For The Birds

       I have a new e-bike which allows me to roam farther with less effort. Apart from the bike paths along the Thames, the campuses of Western and the Affiliated University Colleges provide good places to ride, particularly during the pandemic.

   Although I essentially resided on the Western campus for years, I can't say that I ever explored the areas on the west side of Western Road over where the Saugeen-Maitland and Bayfield Halls are located. Near them, down behind the Support-Services Building is where I found the building pictured above. It is the home of the Advanced Facility for Avian Research (AFAR). 

 Sparrows in a Coal Mine

   

   
   The campus is quiet and there are not many people around. Still, there is some activity and research continues to be done. Earlier this month there was an interesting article in Western News about a sparrow study conducted at the AFAR. The facility is a unique one where various climate conditions can be simulated. In this case, the sparrows were subjected to 'storms' in an attempt to determine how they may adjust to the changing climate. (For you bird lovers: Perhaps 'subjected to' sounds a little too severe; it is pointed out that the sparrows were not subjected to a great deal of suffering.)

   After discovering the AFAR and reading about the sparrow study, I did a bit more research. It is clear that Western is lucky to have such a facility and the very talented researchers working within it. Although there are not many students on campus, one hopes they read the article from afar or learn more about it upon returning. 

Sources:

   The article about the study is done by Debora Van Brenk, "Sparrows' Storm Stress a Harbinger of Climate-Change Impact," Western News, August 7, 2020.

   The study was conducted by Andrea Boyer and Scott A. Macdougall-Shackleton. See:

"High Rates of Exposure to Simulated Winter Storm Cues Negatively Affect White-Throated Sparrow Energy Reserves," Front. Ecol. Evol., July 14, 2020.

FROM AFAR - see these very useful links:

Home Page - https://birds.uwo.ca/index.html

Check out the Facilities - https://birds.uwo.ca/facilities/index.html (be sure to look at the FLIER - Field Laboratory for Integrative Ecological Research).

AFAR is a world-class facility at the University of Western Ontario for interdisciplinary studies of bird physiology, neurobiology and behaviour.

Researchers at AFAR come together from a variety of disciplines to explore how birds work, and how they respond to their environment. 

AFAR is home to the world’s first hypobaric climatic wind tunnel for bird flight - allowing research into the physiology and fluid dynamics of bird flight in high altitude conditions.  In combination with specialized indoor and outdoor holding rooms and cutting edge experimental and analytical facilities, AFAR is a leading centre for the study of avian neurobiology, physiology and behaviour.

There have been some articles in the LFP. See, for example, this earlier study about sparrows and fear: John Miner, "Being a Sparrow is No Cakewalk," LFP, Dec. 9, 2011. 

For an early article about the funding of the AFAR see: "McGuinty Government Supports Cutting-Edge Research," Canada Newswire, April 24, 2007.

Information about the various activities at the AFAR is readily found in academic journals.

Bonus Information:

   The expression "For the Birds" is generally a negative one and the origin of it is found in this book. My use of it is more positive, in that I am suggesting that this research is done for the benefit of the birds (and the rest of us). 

"According to Robert Claiborne in Loose Cannons and Red Herrings, it refers to city streets as they were before cars. "When I was a youngster on the streets of New York, one could both see and smell the emissions of horse-drawn wagons. Since there was no way of controlling these emissions, they, or the undigested oats in them, served to nourish a large population of English sparrows. If you say something's for the birds, you're politely saying it's horseshit."

Chimney Swift Factoids

  I just received an email (Aug.15) from the folks at Nature London. Here is what they had to say about the Swift situation here in London: 

Chimney Swifts Take Flight

 For Chimney Swifts, fall migration is now in full swing and Nature London volunteers are tracking their numbers. We encourage club members to visit a swift chimney and enjoy the spectacle of large numbers of twittering, swirling swifts descending into a chimney.  Most swift entries occur between 10 mins before sunset and 20 mins after. Find a safe public place where you can view the swifts from your car or lawn chair.  Enjoy!  On August 4, 402 swifts entered 13 chimneys for the night; on August 11, the total was 542.  On August 11, three London chimneys held more than 100 swifts each.

         Smith Fruit: 22 Maitland Street (south end of street near the river)

         Huron College, O’Neil/Ridley Hall: 1349 Western Rd (big octagonal chimney, best seen from west/rear of building)

         Old Hunt’s flour mill behind Nova Craft Canoe: 471 Nightingale Ave(east London near old Kellogg’s plant)

Since swifts sometimes switch roost chimneys, visit soon while these chimneys are still their favourites.  For more information about Swifts and Nature London’s program click the link:  http://www.naturelondon.com/chimney-swifts-resources/