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Ornithologist prof lets kids "in the box" Wednesday, June 25, 2003 The "wonders of science"
don't get much more wonderful than spending a morning with E. Dale Kennedy
in the College's Whitehouse Nature Center. A biology professot at
Albion, Kennedy is also an ornithologist, whose research is affiliated
with the U.S. Department of the Internior's Bird Banding Laboratory. Each summer, Kennedy puts
identification bands on dozens of house wren, chickadee and bluebird nestlings in the
Whitehouse Nature Center. In doing this work, she enjoys enlisting
the help of children, whose extra pairs of hands (and enthusiasm) make the job easier. |
 Biology professor E. Dale Kennedy (in hat) shows a house wren to interested helpers. "I like to get the kids out here, and get them thinking about nature," she says. Photo by Jake Weber. |
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| Kennedy's current research also incorporates DNA samples, taken from each nestling's feathers, that will help her further science's understanding of bird populations. "We plan to look at patterns of sex ratios in wrens," says Kennedy. She goes on to explain that ornithologists have reason to believe that "adult females may be able to determine sex of their offspring by the type of egg they produce, and they may change sex ratios of broods depending on available resources." | ||||
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A 10-day-old wren nestling cuddles in a young child's cupped hands. "Birds actually have a very poor sense of smell," Kennedy says, explaining that handling by humans doesn't generally drive the bird parents away. Photo by Jake Weber. |
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Very young children (not to mention their parents) are fascinated with the tiny birds. Photo by Jake Weber. |
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Kennedy snaps an ID band around a nestling's leg. Field research such as this is a daily commitment, as the birds' quick development means that banding can't be "scheduled," but must be done when each bird is 10 days old. The ID bands allows Kennedy to track which birds return to the Nature Center each spring, after migrating south during the winter. Banded birds that are found and reported throughout the country also help scientists like Kennedy track migration patterns and learn more about many birds' lives and behavior. Photo by Jake Weber. |
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Albion College ◦ Albion, Michigan
◦ 517/629-1000
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