The Waterbird Society will hold its 43rd Annual Conference and General Meeting November 6-9 at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. The society is comprised of biologists, researchers, conservationists, students and others from 31 countries.
Established in 1976, the society is “an international scientific, not-for-profit organization dedicated to the study and conservation of waterbirds.” It was created “to establish better communication and coordination between the growing number of people studying aquatic birds and to contribute to the protection and management of stressed populations or habitats of these species.”
The conference is open to students, members and non-members. Scientific and plenary sessions, panel discussions as well as a career workshop for students and poster sessions make up the itinerary. Attendees can participate in a silent auction and meet with exhibitors. Friday, November 8, is reserved for promoting diversity in the study of natural sciences and careers based on the natural sciences. A panel of speakers will address challenges faced by persons of color and outline how they are meeting those challenges within their own organizations and universities. Dr. Moses Kairo, dean of the School of Agricultural and Natural Sciences, will facilitate. The conference culminates with a banquet and a pool party.
Some of the symposia topics include: Pelicans of the World; Great Blue Herons and Great Egrets: Their Biology, Conservation and Management…and is There a Need for a Working Group?; Avian Interactions with Offshore Energy Development; Black Rail Ecology and Conservation; and Ecology and Management of Gulls in Urban Landscapes. A workshop will be presented on Planning for the Proposed 2023 Atlantic and Gulf Coast Coordinated Colonial Waterbird Survey.
For detailed information or to register, visit waterbirds.org.
