by Alex Lehr
Southeastern played host to the 56th Technical Meeting of the Oklahoma Ornithological Society on Friday, Oct. 9 and Saturday, Oct. 10. It was the first meeting to be held since 1977. SE professor Doug Wood hosted the event.
During the two day academic gathering, more than sixty bird enthusiasts, professionals and amateurs alike, gathered to discuss various matters such as the Endangered Species Act and the ecological awareness points for birds across Oklahoma and adjoining states.
Society members were treated to a barbeque cookout at the Biology Building, prepared by Southeastern Wildlife Club members Ashley Carraghan, Sarah DeGarmo, Phillip Leonard, Benjamin Singleton and Kristin Brooks. Sarah was noted by Dr. Wood, who stated, “Sarah DeGarmo, Southeastern graduate student in Biology, won 1st place in the graduate student poster section for her research poster on the introduced Eurasian Collared-Dove.”
Dr. Gene Young of Northern Oklahoma College spoke on Friday night on the process of having a species placed on the list of the Endangered Species Act, presenting specifically on the act’s history concerning the Lesser Prairie Chicken, indigenous to western Oklahoma.
According to Young, the lesser prairie chicken was focused on as a candidate species of concern for the list.
“The process of recognizing an endangered species starts with you,” said Young. “Under the act, you can list a species as threatened or endangered. The Lesser Prairie Chicken was considered as a candidate in 1999 with a renewal in 2008 as a category 2.”
Showcasing population statistics, Young emphasized rapidly shifting numbers in the chickens that ranged from 20,000 to 30,000 over the course of two years.
Young stated that, under the Candidate Conservations Agreements with Assurances (CCAA) a state agency can work with the Fish and Wildlife Service to identify threatened species.
While the chicken is not currently on the list, rapidly alternating numbers in population lead to an uncertain future for whether or not they will stay off due to the chickens’ habitats slowly diminishing.
“The prairie chicken is still in peril,” said Young. “We have to be careful what we wish for when it comes to a law. Once a law becomes enacted, it stays forever.”
On Saturday, speakers assembled at the John Massey School of Business, introducing graduate students from across Oklahoma to present on specific studies they were currently conducting on geographical effects on species and how to identify migration patterns and population numbers.
Jared Stokes began the Saturday conference with his presentation “Variation in Scissor-tailed Flycatcher Home Ranges: Preliminary Analysis of Factors Affecting Size” concerning the home range sizes for Scissortails during mating seasons, determining where the birds spend most of their time.
The Russell conference ran from 3:15 p.m. to 5 p.m. ,with a high audience participation as the graduate researchers spoke, answering questions on research methods and the accuracy of the data being presented.
Birds focused upon during the two day event included the Eastern Wood-Peewee, Lark Sparrow and Eastern Bluebirds.
Southeastern students can speak to Dr. Wood about the opportunities they have to aid in the conservation of these threatened species and how they have influence with the Endangered Species Act.