Upcoming Virtual and In-store Programs
Silent Shadows: New York's Owls Revealed
Stella Miller, WBU
Thursday, October 17th at 7pm
Owls belong to a group of charismatic birds called Strigiformes. That group is divided into two smaller groups, known as families. The family called Tytonidae includes Barn Owls, which have heart-shaped faces. The second family, Strigidae, includes all other owls, most of which have round faces. Like hawks, eagles and falcons, owls are called raptors, meaning they hunt prey with their formidable weaponry. WBU's Stella Miller will discuss the various owls that call New York home in this program as well as the amazing adaptations that make them such remarkable predators. We’ll also touch on some of the legends and lore that surround this fascinating group of raptors.
Meet the Corvids of New York
Stella Miller, WBU
Thursday, November 14th at 7pm
The Corvidae is a cosmopolitan family of passerine birds (also known as perching birds) that includes crows, ravens, rooks, magpies, jackdaws, jays, treepies, choughs, and nutcrackers.
Commonly referred to as the crow family or corvids, there are approximately 135 members of this family, including the largest, The Common Raven.
Corvids are famous for their remarkable intelligence for animals of their size, and are among the most intelligent birds thus far studied. This program will discuss the family as a whole, as well as species accounts of the various family members that call New York home.
Surviving Winter: How Animals Cope With Cold
Doug Robinson, PhD
Thursday, December 12th at 7pm
How does a bird that weighs as much as a dime survive the cold of winter? How do mice survive the winter under the snow? Non-human animals have amazing behavioral and physiological adaptations that aid in surviving the coldest periods of winter. Join us to learn how animals can remain active during ‘polar vortices’ or hunker-down to escape the freezing temperatures.
About the speaker: Dr. Robinson is an Associate Professor of Biology at Mount Saint Mary College in Newburgh, NY. Dr. Robinson conducts behavioral and population biology research on birds and has spent decades following American Crows and their lives. His experiences have taken him around the world and include long-term stays on remote islands investigating seabird foraging biology, as well as supporting the well-being of Kākāpō in New Zealand. Dr. Robinson teaches Ecology, Anatomy and Physiology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology of New Zealand Flora and Fauna at the Mount.
The Secret Love Lives of Birds
Doug Robinson, PhD
Thursday, February 13th at 7pm
It may be February, but Spring is just around the corner...and it is the breeding season for many birds, but what does that entail? Before nestlings can be produced, a lot has to happen! From claiming territories to enticing a partner to raising young, tonight we will cover the basics, the mysteries, and the complexities of avian reproduction of some common, and not-so-common, birds of Long Island.
About the speaker: Dr. Robinson is an Associate Professor of Biology at Mount Saint Mary College in Newburgh, NY. Dr. Robinson conducts behavioral and population biology research on birds and has spent decades following American Crows and their lives. His experiences have taken him around the world and include long-term stays on remote islands investigating seabird foraging biology, as well as supporting the well-being of Kākāpō in New Zealand. Dr. Robinson teaches Ecology, Anatomy and Physiology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology of New Zealand Flora and Fauna at the Mount.