Module 9

York University
Ontario Universities Program in Field Biology

Course Title :
Field Ornithology
Instructor(s) : Prof. Alex Mills (Biology, York), 416 736-2100 ext 33609, ammills@yorku.ca
Date(s) : 2 weeks. Sun. May 6 (day of arrival) to Sat. May 19 (day of departure)
Location :

Wildlife Research Station (WRS), Algonquin Park, ON 

Cost : $1065 [$250 deposit to home university; $815 balance]. Travel to and from Algonquin Park not included [current bus cost is $87 return].  Course fee includes accommodation, board, field book, canoe rental costs, and all in-course travel.
Prerequisites : 1st-year core biology course
Enrollment : 18 students
Description :

Algonquin Provincial Park is world famous, covering 7600 km2 of Ontario’s southern Canadian Shield.  It is a rugged landscape of forests, hundreds of lakes, and varied habitats. It is famous for camping, canoe tripping, wildlife viewing, and research. The WRS is a research and teaching facility with a long and successful track record and students will share the facility with fellow biologists engaged in diverse research projects.

During our May visit, spring will be returning to the park. The spring bird migration will reach its peak during our visit, with many songbirds returning from winter sites thousands of km away. The first half of the course will involve visiting different habitats, learning to identify birds, observing their behaviours, and learning techniques (surveying, mist-netting and bird banding), and means of data analysis. Mid-way through the course, we will spend a morning canoeing through an Algonquin wetland.

The remainder of the course will be devoted to field research projects where students will participate in the design of ornithological field work and the collection of data for such projects.  Further details on the course and specifics on what to bring will be provided in the spring to those who enroll.

We will spend a great deal of time in the field, in rain and shine, including early morning and sometimes after dark. Students should come prepared for strenuous physical activity in rugged terrain.
Evaluation :
  • 15% - Class performance (involvement in group projects & other engagement)
  • 20% - Quizzes
  • 10% - Field journal (to be handed in)
  • 18% - Field research project – design and execution
  • 17% - Field research project – presentation
  • 20% - Field research project – report (following field course)