- Methods: Discussion of tree climbing techniques and precautions. Precautions for nest predation.
- Major points: Tree climbing techniques and safety, predator deterrents, nest disturbance during maintenance, vandalism, and security.
Social Field Safety: Being more inclusive and understanding risks for marginalized and historically excluded individuals who professionally work outdoors
Instructors: Lauren D. Pharr, North Carolina State University; Murry L. Burgess, Mississippi State University
Cost: $15
Maximum number of participants: 48
Room: Emerald Mountain East Portal
Time: 1300-1500
Target audience: Students and PI’s of academic entities, anyone associated with government, NGO, business/organizations engaged in natural science and environmental activities.
When it comes to experiencing the outdoors, not everyone’s experiences are equal. Additionally, individuals who carry out fieldwork as a part of their job or research program experience a higher risk of conflict due to identity prejudice. At-risk individuals, who include minority identities of the following: race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, gender identity, and/or religion, are more likely to be either harassed or questioned in certain settings while carrying out fieldwork. This workshop will be given by representatives of Field Inclusive (FI), a new nonprofit dedicated to helping prioritize social field safety (i.e. interactions with the general public or other individuals) both on an individual and institutional level. Information will briefly cover the history of minorities and outdoor experiences and the founding of FI, followed by interactive group activities identifying social field safety issues sparking questions and conversations, and then will end with strategies and suggestions that institutions and organizations can use in order to provide a safe environment for their researchers.
Turning Sound into Discovery: Using Bioacoustics as a Valuable Research Tool
Instructor: Alexandra J. Donargo, Wildlife Acoustics Inc.
Cost: $15
Maximum number of participants: 30
Room: Longs Peak Boulderfield
Time: 0900-1100
Target audience: Anyone who is new to the field of bioacoustics and those that need a refresher on using Wildlife Acoustics equipment.
Unattended acoustic recorders provide a non-invasive and cost-effective technique to assess species presence within a region. Many researchers come across projects where study sites may be difficult to access, and timing and conditions make traditional methods of monitoring challenging. Acoustic recordings can help determine population trends, find unknown colonies, and answer other research questions to support conservation efforts. This hands-on workshop will teach participants the features and configuration options of the new Song Meter Mini 2 and Song Meter Micro 2 recorders. Time permitting, we will also discuss the free and paid versions of our Kaleidoscope software which allows for efficient analysis of acoustic data.
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