Wilson Ornithological Society
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Wilson Ornithological Society
@wilsonornithsoc.bsky.social
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News and updates from the Wilson Ornithological Society, an international scientific society for professional and amateur bird nerds. 🐦
https://wilsonsociety.org/
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wilsonornithsoc.bsky.social
From the current WJO issue: Does acrobat ant presence affect Red-cockaded Woodpecker (Dryobates borealis) foraging tree selection? #ornithology doi.org/10.1080/1559...
photo of a red-cockaded woodpecker on a tree trunk
November 17, 2025 at 1:01 PM
wilsonornithsoc.bsky.social
From the current WJO issue - Estimation of molt phenology under molt- and date-dependent sampling bias: a comparison of conventional and recapture-based methods. #ornithology doi.org/10.1080/1559...
Box plots showing the effects of date-dependent sampling bias (in the absence of molt-dependent sampling bias) on estimation of molt parameters in simulated samples of 50 with known mean ordinal start date (200) and mean molt duration (50 days).
November 14, 2025 at 8:01 PM
wilsonornithsoc.bsky.social
Here's a Friday bird fact, courtesy of the new issue of The Wilson Journal of #Ornithology! Have a great weekend.
Did You Know? Scientists in Virginia recently captured the first photographic evidence of a red fox preying on a Saltmarsh Sparrow nest.
November 14, 2025 at 4:01 PM
wilsonornithsoc.bsky.social
There's a new guest post on the WOS blog! WOS Research Grant recipient Shelby McCahon describes her research into whether agricultural pesticides are impacting migrating shorebirds in the Prairie Pothole region. #ornithology wilsonsociety.org/2025/11/12/g...
a smiling woman dressed for working outdoors holds a captured shorebird; wetlands and grasses are visible in the background a woman sweeps a long net through a shallow wetland, with a field of brown grasses in the background close-up of shorebirds foraging in shallow water
November 13, 2025 at 9:02 PM
wilsonornithsoc.bsky.social
From the current WJO issue - Bird-window collisions: a critical review. #ornithology doi.org/10.1080/1559...
Diagram of effective bird-window collision deterrent methods.
November 13, 2025 at 3:01 PM
wilsonornithsoc.bsky.social
Guess what arrived a little early? The December issue of The Wilson Journal of #Ornithology! Peruse new peer-reviewed papers on everything from bird-window collisions to the stomach contents of a nighthawk. www.tandfonline.com/toc/uwjo20/1...
graphic with journal cover image and text "New WJO Issue!"
November 12, 2025 at 10:00 PM
wilsonornithsoc.bsky.social
Don't forget to renew your WOS membership for 2026! You should have received a renewal notice in your email inbox, but you can also log into wilson.wildapricot.org and take care of it there immediately.
Why WOS? “One thing I have enjoyed about being involved with the WOS has been getting to know other WOS members both professionally and personally. I have met academics, non-academics, students, and people with a long career history, and I have learned a lot from all of them. I get excited when I see their names mentioned somewhere, like in a publication or a blog post!” —Medhavi Ambardar, WOS Treasurer
November 12, 2025 at 2:04 PM
wilsonornithsoc.bsky.social
In case you missed it: We are accepting applications for our Burtt Undergraduate Mentoring Grants now through February 1! Please help us spread the word about this #ornithology opportunity. wilsonsociety.org/awards/jed-b...
graphic with a photo of a juvenile owl and the text "Burtt Undergraduate Mentoring Grant Applications Now Open!"
November 10, 2025 at 1:02 PM
wilsonornithsoc.bsky.social
NOW OPEN: Applications for our Jed Burtt Undergraduate Mentoring Grants! These unique grants provide up to $3,000 to support an #ornithology research project to be carried out by an undergraduate student working in collaboration with a mentor. Apply by Feb. 1! wilsonsociety.org/awards/jed-b...
graphic with a photo of a juvenile owl and the text "Burtt Undergraduate Mentoring Grant Applications Now Open!"
November 6, 2025 at 10:01 PM
wilsonornithsoc.bsky.social
Latest articles from the WJO: Exploring the expression of genes potentially involved in stress response of the endemic Galapagos Yellow Warbler. #ornithology doi.org/10.1080/1559...
Gene expression patterns in anthropogenic and natural habitats. Boxplots show log₂ (fold‐change) values for six genes (a) EXO1, (b) MTR, (c) TLR4, (d) SCN4A, (e) LGALS3, and (f) SIRT1 for samples collected in natural (green boxes) and anthropogenic (orange boxes) habitats. In each panel, the x‐axis denotes habitat type (natural on the left, anthropogenic on the right) and the y‐axis represents log₂ (fold‐change) relative to the baseline (mean for natural habitats, horizontal axis at y = 0 represented by a dotted line). Boxplots show the median (thick horizontal line), interquartile range (box), and values within 1.5 × the interquartile range (whiskers). For each target gene, the green and orange boxes overlap substantially, indicating that the distributions of expression values are largely indistinguishable between habitat types (natural and anthropogenic). Red and blue dots indicate values for individual samples.
November 6, 2025 at 3:02 PM
wilsonornithsoc.bsky.social
Don't forget to renew your WOS membership for 2026! And while you're at it, tell us: What do YOU love about being a WOS member?
Why WOS? “My favorite thing about being a WOS member is that I feel valued as an individual, and that this support from the WOS Council is extended to every student. As a Councilor, I have firsthand experience with how the WOS puts in the work to have hard conversations that: a) listen to and respond to student member needs, and b) prioritize inclusion and accessibility. I am a proud member of the WOS community!” —Maggie MacPherson, WOS Elected Councilor
November 4, 2025 at 4:41 PM
wilsonornithsoc.bsky.social
a dark bird flying over a spooky forest with the text "Happy Halloween from the Wilson Ornithological Society"
October 31, 2025 at 5:04 PM
wilsonornithsoc.bsky.social
Fall means *renewal season* at the WOS! The deadline to renew your membership for 2026 without a lapse is December 31, but why wait? (And if you're not a member... why not join? We're a great community and keep our membership fees affordable!) #ornithology wilson.wildapricot.org
Time to Renew Your WOS Membership! Membership benefits include... -Free personal subscription to The Wilson Journal of Ornithology and a 25% discount on Open Access publication fees -Reduced registration for our annual meeting -Kowa Optics and Princeton University Press discounts -Eligibility for a range of grants, awards, and professional development opportunities -Plus the intangible benefit of being part of a community of like-minded individuals, focused on advancing the field of ornithology, supporting students, and fostering diversity!
October 27, 2025 at 6:03 PM
wilsonornithsoc.bsky.social
Have you renewed your WOS membership yet? Check the renewal notice email that you received for instructions, or log into wilson.wildapricot.org! (This is a great time to join as a new member, too—your membership will be good through the end of 2026!)
“One thing I have enjoyed about being involved with the WOS has been getting to know other WOS members both professionally and personally. I have met academics, non-academics, students, and people with a long career history, and I have learned a lot from all of them. I get excited when I see their names mentioned somewhere, like in a publication or a blog post!” —Medhavi Ambardar, WOS Treasurer
October 23, 2025 at 5:05 PM
wilsonornithsoc.bsky.social
There's a new guest post on the WOS blog! WOS Research Grant recipient Kevin Perozeni describes what real-life "snipe hunts" have taught him about these mysterious birds' migratory behavior. #ornithology wilsonsociety.org/2025/10/21/g...
a researcher examines a captured snipe in preparation for banding and tagging it closeup photo of a snipe, a brown-streaked shorebird with large eyes and a long bill a snipe with a freshly attached GPS transmitter, held by a researcher before being released
October 21, 2025 at 3:21 PM
wilsonornithsoc.bsky.social
If you're already a WOS member, now is the time to renew for 2026—and if you're not, it's a great time to join! We strive to provide professional development and community for everyone involved in #ornithology. wilsonsociety.org/membershipbe...
Why WOS? “My favorite thing about being a WOS member is that I feel valued as an individual, and that this support from the WOS Council is extended to every student. As a Councilor, I have firsthand experience with how the WOS puts in the work to have hard conversations that: a) listen to and respond to student member needs, and b) prioritize inclusion and accessibility. I am a proud member of the WOS community!” —Maggie MacPherson, WOS Elected Councilor
October 15, 2025 at 10:01 PM
wilsonornithsoc.bsky.social
Latest articles from the WJO - Bird-window collisions: a critical review. #ornithology doi.org/10.1080/1559...
Diagram of effective bird-window collision deterrent methods.
October 14, 2025 at 1:03 PM
wilsonornithsoc.bsky.social
Latest articles from the WJO: Breeding biology of the Pelagic Cormorant (Urile pelagicus) at Cape Peirce, Alaska. #ornithology doi.org/10.1080/1559...
(a) Map showing the study area at Cape Peirce and its location in Alaska. (b, c) West cliffs, seen from the north after a snowstorm on 29 April 1973 (b) and in June 1970 (c). (d, e) South cliffs, western half in aerial view, with Cape Peirce to the left and Nanvak Bay in background center (d), and cormorant nesting areas (upper left) along Shaiak Strait as seen from Shaiak lsland in foreground (e).
October 10, 2025 at 6:01 PM
wilsonornithsoc.bsky.social
Attention WOS members: Membership renewal messages for 2026 will hit your email inboxes TODAY! You have until December 31 to renew to avoid a lapse, but why not take care of it now? wilson.wildapricot.org
Membership benefits include... Free personal subscription to The Wilson Journal of Ornithology and a 25% discount on Open Access publication fees Reduced registration for our annual meeting Kowa Optics and Princeton University Press discounts Eligibility for a range of grants, awards, and professional development opportunities Plus the intangible benefit of being part of a community of like-minded individuals, focused on advancing the field of ornithology, supporting students, and fostering diversity!
October 10, 2025 at 12:02 PM
wilsonornithsoc.bsky.social
Latest articles from the WJO: Shorebird abundance, migration phenology, and invertebrate prey availability at a mid-continental stopover site in Kentucky, USA. #ornithology doi.org/10.1080/1559...
Location of Kentucky Lake, Kentucky, USA, mudflat sampling sites (a–c), a representative mudflat (d), and shorebirds foraging near an exclosure (e) in September 2023. Star symbols in (a) and (b) show the location of Kentucky Lake in the United States and Kentucky, respectively. Star symbols in (c) represent, from north to south, Jonathan Creek, Wildcat Creek, and Blood River mudflat sites.
October 9, 2025 at 3:02 PM
wilsonornithsoc.bsky.social
Latest articles from the WJO: Demographic trends for the Boreal Owl, Aegolius funereus, using standardized migration monitoring data in eastern North America. #ornithology doi.org/10.1080/1559...
photo of a boreal owl, a small brown-streaked owl with a round face and yellow eyes, perched on a branch by the trunk of an evergreen tree
October 8, 2025 at 10:01 PM
wilsonornithsoc.bsky.social
Latest articles from the WJO: Call rate and types of calls produced vary with flock movements in wild Pine Siskins (Spinus pinus). #ornithology doi.org/10.1080/1559...
Call rate during Pine Siskin flock movements (arrival, circling, departure) was significantly greater than during baseline minutes.
October 7, 2025 at 1:03 PM
wilsonornithsoc.bsky.social
Latest articles from the WJO: A confirmed case of social polygyny in Eastern Whip-poor-will (Antrostomus vociferus). #ornithology doi.org/10.1080/1559...
Home ranges (minimum convex polygons) of three Eastern Whip-poor-wills in relation to known nest sites (stars) in the northern section of Chaumont Barrens Nature reserve, Jefferson County, NY, USA (44.110972°N, 76.091528°) during the 2024 breeding season. Male A attended nests of both females concurrently, confirming polygynous social behavior.
October 6, 2025 at 9:01 PM
wilsonornithsoc.bsky.social
The frontispiece of the current issue of The Wilson Journal of Ornithology is this gouache and colored pencil illustration of an Eastern Whip-poor-will by artist Kelly C. Balantine, inspired by a paper in the issue on the species' nesting phenology and chick development.
artist's close-up illustration of the head of a whip-poor-will
October 3, 2025 at 3:02 PM
wilsonornithsoc.bsky.social
From the current WJO issue: Frugivory in the Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus elegans). #ornithology doi.org/10.1080/1559...
photo of a red-shouldered hawk eating an avocado
October 2, 2025 at 2:02 PM