Posters 2022

We invited researchers from Maryland universities, colleges and organizations to present posters on various aspects of bird behavior. Each researcher was available for any questions from 4:00 to 6:00 pm on Saturday. 

Here are the posters presented during the 2022 Convention:

Categorization of acoustic elements in the warble (secondary) song of grasshopper sparrows. 

Rebecca Hill and Bernard Lohr, Department of Biological Sciences, UMBC, Catonsville, MD

We created a qualitative library of acoustic elements in grasshopper sparrow warble song with a visual analysis of song spectrograms. Subsequently, we quantified variation in these song elements using acoustic measurements to analyze clustering in an acoustic space. Qualitative and quantitative clusters showed good concordance, with our quantitative assessment suggesting some splitting of element types into additional categories.

Influence of Landscape Composition on Northern Bobwhite Across Maryland’s Eastern Shore 

Erin E. Stiede and Daniel M. Small, Center for Environment & Society, Washington College, Chestertown, MD

Northern Bobwhite populations have declined dramatically across their range, especially in the northeast. Landscape level changes such as urbanization, increase in agricultural land, maturation of deciduous forests and removal of hedgerows all combine to influence Northern Bobwhite population trends. Using aerial imagery from 1964 and 2019 we mapped landscape attributes along six Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) routes on Maryland’s Upper and Mid-Shore to assess how these changes may have influenced bobwhite populations.

Analysis of microplastic levels and types in Eastern bluebird (Sialia sialis) eggshells

Kathryn E. Gill, Century High School, Eldersburg, MD

Small samples of Eastern bluebird (Sialia sialis) eggshells from nest boxes on school grounds, a rural farm, and on nature preservations will be taken and analyzed for microplastics. Over the course of the spring, it is projected that the eggshell samples from school property will have a higher overall density of microplastics, with the majority being primary microplastics, while the eggshell samples from the farm and protected areas will have a lower overall density of microplastics, containing mostly secondary microplastics.

First Official Fall Count at Turkey Point: Maryland Biodiversity Project starts long term monitoring of bird migration along the Chesapeake Bay

Jim Brighton (Presenter) & Daniel Irons, Maryland Biodiversity Project

Each year, millions of birds migrate through the eastern United States between breeding grounds in North America and wintering grounds in Central and South America. Bird populations may be affected by environmental changes at any point along their migration. To further document bird populations, Maryland Biodiversity Project is conducting the Turkey Point Bird Count to monitor fall migration along the Chesapeake Bay. The count ran from August 1 through November 15. Almost 200,000 individual birds, representing 208 species, were recorded.

The Farmland Raptor Program: Helping restore American Kestrels and Barn Owls in Maryland

Chris Eberly, Director of the Maryland Bird Conservation Partnership

American Kestrel and Barn Owl populations are declining in the Mid-Atlantic region. Both species are listed as Species of Greatest Conservation Need in 12 and 11 of the 14 northeast U.S. states, respectively, including Maryland. Habitat loss is a key factor in these declines. Fortunately, both species readily take to human-made nest boxes. The Maryland Farmland Raptor Program is a collaborative conservation program focused on stabilizing and beginning to increase American Kestrel and Barn Owl populations in Maryland.

Loss of complex female song but not duetting in the ancestors of Carolina wrens

J. Jordan Price, Mira T. Willson, and Rustin W. Pare, Department of Biology, St. Mary’s College of Maryland, St. Mary’s City, MD

Female singing behavior is thought to be a prerequisite for the evolution of coordinated male-female duets. Yet, our study shows the reverse pattern: complex female song has been lost in the evolutionary ancestors of Carolina wrens while vocal coordination with males has been maintained. Our results suggest that two aspects of female behavior – acoustic complexity and coordination with males – have evolved independently and have different functions.