April 29, 2009

International Migratory Bird Day Celebration and Walk
Planned by Powdermill Nature Reserve, May 8 and 9

Bird-banding Demonstrations Available
This Spring and Summer at Powdermill

Rector, Pennsylvania…Local bird-watchers and enthusiasts are invited to participate in the world-wide celebration of International Migratory Bird Day with Powdermill Nature Reserve and Carnegie Museum of Natural History scientists. The weekend kicks off on Friday, May 8 with Birdwalk!, an event for area preschoolers. Kids will be dressed as different species of birds, among them the wood thrush, the purple martin and the scarlet tanager. The public is invited to view the kids in their costumes during a parade around the Ligonier Diamond. In addition, the Carnegie Museum of Natural History education staff will be on the Diamond with more fun activities for children.

On Saturday, May 9, the festivities begin at the Diamond in Ligonier at 10:30 a.m., where visitors can see raptors from the National Aviary and learn about their habits from Carnegie scientists. Exhibits focusing on wild bird habitats and human-bird interactions—inspired by this year’s International Migratory Bird theme, “Birds and Human Cultures”—will be on view around the Diamond until noon. These activities at the Diamond are free to the public and require no registration.

Amateur ornithologists can then travel to Powdermill Nature Reserve’s Nature Center Headquarters to participate in the first Birdathon, with prizes being awarded to the most successful bird-watching teams in the following categories: Highest number of First-ever Sightings; Most Unusual Behavior Observed; and, Most Species Observed in One Day. Participants in the Birdathon, or those just interested in the results, are invited to enjoy a barbeque dinner at 6:30 p.m., while the findings of the day and award winners are announced. Participation in the Birdathon and the barbeque dinner is free but registration is required. Please call (724) 593-6105 to enroll your team or sign up for dinner.

Additional activities at Powdermill on May 9 will include a schedule of talks by noted ornithologists, tours of the bird banding and avian bioacoustics lab, bird watching trail walks led by Powdermill ornithologists, and children’s activities. Powdermill’s Trish Miller will talk about her research on Golden Eagle migration and Mike Lanzone will talk about his work with avian bioacoustics. On view in the special exhibitions gallery is an exhibition entitled NaturaLuminescence, a series of dramatic, naturally lit photographs by Bob Egan that demonstrate the beauty of nature. More information on International Migratory Bird Day can be found at the official website, http://www.birdday.org/imbd2009.php.

Bird Banding
At Powdermill, tours of the bird banding station will be conducted May 3–May 9 by reservation in honor of International Migratory Bird Day. Additional tours of the facility can be made in advance for most weekends in the spring and summer. Please call (724) 593-6105 as spaces are limited.

Bird-banding began in 1961, and thanks to dedicated staff and volunteers, data on over 10,000 birds annually has been collected. From this collected data, knowledge has been gained about longevity in wild bird populations, differences between sexes and age groups in migration behavior, bird life cycles, and weight and plumage changes. More information can be found on the Web site, http://www.powdermill.org/avian.htm.

Powdermill Nature Reserve
Located in Rector, Westmoreland County, Powdermill was established in 1956 and is Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s biological research station and nature education center. Powdermill sustains and protects a variety of natural habitats where researchers and educators study ecological processes. It is also home to one of the longest continually running avian research stations in the United States. Visitors of all ages come to gain a greater knowledge about the natural world through innovative and exciting educational programs and exhibits. More information is available at www.powdermill.org.

Carnegie Museum of Natural History, one of the four Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh, is ranked as one of the top five natural history museums in the country. It maintains, preserves, and interprets an extraordinary collection of 21 million objects and scientific specimens used to broaden understanding of evolution, conservation, and biodiversity. More information is available by calling 412.622.3131 or from the Web site, www.CarnegieMNH.org.