Please join us for an inside look at ornithological research right here at The Ohio State University as we welcome Prof Chris Tonra. Chris will tell us about his work on research that extends over the entire annual cycle of birds' lives. While annual cycles pervade most aspects of vertebrate wildlife ecology, the vast majority of research has occurred on only one stage of these cycles, the breeding stage. Furthermore, very few studies examine more than one stage of the annual cycle, and even fewer have tried to elucidate how different stages interact with one another. This bias in vertebrate ecology has limited our understanding of the nature of population dynamics, and moving beyond it is critical to effectively managing and conserving populations. My research seeks to fill in these gaps in our understanding of wildlife populations with a particular focus on birds. I will be presenting results from research on Neotropical migratory birds, examining how different stages of the annual cycle interact physiologically within individuals. I will then discuss how I am continuing to expand my research program here in Ohio. Chris Tonra grew up on Long Island in New York and started birding at age 12 when a Red-bellied Woodpecker nested outside his window. After getting a degree in anthropology at SUNY Albany, he moved to California to pursue wildlife ecology at Humboldt State, did his MS work with Matt Johnson on cowbirds in the eastern Sierra Nevada's, then went on to his PhD at the University of Maine/SMBC with Becky Holberton and Pete Marra working seasonal interactions -- a topic that he will cover in tonight's talk. After postdoctoral research at the Smithsonian, Chris came to Ohio State in August. Chris Tonra is an avid bike commuter, gardener, and cook, and has begun dabbling in carpentry. 7:00 - 7:15 pm: Social time, light refreshments, announcements 7:15 - 7:30 pm: Tonight's Conservation Corner features Eddie Boyd, a recent graduate of Upper Arlington High School, who just completed a through hike of the Appalachian Trail. His journey took 141 days and covered 2,189 miles. Come and hear about his incredible journey and the flora and fauna he saw along this storied footpath. 7:30 - 9:00 pm: Main program, door prizes and be sure to try your skill at our monthly bird quiz table thanks to Nadya Bennett, and a loan of study skins from the bio-diversity museum at The Ohio State University. Columbus Audubon programs are free and open to the public. Programs are held at the Grange Insurance Audubon Center 505 West Whittier Street in the Scioto-Audubon Metro Park on the Whittier Peninsula. ______________________________________________________________________ Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society. Please consider joining our Society, at www.ohiobirds.org/site/membership.php. Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list. You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at: listserv.miamioh.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask]