Thursday, April 27, 2006

May 4 lecture at the National Zoo: Chivalry Is Dead in Migratory Birds: Lessons From the Winter Season

May 4 – Lecture at 7:30 p.m.

Chivalry Is Dead in Migratory Birds: Lessons From the Winter Season

The relationship between male and female migratory birds during the breeding season appears idyllic: Both members of a breeding pair vie for each other's attention, cooperate to bring food to their nestlings, and, in some cases, even raise a second brood together. Things change dramatically during the winter season in the tropics. There, it's a battle of the sexes. Males compete with females for the best habitats—and usually win. As a result, females suffer lower survival. Peter P. Marra of the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center will talk about this and other discoveries of his 15-year research program on the winter ecology of migratory birds in Jamaica. This lecture is part of the Zoo's celebration of International Migratory Bird Day.

The lecture is FREE, but please RSVP at http://nationalzoo.si.edu/ActivitiesAndEvents/Lectures/rsvp.cfm. The lecture is in the National Zoo's Visitor Center, just off Connecticut Avenue. Take public transportation, or drive through the vehicle entrance at Connecticut Avenue and park in Lot A.

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