VIU SCIENCE & TECH COMMUNITY LECTURE
VIU Bird Banding Project: Engaging Students in Research Dr. Eric Demers, Professor, Department of Biology at Vancouver Island University
Concerns have been raised about the decline of many of Canada’s bird populations. Over the last 40 years, almost half of all bird species in Canada have decreased in abundance, and some groups have experienced severe declines (75‐95% since 1970). Conservation of these species can be hindered by a lack of information about their populations. Bird banding is an effective and widely used method to study bird populations by attaching a small band around a bird's leg to identify individuals. Since 2013, the Vancouver Island University (VIU) Bird Banding Project has operated a bird monitoring and banding project at Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo, and at various other locations. This project has been completely operated by over 150 dedicated VIU students and community volunteers who have dedicated over 12,000 volunteer hours to the project. These volunteers receive hands‐on training in bird monitoring and banding, which is unique in an undergraduate setting. So far, over 11,000 birds of more than 80 species have been captured and banded. This presentation will highlight the project and some of its contributions towards understanding bird populations. Eric is a professor in the Biology Department at Vancouver Island University since 2001. He completed a Bachelor of Science at McGill University and a doctorate at York University. Although most of his graduate research and early career has focussed on freshwater ecology, he has always been keenly interested in birds. In 2013, he started the VIU Bird Banding Project which has operated a bird banding station at Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo, and various other ornithology projects.
Wednesday March 20, 2019 7:00 – 8:00 pm
Refreshments at 6:45 pm
Vancouver Island University, Building 355, Room 203
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