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Re: Yellow-throated Warbler Breeding Locations

From:

Mark Hoffman

Reply-To:

Mark Hoffman

Date:

Fri, 10 Mar 2006 21:15:39 -0500

Norm - As I think you know, I have both a BS and MS in biology/wildlife
ecology.  I have collected a few specimens (in the name of science) as well.
Please don't hold it against me. In fact (don't read further if you are
squeamish) much of ornithological science (and ultimately birding) is build
upon museum collections.  There have been many excellent articles on the
need for collecting.  I won't try to repeat them here.

Also, as part of my job, I supervise the permits coordinator for the DNR
Wildlife and Heritage Service.  To collect this species requires both
federal and state permits.  Permit applications are reviewed by our science
staff to ensure the activity is a legitimate scientific endeavor of merit
and biologically sound.  Just go to the web and browse the issue of the Auk,
Condor or Wilson Bulletin and you'll get a taste of current ornithological
research and the extent to which collecting is used/not used.  Many, if not
most, research does not require it, but some do.  

I think it needs to be kept in perspective that avian populations suffer
very high mortality rates and killing a small number of individuals will
have no impact on the population as a whole.  What we are trying to conserve
(through habitat conservation) is the population.  All the individuals are
destined to be dead in a few short years.  In projects were territorial
males are removed, they are soon replaced by "floaters", birds unable to
obtain a quality territory.

Yellow-throated Warbler is one of my favorite species, as it is common in
Worcester County, arrives in late-March before almost all the other
migrants, has a lovely song, breeds even on the pine forests of Assateague,
etc.  But it would not pain me to assist in this project if it contributes
to our understanding of this species.  What we understand we want to save.

Mark L Hoffman

Sykesville, MD





-----Original Message-----
From: Maryland Birds & Birding [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of Norm Saunders
Sent: Friday, March 10, 2006 6:54 PM
To: 
Subject: Re: [MDOSPREY] Yellow-throated Warbler Breeding Locations

Cathy Carroll writes:

> This may be a very stupid question, but I'll ask anyway.  Is anyone  
> seriously thinking of assisting Mr. McKay with his project of finding  
> breeding Yellow-throated Warblers?  It seems that "taking blood" must  
> mean that he will kill the birds.  I emailed Mr. McKay about this and  
> I received his response back confirming that he will be killing  
> breeding male Yellow-throated Warblers.

This is a controversial issue, isn't it?  I personally wonder if this
fellow's Ph.D. thesis will add enough to our knowledge to offset the loss of
these birds.  Does graduate school always cut one off from an empathetic and
caring approach to the animals being studied?  

What is amusing is the likelihood that many of these scientists willing to
sacrifice birds or other living organisms in the pursuit of their academic
credentials are also in many cases those who frown on hunting (oops, let's
be politically correct, okay?  I think the euphemism now is 'harvesting.').

I would welcome some debate on the issue as long as we can do that without
insult or unseemly argument.  This can be a highly charged topic so take a
few deep breaths before posting your thoughts.

I do, of course, reserve the right to cut off the discussion if it gets too
hot.

Norm