Male Hooded Warbler by Jake Dingel
The Cornell Lab of Ornithology is pleased to announce that the new updated and upgraded version of the Birds of North America is available for free preview! Check out brand new rich media and information from your submissions to eBird and the Macaulay Library augmenting every species account. The Birds of North America is the preeminent source of life history information for the more than 750 species of birds that breed in the United States and Canada. Maintained by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology in partnership with The American Ornithologists’ Union, this comprehensive resource is authored by experts on each species. Each species account includes information on systematics, distribution, identification, behavior, breeding biology, and conservation. Each species account also includes a comprehensive bibliography of research conducted on the species. The accompanying multimedia includes photos of various plumages, examples of sounds, and videos of interesting behaviors. Check out the new BNA today!
This free preview is only available for a short time, until September 6! The new format is more attractive and includes a tangible connection with eBird data, demonstrating very strongly the value of those bird sightings all across the range of a species. A few Pennsylvanians have been involved with this bird reference for the 21st century.
Field Sparrow, a songbird in decline in PA, by Jake Dingel
Some Pennsylvanians have contributed species accounts to eBird including Dan Brauning, Doug Gross, and Patti Barber of PA Game Commission staff. The Senior Editor of the Birds of North America is former Pennsylvanian, Paul Rodewald, who studied at Pennsylvania State University where he did research on the stopover ecology of songbirds. Paul went on to Ohio where he coordinated the successful Ohio breeding bird atlas that was patterned after the Pennsylvania project. Dan was a co-author of the Chestnut-sided Warbler account, appropriately since the Chestnut-sided is the only bird that was named after Pennsylvania in its scientific name. Patti Barber co-authored both the Red-faced Warbler and Painted Warbler accounts. Her husband, David Barber, co-authored the Painted Bunting account.
Incubating Yellow-bellied Flycatcher well-camouflaged in sphagnum moss and goldthread, by Doug Gross
Doug Gross co-wrote and updated the Yellow-bellied Flycatcher account using some data obtained in Pennsylvania and using personal experiences on its wintering ground. Keith Bildstein of Hawk Mountain Sanctuary co-wrote the Sharp-shinned Hawk and White Ibis accounts. Laurie Goodrich of Hawk Mountain co-wrote the Broad-winged Hawk account. The Hawk Mountain connection is greatly appreciated since that institution has been so instrumental in raptor research, monitoring, conservation, and education. Terry Master of East Stroudsburg University co-wrote the Louisiana Waterthrush and Snowy Egret accounts.
Louisiana Waterthrush with salamander at nest by B. Wood
Bob Mulvihill of the National Aviary also contributed to the Louisiana Waterthrush account. Bridget Stutchbury who lives part-time in Pennsylvania co-wrote the Hooded Warbler account. Mike Carey of the University of Scranton wrote the Field Sparrow accounts. That is a quick run-down of some Pennsylvania ornithologists who have been involved with the project with a few others inadvertently missed. Many species accounts have been updated and rewritten with multiple authors contributing. It is a dynamic reference that keeps getting better.
A male Chestnut-sided Warbler, Setophaga pensylvanica, by J. Dingel, PGC