This page offers information about the structure and goals of the course, and relevant policies of grading and course operations. If you have questions, contact us. For office hours and locations, see the contact page. The Textbook is required for the course. The Field Guide is recommended.
Ornithology is the scientific study of birds and bird biology.
Birds have always been the objects of fascination to people, and many aspects of their characteristics make them particularly well suited to careful study. Their widespread distribution and diversity, and remarkable variation in natural histories have made them the subjects for a tremendous number of scientific inquiries. In this course we will cover the basics of bird biology ranging in levels from a micro to a macro perspective. Our primary goal is to introduce you as advanced students to the basics of bird biology, and to learn the current and common techniques of scientific study of these different topics. As one of the advanced biology courses, we have an opportunity to exemplify and examine applications of the theories and ideas taken from a number of other courses, such as ecology, conservation biology, animal behavior, evolution, genetics, and developmental biology.