Our monthly meetings, at which members of BPQ or other knowledgeable ornithologists and birders give illustrated lectures on subjects of interest to members, usually take place on the first or second Monday of each month, October to May.
Before and after the talks members have a chance to chat and compare recent birding experiences. Have a cup of coffee and check out our T-shirts, coffee mugs, pins, licence plates etc for sale - details of the items for sale are on our Sales Page.
Some forthcoming meetings are :
The next meetings ...
Feeding Behaviour: A Window on Avian Intelligence
with Louis Lefebvre
Monday, February 1, 2010, 7:30 pm
Birders, both academic and amateur, have been recording novel and unusual feeding behaviours for decades. The accumulated database is a useful tool to look for species differences in innovativeness. Invention of new behaviours is one of the definitions of intelligence, so we can examine the relationship
between the brain and the rate of innovation in particular birds Louis Lefebvre, our speaker for the evening, is Professor of Biology at McGill University and Program Director for the Minor Concentration in Science for Arts Students Program.
Though he has a Ph.D. in Psychology from Université de Montréal, Louis decided to focus on animals, more specifically the non-genetic means by which new behaviours originate and are maintained and transmitted in animal populations. He studies innovations, learning and cultural transmission in the field, in captivity and with data from the literature. Most of his research centres on birds, with field work conducted on nine avian species out of the Bellairs Research Institute of McGill University, Barbados, and on feral pigeons in Montreal.
Louis is the perfect blend of science and art. He has published scores of scientific articles, several works of fiction and articles for non-specialists. He is also a photographer and a sculptor. A man of many talents and not to be missed!
Birds of Prey of the Tundra: How Important Are They?
with Jean-François Therrien
Monday, March 1, 2010, 7:30 p.m.
Jean-François Therrien’s Ph.D. project aims to evaluate the importance of avian predators on the terrestrial food web. He is monitoring avian predators such as Snowy Owls, Rough-legged Hawks, Peregrine Falcons, and Parasitic and Long-tailed Jaegers on Bylot Island (Nunavut) and Herschel Island (Yukon). By collecting data on avian predator abundance, breeding success and diet, as well as annual
abundance of their prey (mostly lemmings), he hopes to assess the relative importance of avian predators to the community structure. Furthermore, to better understand the long-distance movements and habitat
selection of these predators, he equipped 16 adult Snowy Owls with satellite transmitters and has monitored their long-distance movements since 2007. His project will thus provide information on the importance of predation for the stability of the system and will provide basic but crucial information
to predict future changes in the abundance and distribution of these key species. Jean-François was first involved in scientific research during his B.Sc. at the Université de Sherbrooke when he undertook a project on migrating birds of prey. This passion for predatory birds has brought him from the tropics to the arctic as he is now undertaking his Ph.D. at Université Laval (Québec City) on arctic birds of prey. Another great talk that is not to be missed!
Will You Be Atlassing This Spring?
with Benoit Laliberté
Monday, April 12, 2010, 7:30 p.m.
The first Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Québec, by J. Gauthier and Y. Aubry (1996) has been a valuable source of information, and an important conservation tool, since work began on it almost a quarter of a century ago. However, since the publication of this monumental work, many changes have occurred in the distribution and abundance of birds due to habitat modification, climate change and other environmental factors. As a result, a new atlas is needed to provide a clear and up-to-date picture of the
state and distribution of bird populations within the province. This coming spring will mark the start of fieldwork for the second Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Québec. This ambitious new project, which
builds on the solid foundations of the first atlas, will not only provide distribution data, it will also map the relative abundance of many of the bird species nesting in Québec. Fieldwork for the atlas will be conducted over a period of at least five years and birders of all skill levels are encouraged to contribute their observations. You don’t even have to go very far, as there will be an atlas square near your home that needs surveying. If you are interested in taking part in this exciting project, come along to the meeting, where you will learn more about the atlas, its potential uses, and how to participate. Benoit Laliberté is a biologist with a master’s degree in environmental science (M. Env.), which he obtained from the Université de Sherbrooke in 2009, for a project that investigated the effect of climate change on the
arrival and departure dates of migrating birds. He currently works for Regroupement QuébecOiseaux as the Assistant Coordinator of the second atlas. Anyone interested in participating or learning about the upcoming atlas should not miss this talk!
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