Dear all,

Chris Healey has forwarded his review of "Some Indigenous Names for
Australian Birds" published by Birds Australia as Report No. 20.
by John M. Peter, 2006. The review has been published in the current
issue of the Journal of Ethnobiology
(http://www.ethnobiology.org/journal/).

With the kind permission of Cissy Fowler, the Review Editor of the
Journal of Ethnobiology I reproduce Chris' review here:

Some Indigenous Names for Australian Birds. Birds Australia Report No. 20.
John M. Peter. 2006. Birds Australia, Hawthorn East. Pp. 92. AU$20.00.
ISBN
1329-7945.

Journal of Ethnobiology Vol 27 No 1, pp. 133-135.

Birds Australia is the premier ornithological organization in
Australia, dedicated to the scientific study of birds and their
conservation. This report is likely to attract the notice of
ethnobiologists, linguists, anthropologists and indigenous studies
specialists largely because of the promise of the title, and thus
warrants bringing to the attention of the readership of this journal.
Between 1990 and 2006 Birds Australia in association with Oxford
University Press (Melbourne) published the seven-volume Handbook of
Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds (HANZAB). The series
condenses the state of scientific knowledge of the birds of the HANZAB
region, presented in systematic (taxonomic) order, and has won wide
critical acclaim in ornithological circles.
Each volume (with the exception of volume 3, Snipe to Pigeons)
includes appendices listing indigenous (Australian Aboriginal and New
Zealand Maori) names for bird species, where known. The present report
conveniently brings together the HANZAB material on Australian
Aboriginal names with some minor emendations and, importantly,
supplies indigenous names for the species covered in volume 3, notably
the bio-culturally important Columbiformes (pigeons and doves).
The present report includes a brief six-page introduction with a very
basic overview of Aboriginal languages of Australia, the role of birds
in Aboriginal subsistence and culture, and the role played by
Aboriginal people in the development of scientific ornithology in
Australia. The bulk of the report is taken up by two sections: a
systematic list of Australian bird species, with `corresponding'
Aboriginal names; and a list of the regions from which Aboriginal
names were collected.
In the systematic list, Aboriginal names are arranged in alphabetical
order. A superscript number appended to each name refers to one or
more of the almost 50 regions listed. These are arranged by state,
subdivided into the numbered regions loosely identifying
bio-geographic areas, such as the southeast Gulf of Carpentaria and
Cape York Peninsula (Queensland), the Great Victoria Desert
(South Australia) and East Gippsland (Victoria). There are also
`unknown' or `unspecified' localities listed for several states. Under
each region is a list of from one to 15 references from which
Aboriginal names were derived. A bibliography of sources completes the
report.
Aboriginal names are drawn exclusively from published sources spanning
the period from the latter half of the 19th Century to 2004. Peter
notes that only a selection of Aboriginal bird names are included, but
fails to clarify the basis of selection. Many of the names chosen
reflect the inadequate Anglo-centric orthography of naive recorders,
some of questionable reliability. About two thirds of sources are from
the ornithological literature, perhaps reflecting Peter's background.
Most of the rest is from a limited range of publications in linguistics.
Although ethnobiology is an underdeveloped field in Australia, there
is a small but growing body of relevant literature, none of which is
cited.
There is an implicit assumption that the Aboriginal names are
equivalent to Linnaean named categories. While ethnobiologists are
wary of such assumptions, the non-specialist user of the report may
not be.
To my mind, the greatest problem with this report is that the
indigenous languages from which the listed names are drawn are not
identified. In some cases the relevant languages are identified in the
sources consulted, but in many cases they are not and the cultural
contexts of Aboriginal names remain obscure.
Anyone using this report with a view to identifying names for
particular species in particular Aboriginal languages will be sorely
frustrated. For example, there are 28 Aboriginal names listed for the
Magpie Goose of northern and northeastern Australia. Seven of these
names bear the superscript code number 44, which refers to Eastern
Arnhem Land, southwestern Gulf of Carpentaria and
Groote Eylandt. There are ten published sources listed for this region
(though several key linguistic and ethnographic sources are omitted).
Which of the several languages in this area are represented by the
seven names can only be discovered by examining all ten references. In
short, without access to the original sources in specialist libraries,
this report is of questionable usefulness.
Although Peter gives no indication of the purpose of compiling this
report, a compendium of this sort is potentially of value to varied
users—not least
ornithologists, ethnobiologists and indigenous Australians. The report
may be of interest to those seeking a glimpse of the variety of
Aboriginal names for birds.
Regrettably, the approach adopted falls well short of any practical
utility the report might serve as an entree into a fascinating area of
study. Hopefully, anyone else contemplating a similar exercise for
other parts of the world may avoid the same pitfalls.

Chris Healey
Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies
Australian National University
Canberra
and
School of Languages, Cultures and Linguistics
Monash University
Melbourne, Australia

Dear all,

The 4th International PIF conference will be held at McAllen, Texas
from 13-16 February 2008 (see:
http://www.partnersinflight.org/events/2008_mcallen.htm)

I have proposed, and had accepted, a session titled: "Bird Knowledge
Across Cultures in the Western Hemisphere and Its Use in Bird
Conservation Projects" (see CFP, Abstract submission guidelines and an
outline of the 45 concurrent sessions at:
http://www.partnersinflight.org/events/2008_McAllen_Conference_callforpapers.pdf\
)

The deadline for abstract submission is 10 September 2007.

We have a morning session and there is a degree of flexibility in how
we run it, as Terry Rich advises:

"can consist of 12 15-minutes time slots with a half-hour break in the
middle. We can run 15- or 30-min talks (or I guess 45 or 60, if
warranted). Keep at least 30 minutes for a concluding discussion.

"Also recall that this is an international conference and every
session should have international content. Please recruit speakers
from outside
the US to participate in your session.

"And we are serious about getting at least one paper in each session
that addresses the educational components of your topic. And this does
not mean
just K-12, it means all of society. What target groups out there
should know X about your topic Y? What do you want group Z to do?
We've got a
new Bird Education Working Group, potential new sources of funding,
and bunch of new partners in bird education. We want to arm them with
substance so that they can craft messages for specific audiences to
meet our bird education objectives. Many of them will be in McAllen
but many
will not. "

I also note that the organisers have stressed the need for each
symposium to produce recommendations for actions for PiF and all
presenters will be required to participate in the panel discussion at
the end of the symposium which will generate recommendations and
proposed actions for PiF to consider and/or adopt.

It is proposed that the symposium be guided by a number of themes,
including the following:

Theme 1 – The value of ethnoornithological research for Partners in
Flight and indigenous communities, peoples and individuals.

Theme 2 – Methods, techniques, research design and ethics in
ethnoornithological research – issues for researchers, Partners in
Flight and indigenous communities, peoples and individuals.

Theme 3 – Issues related to the application of ethnoornithological
research in on-the-ground conservation biology – cost effectiveness,
continuing programs, long and short-term issues, researcher &
community education & training & practicalities.

Theme 4 - Issues for indigenous communities - How is the contribution
of their knowledge of bird consciousness viewed by them? What
protections do they require/expect and if so, how can these be
arranged to protect their knowledge from misuse. What pre-conditions,
consultations and sureties do they require prior to the start of
fieldwork/research? On what basis will they participate – as equal
partners or otherwise? Is it a one-way or two-way street? – what and
how will non-indigenous researchers & practitioners learn from this work?

I think that's enough for now and I await your responses etc - please
also pass this on to anyone else that you think might be interested in
this session. Again - please be mindful of the deadline of 10
September 2007.

Cheers and best,

Bob Gosford
Yuendumu, Australia
Moderator
Ethnoornithology Research & Study Group
Web: http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/Ethnoornithology/

Dear all,

The draft program for the 4th Biennial Australasian Ornithological
Conference 2007 to be held at Perth, Western Australia from 2 to 5
December has been released. The conference home page is at:
http://birdswa.iinet.net.au/aoc2007/index.htm and there is a link to
the application form for a grant Post Graduate Students of $500.

The Ethnoornithology session is one of 11 Symposia and we have six
slots for presenters. I have tried to get funding to bring Ian Saem
Majnep (co-author with Ralph Bulmer of the wonderful /Birds of My
Kalam Country) /from PNG but have been unable to raise funds for that.
I'd be interested in any other suggestions anyone has about raising
such funds.

In previous emails I outlined what would have been a more ambitious
program that would have taken a whole day, though even with the
shorter session I would hope that we get a reasonable spread across
the Australasian region. Don't be discouraged by the shorter session -
the alternatives are that you could make your presentation in the
General sessions or as a poster if need be.

We seem to have a strong representation from countries to Australia's
north, with Jeanine Pfeiffer, William Thomas and Eunice Dus expressing
interest from Indonesia and PNG respectively.

As you will see from the draft program we only have 6 slots in total
so if you are keen and can get to Perth get in early. You will need to
register etc and submit an abstract etc before the closing date of 31
August 2007 - so only a month to go! Please send registration and
abstracts through the conference website above but I would appreciate
you sending me a copy of your abstracts so that I can better keep
track of presenters etc.

If you are interested in getting more value from your trip to the far
west the The Ecological Society of Australia will conduct their annual
conference at Perth from the 26th to the 30th November 2007 - see:
www.ecolsoc.org.au. At the moment I'm looking to participate in
Rosemary Hill's symposium on /Indigenous adaptive management of
country: integrating Indigenous peoples' knowledge and practices for
sustainability/.

Thanks to you all and looking forward to seeing you in Perth in
December. Please don't hesitate to contact me by return email or by
telephone on +61889564058 or by Skype on bob_gosford if you want to
discuss anything.

Best and cheers to you all,

Bob Gosford
Ethnoornithology Research & Study Group
Web: http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/ethnoornithology/

Dear all -

Forwarded from the ISE secretariat:

Please disseminate widely:

It is our pleasure to share the attached Call for Participation and
Contributions for the 11th International Congress of Ethnobiology, to
be held in Cusco, Peru 25-30 June 2008, from host organization ANDES
(www.andes.org.pe).

The organizers invite written, video, artistic and other contributions
on the Congress theme: Livelihoods and Collective Biocultural
Heritage. The Call for Participation and Contributions is available at
http://www.andes.org.pe/english/web/Welcome.html.
Congress subthemes include:
- Traditional Agricultural Landscapes and Community Conserved Areas;
- Climate Change and Adaptation;
- Ethnobiology and Traditional Resource Rights: Darrell Posey´s Legacy;
A Special Session on Food Sovereignty and Centers of Origin:
Celebrating the International Year of the Potato dedicated to potato
farming communities of the Andean region will be also part of the
Program

ANDES also invites contributions to the Pre-Congress Workshop in
Tarapoto, Peru: Malaria and the Health and Well-being of Indigenous
Peoples. For more information see the ICE 2008 website, coming soon,
and to the Congress' World Cultures Festival in Cusco featuring among
others a Video Festival, Music Festival and Art Exhibits.

Again, the call can be found at
http://www.andes.org.pe/english/web/Welcome.html. Please link your
site to the ICE 2008 page!

Warm regards,
Felice Wyndham, ISE secretary

--
Felice S. Wyndham, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Anthropology
University of British Columbia
6303 NW Marine Dr.
Vancouver, B.C. V6T 1Z1 Canada

Office phone: (604) 822-2548
Fax: (604) 822-6161
felice.wyndham@...

Heidi,

Welcome to the ERSG and we look forward to hearing more about the work
you and your co-workers do. I'll put the links to both of the projects
up as links on the websites.

We have two files from the December 2005 Australasian Ornithological
Conference at Blenheim in the 'Files' section.

I'd encourage you to post and other files you think might be of interest
to our members and I look forward to hearing more about your work.

You might also consider coming to the AOC 2007 at Perth later this year
to give a follow-up presentation on your work - I'll send a follow-up
note about participation in the ethnoornithology session in the next few
days.

Again, welcome to the group.

Robert Gosford
ERSG moderator

Heidi Stevens wrote:
>
> Hi all,
> I have just joined the ERSG.  My name is Heidi Stevens and I am the
> coordinator of the Kaupapa Kereru Project (www.kaupapakereru.co.nz
> <http://www.kaupapakereru.co.nz>) and the Banks Peninsula Tui
> Restoration Project (www.tuisong.org.nz <http://www.tuisong.org.nz>).
> I am based in Christchurch New Zealand although these projects are
> focused on Banks Peninsula.  Both of these projects are very community
> oriented.
>
> Heidi
>
>

Hi,

I don't know if this would pertain to the rift valley or migratory
species but you might be interested in the following article:

Cocker, M. and Mikkola, H. 2001. Magic, myth and misunderstanding:
cultural responses to owls in Africa and their implications for
conservation. Bulletin of the African Bird Club, vol 8.1: 30-35.


On an unrelated note regarding the post about the Barn Owl. This
species is apparently a relatively recent colonist of the island of
Borneo and according to at least one person spoke to the appearance of
this ghostly white screaming bird initially provoked some very strong
responses among certain indegenous peoples.

christian artuso (Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada)

I am researching bird knowledge among peoples of the Great Rift Valley
for a project called "Flyways," based on the migration along the Great
Rift from Turkey to southern Africa. The project will chronicle the
birds' passage using music of the cultures over which the birds fly
and featuring the voices of some of the various endemic and migrating
species. The birds' extraordinary journeys link cultures across vast
distances, a powerful symbol for the interconnectedness of all forms
of life as well as for the need for international collaboration for
conservation. Music and dance are often the defining elements of
cultures, and music can also weave a joining thread. "Flyways'"
purpose is to celebrate and affirm the diverse and extraordinary
musical and dance traditions found throughout the region, many of
which are in danger of disappearing; and to support conservation
efforts relating to the birds.

For my ethno-ornithology research, I am particularly interested in
species which feature prominently in the cultural landscapes, such as
storks and  cranes, hoopoes,  woodpeckers, nightjars, and owls.  I'm
also interested in knowledge and lore relating to endangered and
threatened species, such as the Bald Ibis. Lastly, in addition to the
above, I'd like to learn about any of the birds with "musical,"
evocative, or amazing vocalizations (for example, African Fish Eagle,
bitterns, bustards, doves, shrikes, turacos, boubous.)

All ideas and suggestions are welcome.

With thanks,

This article comes from AP and reports on the role that Barn Owls,
somewhat innocently, have played in bringing farming communities on
either side of the Israeli-Jordan border together.

Common Barn Owl, Enemy to Rodents, Unites Israeli, Jordanian Farmers

July 16, 2007 — By Ben Winograd, Associated Press

SHEIK HUSSEIN VILLAGE, Jordan -- For years, Ibrahim Alayyan watched in
frustration as rats devoured the date palms at his lush family farm.

Having no luck with pesticides, the retired Jordanian heart surgeon
was only too eager to try a pest control agent widely used in fields
just across the Jordan River in Israel -- owls.

"There used to be so many rats," Alayyan said. "But after we put in
the owls, thank God, this is the first time we have had a full date
harvest."

To the world, the symbol of peace may be a dove, but to farmers on
either side of the Jordan, it's Tyto alba, the common barn owl.

Alayyan is one of dozens of Jordanians working in cooperation with
Israeli colleagues, targeting rodents with a natural predator instead
of with chemicals.

The effort still faces suspicions and superstitions, but organizers
hope the message of their partial success will spread to Lebanon,
Syria and other Middle Eastern countries, and demonstrate the fruits
of the 1994 peace treaty that ended a 46-year state of war between
Israel and Jordan.

Political benefits aside, the project is driven foremost by
environmental concerns.

In the late 1970s, chemicals killed hundreds of birds in northern
Israel, said Yossi Leshem, an Israeli ornithologist and director of
the International Center for the Study of Bird Migration.

So Leshem persuaded Sde Eliyahu, a kibbutz south of the Sea of
Galilee, to try owls, which can eat up to 10 rodents a day. All the
farmers needed was to build boxes where the birds could mate and raise
their young.

"I put up 14 barn owl boxes, and everybody laughed at me," said Shauli
Aviel, who oversees the effort at the collective farm.

A few years later, Sde Eliyahu's rat problem had vanished, he said.
More than 60 nesting boxes now sit on the grounds of the kibbutz, and
the technique has caught on with other farmers along the Jordan.

Yet as the owl population grew, the birds increasingly began flying --
and looking to nest -- across the nearby border with Jordan, where
pesticide use remains rampant. Chemicals seeped into the water table,
and owls were poisoned by eating contaminated rodents.

Then came the peace treaty, Israelis and Jordanians got used to being
good neighbors, and in late 2002 Aviel and fellow Israeli farmers
planned a regional conference on barn owls to explain their advantages
to colleagues across the Jordan River.

The response was discouraging. Many Arabs consider owls the same way
others view black cats -- as bad luck. Word came back to the Israelis
that no Jordanians would attend.

So the organizers changed the title of the conference to focus on
organic farming, and two dozen Jordanians turned up. Midway through
the gathering they were given a demonstration on owls, and soon
Jordanian farmers were asking how they could attract owls to their
fields, Aviel said.

With funding from the Jewish Community Federation of Cleveland, Ohio,
the kibbutz gave the Jordanians advice and building materials. More
than three dozen nesting boxes have since been put up in Jordan,
organizers said.

Among the most eager participants was Alayyan, a former chief of
cardiovascular surgery at a Jordanian hospital. He agreed to build a
nesting box at his family's farm in the village of Sheik Hussein, six
miles from Aviel's kibbutz.

"For me, it was a real pleasure to find a man like that on the other
side of the border," said Aviel, as he and Alayyan surveyed a group of
newborn owl nestlings. Unable to communicate in their own languages,
the two men spoke to each other in English, but when it came to nature
and conservation, "He spoke in my language," Aviel said.

The project also has gotten support from political and former military
leaders in both countries, including Mansour Abu Rashed, the former
head of Jordanian intelligence.

Rashed, who heads the Amman Center for Peace and Development, said
organizers are "under no illusions" the owl project will ease Mideast
tensions; the goal is simply "to bring people together, to let them
talk and build confidence."

But obstacles remain. After the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in March
2003, Israeli farmers delayed the initial delivery of building
materials to Jordan for the owl boxes because of the tense atmosphere.
Arabic posters promoting the benefits of barn owls make no mention of
Israel.

Some Israeli organizers have expressed frustration at the pace of
progress in Jordan. And last month, some nesting boxes on Jordanian
farms were stolen or vandalized. Although it was unclear whether the
vandalism was driven by owl-phobia or by Israel's involvement, it
upset Leshem, the Israeli ornithologist.

"We are wasting our money and time, coming and putting boxes -- and
then, suddenly, they are destroyed," he said after a recent meeting
with the Jordanians.

"It's a new project in our area," explained Abu Rashed, the retired
general. "Nobody knows what's inside" the boxes.

Organizers also say the project has gained little traction among
Palestinians, because of security restrictions that make it hard for
them and Israelis to travel to each other's territory for meetings.

Still, even when tensions run high, the environment is one of the few
areas where Israelis and Arabs cooperate. The owl conference went
ahead at a time when the Palestinian uprising against Israel was at
its peak, and during that uprising, Israeli and Palestinian officials
maintained contacts on issues such as water quality and waste removal.

The Arava Institute for Environmental Studies in southern Israel
trains Jewish and Arab students, including Jordanians and
Palestinians, in solving ecological problems.

Friends of the Earth-Middle East, an organization of Israeli,
Jordanian and Palestinian environmentalists, leads joint efforts to
clean up the Jordan River and promote eco-tourism packages on both
sides of the border.

"We're doing something our governments are not able to do," says Mira
Edelstein, an organization spokeswoman. "If people know how to
highlight the environmental benefits that can come out of this type of
cooperation, then it's not political anymore."

Source: Associated Press

Contact Info:

Audrey,

Thanks for your response. I've passed it on to Mzumara, as I have
another response that similarly recommended the Percy FitzPatrick
Institution for African Ornithology at the University of Cape Town
(UCT). She may get back to you about future contacts.
I don't know if you are aware of or interested in being involved in the
next Pan African Ornithological conference to be held in South Africa. I
posted a note about this some time ago as we have been approached to
organise a session on ethnoornithology.
Please let me know if you are interested. Please also feel free to post
any information, papers etc on the ERSG site for the information of us all.

Thanks again,

Robert Bob


Audrey Msimanga wrote:
> Hi Bob
> I have done work on the role of IK on birds on conservation in
> Zimbabwe. However I am not in a position to supervise as I am only
> working on my PhD with Wits University in South Africa. The
> PercyFitzPatrick Institution for African Ornithology at the University
> of Cape Town (UCT) is where the bulk of research on southern African
> birds takes place but dont know if there would someone with that
> particular specialist knowledge. I would be interested in continuing
> communication with Mzumara as I am still working with birds in local
> culture.
>
> Hope this helps.
>
> Audrey Msimanga
>
>
> */Robert Gosford <robertgosford@...>/* wrote:
>
>     Dear all,
>
>     Can anyone assist Ms Mzumara Tiwonge with her query? - I've made a
>     number of suggestions and I am happy to pass on any further
>     comments or suggestions to her if a return email is sent to me.
>
>     Thanks in advance,
>
>     Bob Gosford
>     Yuendumu, NT, Australia
>
>     I would like to do my MSc by thesis studying what
>     implications indigenous bird knowledge has on bird
>     conservation in Malawi. I need to find a willing
>     supervisor with experience in such and a university
>     that would be willing to register me. Do yo have any
>     suggestions?
>
>     Tiwonge (Ms)
>
>
>
>
> Marang Wits Centre for Maths and Science Education
> University of the Witwatersrand
> School of Education
> Private Bag 3
> Wits
> 2050
> Tel.: +27-11-7173070
>
>
> Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might!
> King Solomon the Wiseman
>
> Better build schoolrooms for 'the boy', than cells and gibbets for
> 'the man'. Eliza Cook (1818 - 1889)
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Yahoo! Answers - Get better answers from someone who knows. Try it now
>
<http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/;_ylc=X3oDMTEydmViNG02BF9TAzIxMTQ3MTcxOTAEc2VjA21ha\
WwEc2xrA3RhZ2xpbmU>.
>
>

Dear all,

Can anyone assist Ms Mzumara Tiwonge with her query? - I've made a number of suggestions and I am happy to pass on any further comments or suggestions to her if a return email is sent to me.

Thanks in advance,

Bob Gosford
Yuendumu, NT, Australia

I would like to do my MSc by thesis studying what
implications indigenous bird knowledge has on bird
conservation in Malawi. I need to find a willing
supervisor with experience in such and a university
that would be willing to register me. Do yo have any
suggestions?

Tiwonge (Ms)

Dear Nancy,

Thanks for that information. I'll pass it on to Ms. Tiwonge.

Its good to hear from you after some time and its good to see that you
are still in Africa.

I don't know if you caught the recent post about the request from the
organisers of the Pan African Ornith Congress to organise an ethnoorn
session at the conference in South Africa in September next year if you
are still in the country would you like to be involved? It would be good
to have someone on the ground and we've had a good response to date,
particularly from people in Kenya and I'm reasonably confident that we
could get a good session together.

Let me know what you think.

Don't forget to post some of your thoughts, papers or musings to the
ERSG website - we really like to know what sort of work people are up
to. You might pass word about the ERSG to those that you say are "open
to the subject"!

Cheers, thanks and best,

Robert Gosford

Nancy J. Jacobs wrote:
>
> Greetings from a lurker.
>
<http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/Ethnoornithology;_ylc=X3oDMTJlc24wb2kwBF9TAzk3\
NDkwNTA0BGdycElkAzE3MDg4MTcwBGdycHNwSWQDMTY5MDA4MzQ0OARzZWMDaGRyBHNsawNocGgEc3Rp\
bWUDMTE4MjI1NDI5MA-->
>
> I'd like to recommend that Ms. Tiwonge look at the FitzPatrick
> Institute for African Ornithology at the University of Cape Town.
> They have strong interests in conservation across Africa.  They don't
> specialize in ethno-ornithology per se, but seem open to the subject.
> People from other departments, such as anthropology, have a
> specializations in ethno-biology.
>
>
>
> --
>
> Nancy J. Jacobs
> Associate Professor, Departments of Africana Studies and History
>
> The Animated Atlas of African History:  www.brown.edu/aaah
>
>

Dear all,

Can anyone assist Ms Mzumara Tiwonge with her query? - I've made a number of
suggestions and I am happy to pass on any further comments or suggestions to her
if a return email is sent to me.

Thanks in advance,

Bob Gosford
Yuendumu, NT, Australia

I would like to do my MSc by thesis studying what
implications indigenous bird knowledge has on bird
conservation in Malawi. I need to find a willing
supervisor with experience in such and a university
that would be willing to register me. Do yo have any
suggestions?

Tiwonge (Ms)

Dear all,

Just a quick note concerning a positive response I have received from
the organisers of the 2nd International Eurasian Ornithology Congress to
be held at Antaltya, Turkey in late October this year.

I'm planning to be in the area (well, east Africa) the week before and
it seems a good opportunity to meet up with some European & Eurasian
colleagues and to hear more about what people are working on or
planning, and also to spread the word on ethnoornithology to an area
that I know is rich in bird knowledge from many countries and cultures.

I have not finalised this proposed session with the conference
organisers and would expect we would need another 4 or 5 (plus me) to
make up enough presenters to warrant a dedicated session. If we don't
have enough presenters for a session I would encourage you to make
further enquiries about making a presentation.

Please note that Registration and Abstract Submission have been extended
to 15 July. You should also check visa requirements.

To find out more about the congress go to:
http://www.akdeniz.edu.tr/fenedebiyat/ornithology/

If you are interested in participating, presenting or assisting with the
organisation of the proposed session please contact me by return email
or through the Ethnoornithology Research & Study Group at:
http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/ethnoornithology/

Please also pass this message on to anyone you think might be interested
in attending or presenting at this congress.

Cheers and hoping to hear from you soon,

Robert Gosford
Ethnoornithology Research & Study Group
http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/ethnoornithology/

Dear all,

Good news from Birding Australia's Annual General Meeting on the
approval for a BA Ethnoornithology Special Interest Group as related
in today's BA's E-News released today.

As indicated in this message we'll be looking for BA members
interested in ethnoornithology to take up positions on the committee.

One event the new ESIG could become involved in the the conduct of the
proposed Ethnoornithology Symposium to be held at the Australasian
Ornithological Conference in Perth, Western Australia in December this
year.

I believe that this is a big advance for ethnoornithology in part
because it is the first international peak ornithological body to
recognise ethnoornithology as an integral part of contemporary
ornithology and worthy of institutional recognition and guidance -
which I consider to be an important step in raising the profile,
activity and acceptance of ethnoornithology and culturally-based bird
conservation.

Please send your expressions of interest in serving on the inaugural
committee via the ERSG site.

Cheers,

Robert Gosford

E-News article begins:

"New Ethnoornithology Special Interest Group

Birds Australia has established the Ethnoornithology Special Interest
Group (ESIG). This was resolved by Council at its meeting in May. The
impetus for this has come out of the Ethnoornithology Research & Study
Group which was established in January 2006 following the successful
conduct of a day-long Ethnoornithology Symposium at the 2005
Australasian Ornithological Congress at Blenheim New Zealand. The
prime mover for this study group has been Robert Gosford.

Ethnoornithology is the study of the relationship between people and
birds (from "ethno-" - relating to people and culture - and
"ornithology" - the study of birds). It is a branch of ethnozoology
and so of the wider field of ethnobiology. Ethnoornithology is an
interdisciplinary subject and combines anthropological, cognitive and
linguistic perspectives with natural scientific approaches to the
description and interpretation of people's knowledge and use of birds.

Like ethnoscience and other cognate terms, "ethnoornithology" is
sometimes used narrowly to refer to people's practice rather than the
study of that practice. The broader focus is on how birds are
perceived, used and managed in human societies, including their use
for food, medicine and personal adornment, as well as their use in
divination and ritual. Applied ethnoornithological research is also
starting to play an increasingly important role in the development of
conservation initiatives.

Further information on the ERSG and the activities of its members can
be found at the website:
http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/ethnoornithology/

Council will now work to establish rules for the ESIG and then call
for nominations for a Committee and other members."

Dear all,

This might be of interest to ERSG members.

Cheers,

Robert Gosford
ERSG moderator

The Social Science Working Group of the Society for Conservation Biology
is seeking contributions to its new Working Paper Series.

The goal of the Working Paper Series (WPS) is to provide a forum for
conservation social science research, especially successful application
of social science tools and approaches to conservation policy and
practice.  The WPS aims to promote current research in the final stages
of completion.  Through its simplified review process, the series offers
rapid dissemination of critical conservation social science work to the
conservation community, social science peers, students, and other
professionals.  This is an opportunity for authors to open their work
for initial public viewing and commentary before moving on to relevant
journal submission.

The WPS hopes to become the place where conservation social scientists
turn for the most current and critical insights into the field.

The editors are particularly interested in papers examining the ways in
which conservation social science answers the following questions in
some manner:

1.      Where should the conservation community focus its efforts?
2.      How should the conservation community design and implement its
conservation interventions?
3.      What are the impacts of our conservation interventions?

Submissions dealing with other aspects of conservation social science
are also welcome.

To contribute to the working paper series, please visit the Social
Science Working Group WPS webpage
( http://www.conbio.org/WorkingGroups/SSWG/ResPapers.cfm
<http://www.conbio.org/WorkingGroups/SSWG/ResPapers.cfm> ) and click on
"submission procedures."

For more information on the Social Science Working Group, see its web
page http://www.conbio.org/WorkingGroups/SSWG/
<http://www.conbio.org/WorkingGroups/SSWG/> .

Thank you!

The SSWG Education Committee

William Forbes, Chair

Stephen F. Austin State University


David Hoffman

University for Peace


Stephen A. Williams

Earthwatch Institute

Dear all,

Early last month I traveled to Venezuela to attend the VIIIth
Neotropical Ornithological Congress. The Congress itself was very well
attended and organised, with over 400 delegates from 27 countries
attending. There were 5 plenary sessions on a range of important issues
for neotropical ornithology, 24 themed oral presentation sessions 23
symposia. 6 Workshops and over 100 poster presentations.

I presented a paper titled "Recent developments & future prospects in
ethnoornithology" at the 'Exploring Bird Conservation by Indigenous
People: Insights for Bio-cultural Conservation" symposium convened by
Leonardo Cabrera of McGill University, Canada and Mark Bonta of Delta
State University in the US.

The symposium and the conference went very well and I've made a number
of new contacts throughout the New World. I have also been asked to
participate in the next Partners in Flight conference to be held at
McAllen, Texas in February 2008 and to assist in the development of two
sessions, provisionally titled “Bird Consciousness – The Sentient Bird
and bicultural conservation practices and principles – alien or allied?”
and "Bird Knowledge across cultures in the Western Hemisphere and its
use in bird conservation projects." - I'll hear further about the
progress of these proposals and pass on any relevant news.

As this was my first time in central/south America, just about
everything we saw was new for me. There are certainly some fascinating
birds in this part of the world. As usual for such large meetings, there
were a number of conference-related field trips. One of those trips was
to the "Cueva del Guácharo" (Oilbird Cave), in the mountainous Caripe
district of northern Monagas, Venezuela, is where Alexander von Humboldt
first studied the species. The caripensis of the binomial name means "of
Caripe", and Steatornis means "fat bird", in reference to the fatness of
the squabs.

The "Cueva del Guácharo" was Venezuela's first national monument, and is
the centerpiece of a national park; according to some estimates there
may be 15,000 or more birds living there. Colombia also has a national
park named after its "Cueva de los Guácharos", near the southern border
with Ecuador. Oilbirds have been reported in various other places along
the Andean mountain chain, including near Ecuador's Cueva de los Tayos
and in Brazil: they are known to dwell as far south as the Carrasco
National Park in Bolivia. Dunstan Cave, at the Asa Wright Nature Centre
in Trinidad, is home to about 200 nesting pairs of oilbirds.
The Oilbird (Steatornis caripensis), also known as Guácharo, is a slim,
long-winged bird related to the nightjars and usually placed with these
in the order Caprimulgiformes. It is sufficiently distinctive to be
placed in a family (Steatornithidae) and suborder (Steatornithes) of its
own; more recent research[citation needed] indicates that it should even
be considered a distinct order (which does not yet have a valid
taxonomic name). It is found in the northern areas of South America from
Guayana and the island of Trinidad to Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru
and Bolivia in forests and woodland with caves. It is a seasonal
migrant, moving from its breeding caves in search of fruit trees. It has
occurred as a rare vagrant to Costa Rica, Panama and Aruba.

This nocturnal species, uniquely, is a specialist feeder on the fruit of
the Oil Palm and tropical laurels. All the other nightjars and their
relatives are insectivores. (Thanks to the Wikipedia page:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oilbird for this information)

The other field trips headed for the Morichal Largo river and Monagas
savannahs.

The Morichal Largo river is one of the four large natural regions that
comprise the Orinoco Delta biome. The river originates in a low mesa and
flows into the Gulf of Paria. Due to its relatively short length, the
composition of the rock over which it flows, and the particular
characteristics of the riverine vegetation, the Morichal Largo carries
relatively low sediment loads and is therefore a clear-water river.

The vegetation associated with the Morichal Largo includes the Moriche
palm (Mauritia flexuosa) swamps that give the river its name. This
species of palm has considerable socioeconomic value to local indigenous
communities, especially in the manufacture of baskets, hammocks and
other artisanal goods.

The waters are home to a diverse tropical fish fauna, including several
species typical of aquaria and – of course – piranhas. Red Howler and
Capuchin monkeys are also found along the river.

Morichal largo river is a good location for birds of prey, including
King Vulture (Sarcoramphus papa), Greater Yellow-headed Vulture
(Cathartes melambrotus), Gray-headed Kite (Leptodon cayanensis),
Zone-tailed Hawk (Buteo albonotatus) and Laughing Falcon (Herpethoteres
cachinnans). In the contiguous savannas, Savanna Hawk (Buteogallus
meridionalis), Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture (Cathartes burrovianus) and
Northern Crested-Caracara (Caracara cheriway). Other species include
Red-bellied Macaw (Orthopsittaca manilata), Red-shouldered Macaw
(Diopsittaca nobilis), Russet-throated Puffbird – treated some times as
Double-banded Puffbird – (Hypnelus ruficollis), Point-tailed Palmcreeper
(Berlepschia rikeri), Hoatzin (Opisthocomus hoazin), Squirrel Cuckoo
(Piaya cayana) and Little Cuckoo (Piaya minuta).
Other highlight birds include the Great Kiskadee (Pitangus sulphuratus),
Social Flycatcher (Myiozetetes similis), Rusty-margined Flycatcher
(Myiozetetes cayanensis), Piratic Flycatcher (Legatus leucophaius),
Sulphury Flycatcher (Tyrannopsis sulphurea) and Fork-tailed Flycatcher
(Tyrannus savana). (This information from the conference website:
http://www.nocvenezuela.org/en/index.cfm)

The field trips were organised by Ascanio Birding Tours
(www.ascaniobirding.com) and I would highly recommend them to anyone
wanting to bird in Venezuela, Surinam & Guyana).

Bird list - this represents the 113 species seen by all three boatloads
on the Morichal Largo River:

Least Grebe Black Vulture
Turkey Vulture Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture
Crested Caracara Yellow-headed Caracara
Zone-tailed Hawk White-tailed Hawk
Roadside Hawk Grey-lined Hawk
Long-Winged Harrier Savannah Hawk
Black-collared Hawk Black-shouldered Kite
Plumbeous Hawk American Kestrel
Burrowing Owl Grey-breasted Martin
Brown-chested Martin Southern Rough-winged Swallow
Forktailed Palm Swift Short-tailed Swift
Fork-tailed Flycatcher Pied Water Tyrant
Carib Grackle Yellow-rumped Cassix
Shining Cowbird Shining Cowbird
Rufous-vented Chachalaca Whistling Heron
Great Egret Cocoyi Heron
Cattle Egret Snow Egret
Masked Duck Roseate Spoonbill
Black-bellied Whistling Duck White-faced Whistling Duck
Southern Lapwing Wattled Jacana
Pale-vented Pigeon Scaled Dove
Ruddy Ground Dove Pl (?)-breasted Ground Dove
Eared Dove Common Ground Dove
Orange-winged Parrot White-eyed Parrot
Brown-throated Parakeet Red-shouldered Macaw
Squirrel Cuckoo Groove-billed Anis
Greater Anis Smooth-billed Anis
Black-throated Mango White-chested Emerald
Rufous-breasted Hummingbird Glittering-throated Emerald
White-tailed Trogon Rufous-tailed Jacama
Green Kingfisher Pygmy Kingfisher
Ringed Kingfisher Red-billed Toucan
Lineated Kingfisher Buff-throated Woodcreeper
Plain-fronted Thornbird Black-crested Antshrike
Silvered Antbird Black-tailed Tityra
Cattle Tyrant Tropical Kingbird
Sulphury Flycatcher Social Flycatcher
Rusty-margined Flycatcher Great Kiskadee
Boat-billed Flycatcher Brown-crested Flycatcher
Short-crested Flycatcher Yellow-bellied Eleania
Mouse-colored Tyrannulet Southern Beardless Tyrannulet
Yellow-crowned Tyrannulet Pale-eyed Pygmy Tyrant
Common Tody Forest Eleania
Bicolored Wren Striped-back Wren
Dark-backed Donacobius House Wren
Tropical Mockingbird Pale-breasted Thrush
Rufous-barbed Peppershrike Scrub Greenlet
Bananaquit Blue Gray Tanager
Palm Tanager Silver-beaked Tanager
Oriole Blackbird Orange-crowned Oriole
Yellow Oriole Red-breasted Blackbird
Eastern Meadowlark Grey Saltater
Lesser Titfinch Saffron Finch
Ruddybreasted Seedeater Neotropical Cormorant
Anhinga Horned Screamer
Pied Water Tyrant Double-striped Thicknee
Hoatzin

Phew - that was some day and Venezuela, with over 1300 species, is some
country for watching birds!!
(and they've got good coffee!!)

Cheers and best,

Bob Gosford
Yuendumu

From the 35th Conference on South Asia - University of Wisconsin:
http://southasiaconference.wisc.edu/

Pieris, Anoma
The Messenger Birds of Jayawardhanapura: Evaluating Early National
Consciousness

During the 15th and 16th centuries the capital city of
Jayawardhanapura, Kotte, in Sri Lanka emerged as the
center of Sinhalese literary efflorescence. It was also the starting
point for a colonizing project that would
unify the island under Sinhala Buddhist kingship by incorporating the
northern Tamil kingdom of Jaffna. This
paper uses the Sandesha Kavyas, message poems that traced the journeys
of birds across the island's
landscape to map the political geography of the Sinhala State. Modeled
on the Mega Duta, these poems
carved a path from the kingdom's capital to its periphery as its bird
messengers journeyed across forests,
fields, rivers, over port cities, and remote places of worship until
they delivered the message to incumbent
monks in specific Buddhist temples. Its history was circulated through
Ola leaf manuscripts, an early form of
print capitalism, painstakingly copied by junior monks in village
temples and recited in the oral tradition.
Embedded in these narratives was a pre-colonial national consciousness
constructed against an ethnic
other. Using familiar theories of nationalism as its starting point
this paper examines the nature of Sinhala
and Tamil ethnic identity during the Kotte period evaluating arguments
of ethnic hybridity against ideas of
racial difference.

DIVINE MESSENGERS
Bird Symbolism and Aesthetics in Southeast Asia
edited by Pierre LE ROUX and Bernard SELLATO

Preface by Jean LARIVIERE (Scientific Adviser of the Foundation
Ushuaia-Nicolas Hulot pour la Nature et l'Homme, Vice-President of the
French Section of the International Union for Nature Conservation).
Published with assistance from the Maison Asie-Pacifique (Centre
National de la Recherche Scientifique and Université de Provence), in
partnership with IRASEC (Institute for Research on Contemporary
Southeast Asia).
Format / Size : 145 x 210 mm; 866 pages noir et blanc / B&W, 36
planches quadri./36 colour plates.

Prix de vente / Selling price : 35 euros - ISBN : 2-7539-0059-0

Available for sale from 29 September 2006

Further information can be obtained from the Sales Department of
Editions Connaissances & Savoirs:

Abstract: Is there a special relationship in Southeast Asia between
humans and birds? Indeed, birds play here an important role in
cosmology, beliefs, social structure, funerals, and ritual technology,
which cannot be dissociated from economic productions: agriculture,
fishing, harvesting, hunting, handicraft and trade. The bird in
Southeast Asia is to be understood first as part of an essential
symbolic couple: the snake and the bird, which represent,
respectively, masculinity, seniority, the underground and aquatic
worlds, rainy seasons; and femininity, the sky, the dry season, and
juniority, i.e., dependent people. In a region characterized by
alternating monsoons and, often, by a cultural bi-polarity, most
societies have elaborated a dualistic conception of the universe, and
sometimes a ternary conception: two expressions of a same original
godhead. A trinity made of two main elements (the elder and younger
brothers) and a third one (the wife) dominates throughout almost all
of Southeast Asia, where the opposition between elder and younger is
general and relevant in most kinship and marriage systems. Here,
perhaps more than elsewhere in the world, the social position of women
is privileged, if not primordial. While the bird, very often, is a
metaphor for a maiden, its taking flight is always assimilated to that
of the soul of the dead, the beginning of a new life, and so, always,
a symbol of hope.

Contributeurs / Contributors:

Contributions, en français ou en anglais de / A collection of
contributions in French or in English by:

Lorraine V. Aragon (University of North Carolina, USA), Helga Blazy
(Universität zu Köln, Germany/Allemagne), Pascale Bonnemère (CNRS,
France), Peter Boomgaard (KITLV, The Netherlands/Pays-Bas), Jean
Boulbet (EFEO, France), Josiane Cauquelin (LASEMA, France), Anne-May
Chew (Université de La Sorbonne, France), Robert K. Dentan (State
University of New York at Buffalo, USA), Gregory Forth (University of
Alberta, Canada), Donald & Joan Gear (South Africa/Afrique du Sud),
Itie van Hout (KIT Tropenmuseum, The Netherlands/Pays-Bas), Bernard
Koechlin (CNRS, France), Corneille Jest (CNRS, France), Pierre Le Roux
(IRSEA, France), Ghislaine Loyré de Hauteclocque (IRSEA, France), Guy
Lubeigt (CNRS, France), Albert Marie Maurice (France), Nguyen Tung
(CNRS, France), Bernard Pot (IRSEA, France), Oliver Raendchen
(Humboldt Universität, Germany/Allemagne), Clifford Sather (Universiti
Malaysia Sarawak, Malaysia), Jean-Christophe Simon (IRD, France),
Vishvajit Pandya (Institute of Information and Communication
Technology, India/Inde).

Dear all - can you think of a person worthy of this award - see below
for nominations etc.
Cheers,

Robert Gosford
ERSG Moderator


The deadline for the Science and Practice of Ecology and Society Award
is fast approaching. If you are interested in submitting a
nominations, please read the text below for details and send your
nominations to Dr. Marco Janssen (Marco.Janssen@...) before July 1st.


THE SCIENCE AND PRACTICE OF ECOLOGY AND SOCIETY AWARD

The Science and Practice of Ecology & Society Award is an annual award
given to the individual or organization that is the most effective in
bringing transdisciplinary science of the interactions of ecology and
society into practice. An article about the winner, Gloria Gaia, of
the inaugural edition of 2006 can be found at
http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol11/iss2/art28/. Examples of
possible nominees include, a high school teacher who develops a
special curriculum, a mayor with initiatives and actions for her/his
town based on scientific concepts, a journalist who brings scientific
insights to a broader audience, or a NGO group who facilitates local
knowledge production in rural communities.

The purpose of this award is to recognize the importance of
practitioners who translate the scientific findings and insights of
the scholarly community to practical applications. We want to identify
innovative practitioners so that their story can be an example for others.

The Award
The award consists of 1000 Euro and an article in Ecology and Society
devoted to this person or organization. This article will be written
by those who send in the nomination.

Who can be nominated?
A person or organization that has succeeded in translating
transdisciplinary science theory into practice.

Who nominates?
Any academic scholar or group of academic scholars can nominate a
person or organization. An accompanying letter will argue why this
person or organization is an exemplary example of the interface of
practice and science in the domain of ecology and society.

Where to submit nominations?
The deadline for nominations will be July 1, 2007. Nomination letters
can be sent, preferably electronically, to Dr. Marco Janssen, Email:
Marco.Janssen@.... School of Human Evolution and Social Change,
Arizona State University, Box 872402, Tempe, AZ 85287-2402.

Dear all,

Just a quick note to advise that I have today posted 3 new files to
the ERSG website. The first is a notice of a new book, Animals the
Ancestors Hunted, by Ian Saem Majnep & Ralph Bulmer on the animals of
Kalam country in Papua New Guinea. For those familiar with the first
book from these esteemed ethnobiologists, Birds of my Kalam Country,
this second volume of the planned trilogy is keenly anticipated.

The two other files are powerpoints of presentations to the recent
VIIIth Neotropical Ornithological Congress at Maturin, Venezuela by
me, Robert Gosford, and Dr. Mark Bonta of Delta State University.
These presentations were part of the symposium "Exploring Bird
Conservation by Indigenous People: Insights for Biocultural
Conservation", organised by Mark Bonta and Leonardo Cabrera of McGill
University, Canada.

I have other presentations from the conference but they are too big in
their current form to upload to this site.

I'll issue another Call for Contributions for the next ERSG Newsletter
soon - we should have more than enough material since the last issue!

Cheers and best - please send your thoughts, notes etc - no matter how
   small - to share with the rest of us.

Robert Gosford
ERSG moderator

----- Original Message -----

From: Robert Gosford

To: Ethnoornithology@...

Sent: Tuesday, May 29, 2007 8:48 PM

Subject: Re: [Ethnoornithology] Aboriginal Bird Knowledge book project - announcement

Greg,

As always good to hear from you. I'll pass on (or else you'll have to
buy the book?) any relevant material on B-n Stork
- why Satin? I can't think of other references for leg sinew use, though
with such a long leg I can imagine, as with kangaroos & wallabies, that
the leg sinews would be a good length and would contract nicely once
dried out ... though they might not have the 'spring' that a kangaroo
sinew would.
I haven't seen the paper - I'll do some more research when I get to a
Qld library in a few months time (Qld seems to be a fruitful area for
ethnographic research). I think Whistling Ducks are good food wherever
they are found - BTW we saw Black-bellied Whistling Ducks at a pond in
south-easter Venezuela a few weeks ago.

Cheers, thanks and best and please keep up the good work and remember to
send any tips, however small or seemingly irrelevant and also to pass my
message on to anyone you think might be interested. I might drop in to
see you later in the year - otherwise see you in Perth.

Bob Gosford

Greg wrote:
>
> Hi Robert,
>
> I will be very interested in what you find out about Aboriginal bird
> knowledge (and use) with respect to the Black-necked (Satin) Stork.
>
>
> The only reference I found was "the leg sinews are valued for binding
> barbs to spears but it is also eaten". Stephen Garnett and Robert
> Bredl 'Birds in the vicinity of Edward River Settlement. The Sunbird
> 15 :7-40 (Nos. 1 and 2). There are also references to Wandering
> Whistling-Ducks being extensively hunted for food. There may be other
> references to such interactions. Have you seen this paper?
>
>
> Regards
>
> Greg Clancy
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> *From:* Robert Gosford <mailto:robertgosford@bigpond.com>
> *To:* Birding-Aus <mailto:birding-aus@vicnet.net.au> ; COG list
> <mailto:canberrabirds@canberrabirds.org.au> ; Birds Queensland
> Forum <mailto:BQ_Forum@yahoogroups.com> ; Ethnoornithology group
> <mailto:ethnoornithology@yahoogroups.co.uk> ; Nt Birds group
> <mailto:ntbirds@yahoogroups.com>
> *Sent:* Sunday, May 27, 2007 7:57 AM
> *Subject:* [Ethnoornithology] Aboriginal Bird Knowledge book
> project - announcement
>
> Dear all,
>
> I'm tremendously excited to announce that I have recently signed with
> CSIRO Publishing to produce a book to examine, for the first time
> in any
> systematic and (hopefully) comprehensive way, the bird knowledge of
> Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The book's
> working title is /Aboriginal Bird Knowledge/ - though I hope to
> come up
> with something a little more catchy over the next year or so! I'm
> planning on getting the book to CSIRO Publishing by around June 2008.
>
> I plan to present historical information (from the oral traditions,
> anthropological and linguistic records and ornithological material
> etc,
> of which I've already gathered a lot of material), alongside
> contemporary information gathered through contacts and meetings with
> Aboriginal people and groups over the course of the next 9 months
> or so.
> I plan to do two long road-trips covering most of the country meeting
> and talking with people. I'll also do a few smaller trips to
> places that
> I can't reach easily by car. I look forward to being able to
> present a
> progress report at the AOC 2007 in Perth in December.
>
> The layout of the book will broadly follow that used by Mark
> Cocker in
> his recent encyclopeadic work on British bird knowledge (which I
> regard
> as an ethnoornithology of the British Isles and peoples) titled
> /Birds
> Britannica, /and with a couple of chapters reflecting Aboriginal
> uses of
> birds, and reflections on Birds in indigenous art and culture/. /In
> Cocker's book birds were examined by family groupings and I think
> this
> will allow for ease of reference and also a more convenient way to
> group
> knowledge from different language groups from across the country
> rather
> than just by local language groupings.
>
> I'm very aware of the issues related to the use (and potential for
> misuse) of Aboriginal traditional knowledge and have proposed several
> ways to address possible concerns:
>
> 1 - In compliance with the recently released Code of Conduct
> prepared by
> the /International Society of Ethnobiology/ (of which I am a
> member and
> thus bound by) I will seek the prior and informed consent of all
> participants in the project;
> 2 - I'll provide copies of photos, tapes and other research
> material etc
> to all participants or their nominated places of safekeeping (local
> Keeping Place, Museum, representative organisation etc);
> 3 - I'll also lodge a copy of all research material with the
> Australian
> Institute of Aboriginal and Islander Studies (AITSIS) in Canberra; and
> 4 - I will preserve individual and group copyrights and intellectual
> property and provide written credits and acknowledgments for all
> contributions.
>
> There may be other things I need to do in this regard and I'd welcome
> any suggestions or comments on this part of the process.
>
> What I'd like to ask this group for are any suggestions or
> comments you
> might have on this project that might be of assistance. I'll be doing
> extensive pre-trip contacts and an email and snail-mail mailout plus
> drawing on my contacts over the years in order to find the rights
> people
> to talk to during my research.
>
> I'd particularly welcome any suggestions along the following line:
>
> 1 - important or relevant people, communities or organisations you
> think
> I should contact;
> 2 - previous or current research, publications etc relevant to
> this area;
> 3 - examples of the application of traditional ornithological
> knowledge
> in practice;
> 4 - any local resources of relevance;
> 5 - any other research areas or approaches I might have
> overlooked; and
> 6 - anyone who might want to meet and/or provide a bed/in-kind
> support
> etc during my cross-country treks - as always it is the local
> connections that are important and any tip, suggestion or new contact
> can be important.
>
> I'll set up a blog/webpage to record comments and progress over the
> course of this research, particularly what I hope will be the great
> field trips to many parts of the country I've yet to visit, and will
> advise of the address when this is done. I also have a dedicated
> email
> address (BirdKnowledge@gmail.com
> <mailto:BirdKnowledge%40gmail.com>) to which I'd prefer email for
> this
> project sent.
>
> Thanks to you all and I look forward to hearing from you soon.
>
> Robert Gosford
> Aboriginal Bird Knowledge book project
> LPO Yuendumu
> via Alice Springs
> NT 0872
> Australia
> Email: BirdKnowledge@gmail.com <mailto:BirdKnowledge%40gmail.com>
>
>

Greg,

As always good to hear from you. I'll pass on (or else you'll have to
buy the book?) any relevant material on B-n Stork
- why Satin? I can't think of other references for leg sinew use, though
with such a long leg I can imagine, as with kangaroos & wallabies, that
the leg sinews would be a good length and would contract nicely once
dried out ... though they might not have the 'spring' that a kangaroo
sinew would.
I haven't seen the paper - I'll do some more research when I get to a
Qld library in a few months time (Qld seems to be a fruitful area for
ethnographic research). I think Whistling Ducks are good food wherever
they are found - BTW we saw Black-bellied Whistling Ducks at a pond in
south-easter Venezuela a few weeks ago.

Cheers, thanks and best and please keep up the good work and remember to
send any tips, however small or seemingly irrelevant and also to pass my
message on to anyone you think might be interested. I might drop in to
see you later in the year - otherwise see you in Perth.

Bob Gosford

Greg wrote:
>
> Hi Robert,
>
> I will be very interested in what you find out about Aboriginal bird
> knowledge (and use) with respect to the Black-necked (Satin) Stork.
>
>
> The only reference I found was "the leg sinews are valued for binding
> barbs to spears but it is also eaten".  Stephen Garnett and Robert
> Bredl 'Birds in the vicinity of Edward River Settlement. The Sunbird
> 15 :7-40 (Nos. 1 and 2).  There are also references to Wandering
> Whistling-Ducks being extensively hunted for food.  There may be other
> references to such interactions.  Have you seen this paper?
>
>
> Regards
>
> Greg Clancy
>
>
>
>     ----- Original Message -----
>     *From:* Robert Gosford <mailto:robertgosford@...>
>     *To:* Birding-Aus <mailto:birding-aus@...> ; COG list
>     <mailto:canberrabirds@...> ; Birds Queensland
>     Forum <mailto:BQ_Forum@yahoogroups.com> ; Ethnoornithology group
>     <mailto:ethnoornithology@...> ; Nt Birds group
>     <mailto:ntbirds@yahoogroups.com>
>     *Sent:* Sunday, May 27, 2007 7:57 AM
>     *Subject:* [Ethnoornithology] Aboriginal Bird Knowledge book
>     project - announcement
>
>     Dear all,
>
>     I'm tremendously excited to announce that I have recently signed with
>     CSIRO Publishing to produce a book to examine, for the first time
>     in any
>     systematic and (hopefully) comprehensive way, the bird knowledge of
>     Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The book's
>     working title is /Aboriginal Bird Knowledge/ - though I hope to
>     come up
>     with something a little more catchy over the next year or so! I'm
>     planning on getting the book to CSIRO Publishing by around June 2008.
>
>     I plan to present historical information (from the oral traditions,
>     anthropological and linguistic records and ornithological material
>     etc,
>     of which I've already gathered a lot of material), alongside
>     contemporary information gathered through contacts and meetings with
>     Aboriginal people and groups over the course of the next 9 months
>     or so.
>     I plan to do two long road-trips covering most of the country meeting
>     and talking with people. I'll also do a few smaller trips to
>     places that
>     I can't reach easily by car. I look forward to being able to
>     present a
>     progress report at the AOC 2007 in Perth in December.
>
>     The layout of the book will broadly follow that used by Mark
>     Cocker in
>     his recent encyclopeadic work on British bird knowledge (which I
>     regard
>     as an ethnoornithology of the British Isles and peoples) titled
>     /Birds
>     Britannica, /and with a couple of chapters reflecting Aboriginal
>     uses of
>     birds, and reflections on Birds in indigenous art and culture/. /In
>     Cocker's book birds were examined by family groupings and I think
>     this
>     will allow for ease of reference and also a more convenient way to
>     group
>     knowledge from different language groups from across the country
>     rather
>     than just by local language groupings.
>
>     I'm very aware of the issues related to the use (and potential for
>     misuse) of Aboriginal traditional knowledge and have proposed several
>     ways to address possible concerns:
>
>     1 - In compliance with the recently released Code of Conduct
>     prepared by
>     the /International Society of Ethnobiology/ (of which I am a
>     member and
>     thus bound by) I will seek the prior and informed consent of all
>     participants in the project;
>     2 - I'll provide copies of photos, tapes and other research
>     material etc
>     to all participants or their nominated places of safekeeping (local
>     Keeping Place, Museum, representative organisation etc);
>     3 - I'll also lodge a copy of all research material with the
>     Australian
>     Institute of Aboriginal and Islander Studies (AITSIS) in Canberra; and
>     4 - I will preserve individual and group copyrights and intellectual
>     property and provide written credits and acknowledgments for all
>     contributions.
>
>     There may be other things I need to do in this regard and I'd welcome
>     any suggestions or comments on this part of the process.
>
>     What I'd like to ask this group for are any suggestions or
>     comments you
>     might have on this project that might be of assistance. I'll be doing
>     extensive pre-trip contacts and an email and snail-mail mailout plus
>     drawing on my contacts over the years in order to find the rights
>     people
>     to talk to during my research.
>
>     I'd particularly welcome any suggestions along the following line:
>
>     1 - important or relevant people, communities or organisations you
>     think
>     I should contact;
>     2 - previous or current research, publications etc relevant to
>     this area;
>     3 - examples of the application of traditional ornithological
>     knowledge
>     in practice;
>     4 - any local resources of relevance;
>     5 - any other research areas or approaches I might have
>     overlooked; and
>     6 - anyone who might want to meet and/or provide a bed/in-kind
>     support
>     etc during my cross-country treks - as always it is the local
>     connections that are important and any tip, suggestion or new contact
>     can be important.
>
>     I'll set up a blog/webpage to record comments and progress over the
>     course of this research, particularly what I hope will be the great
>     field trips to many parts of the country I've yet to visit, and will
>     advise of the address when this is done. I also have a dedicated
>     email
>     address (BirdKnowledge@...
>     <mailto:BirdKnowledge%40gmail.com>) to which I'd prefer email for
>     this
>     project sent.
>
>     Thanks to you all and I look forward to hearing from you soon.
>
>     Robert Gosford
>     Aboriginal Bird Knowledge book project
>     LPO Yuendumu
>     via Alice Springs
>     NT 0872
>     Australia
>     Email: BirdKnowledge@... <mailto:BirdKnowledge%40gmail.com>
>
>

----- Original Message -----

From: Robert Gosford

To: Birding-Aus ; COG list ; Birds Queensland Forum ; Ethnoornithology group ; Nt Birds group

Sent: Sunday, May 27, 2007 7:57 AM

Subject: [Ethnoornithology] Aboriginal Bird Knowledge book project - announcement

Dear all,

I'm tremendously excited to announce that I have recently signed with
CSIRO Publishing to produce a book to examine, for the first time in any
systematic and (hopefully) comprehensive way, the bird knowledge of
Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The book's
working title is /Aboriginal Bird Knowledge/ - though I hope to come up
with something a little more catchy over the next year or so! I'm
planning on getting the book to CSIRO Publishing by around June 2008.

I plan to present historical information (from the oral traditions,
anthropological and linguistic records and ornithological material etc,
of which I've already gathered a lot of material), alongside
contemporary information gathered through contacts and meetings with
Aboriginal people and groups over the course of the next 9 months or so.
I plan to do two long road-trips covering most of the country meeting
and talking with people. I'll also do a few smaller trips to places that
I can't reach easily by car. I look forward to being able to present a
progress report at the AOC 2007 in Perth in December.

The layout of the book will broadly follow that used by Mark Cocker in
his recent encyclopeadic work on British bird knowledge (which I regard
as an ethnoornithology of the British Isles and peoples) titled /Birds
Britannica, /and with a couple of chapters reflecting Aboriginal uses of
birds, and reflections on Birds in indigenous art and culture/. /In
Cocker's book birds were examined by family groupings and I think this
will allow for ease of reference and also a more convenient way to group
knowledge from different language groups from across the country rather
than just by local language groupings.

I'm very aware of the issues related to the use (and potential for
misuse) of Aboriginal traditional knowledge and have proposed several
ways to address possible concerns:

1 - In compliance with the recently released Code of Conduct prepared by
the /International Society of Ethnobiology/ (of which I am a member and
thus bound by) I will seek the prior and informed consent of all
participants in the project;
2 - I'll provide copies of photos, tapes and other research material etc
to all participants or their nominated places of safekeeping (local
Keeping Place, Museum, representative organisation etc);
3 - I'll also lodge a copy of all research material with the Australian
Institute of Aboriginal and Islander Studies (AITSIS) in Canberra; and
4 - I will preserve individual and group copyrights and intellectual
property and provide written credits and acknowledgments for all
contributions.

There may be other things I need to do in this regard and I'd welcome
any suggestions or comments on this part of the process.

What I'd like to ask this group for are any suggestions or comments you
might have on this project that might be of assistance. I'll be doing
extensive pre-trip contacts and an email and snail-mail mailout plus
drawing on my contacts over the years in order to find the rights people
to talk to during my research.

I'd particularly welcome any suggestions along the following line:

1 - important or relevant people, communities or organisations you think
I should contact;
2 - previous or current research, publications etc relevant to this area;
3 - examples of the application of traditional ornithological knowledge
in practice;
4 - any local resources of relevance;
5 - any other research areas or approaches I might have overlooked; and
6 - anyone who might want to meet and/or provide a bed/in-kind support
etc during my cross-country treks - as always it is the local
connections that are important and any tip, suggestion or new contact
can be important.

I'll set up a blog/webpage to record comments and progress over the
course of this research, particularly what I hope will be the great
field trips to many parts of the country I've yet to visit, and will
advise of the address when this is done. I also have a dedicated email
address (BirdKnowledge@gmail.com) to which I'd prefer email for this
project sent.

Thanks to you all and I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Robert Gosford
Aboriginal Bird Knowledge book project
LPO Yuendumu
via Alice Springs
NT 0872
Australia
Email: BirdKnowledge@gmail.com

Dear all,

I'm tremendously excited to announce that I have recently signed with
CSIRO Publishing to produce a book to examine, for the first time in any
systematic and (hopefully) comprehensive way, the bird knowledge of
Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The book's
working title is /Aboriginal Bird Knowledge/ - though I hope to come up
with something a little more catchy over the next year or so! I'm
planning on getting the book to CSIRO Publishing by around June 2008.

I plan to present historical information (from the oral traditions,
anthropological and linguistic records and ornithological material etc,
of which I've already gathered a lot of material), alongside
contemporary information gathered through contacts and meetings with
Aboriginal people and groups over the course of the next 9 months or so.
I plan to do two long road-trips covering most of the country meeting
and talking with people. I'll also do a few smaller trips to places that
I can't reach easily by car. I look forward to being able to present a
progress report at the AOC 2007 in Perth in December.

The layout of the book will broadly follow that used by Mark Cocker in
his recent encyclopeadic work on British bird knowledge (which I regard
as an ethnoornithology of the British Isles and peoples) titled /Birds
Britannica, /and with a couple of chapters reflecting Aboriginal uses of
birds, and reflections on Birds in indigenous art and culture/. /In
Cocker's book birds were examined by family groupings and I think this
will allow for ease of reference and also a more convenient way to group
knowledge from different language groups from across the country rather
than just by local language groupings.

I'm very aware of the issues related to the use (and potential for
misuse) of Aboriginal traditional knowledge and have proposed several
ways to address possible concerns:

1 - In compliance with the recently released Code of Conduct prepared by
the /International Society of Ethnobiology/ (of which I am a member and
thus bound by) I will seek the prior and informed consent of all
participants in the project;
2 - I'll provide copies of photos, tapes and other research material etc
to all participants or their nominated places of safekeeping (local
Keeping Place, Museum, representative organisation etc);
3 - I'll also lodge a copy of all research material with the Australian
Institute of Aboriginal and Islander Studies (AITSIS) in Canberra; and
4 - I will preserve individual and group copyrights and intellectual
property and provide written credits and acknowledgments for all
contributions.

There may be other things I need to do in this regard and I'd welcome
any suggestions or comments on this part of the process.

What I'd like to ask this group for are any suggestions or comments you
might have on this project that might be of assistance. I'll be doing
extensive pre-trip contacts and an email and snail-mail mailout plus
drawing on my contacts over the years in order to find the rights people
to talk to during my research.

I'd particularly welcome any suggestions along the following line:

1 - important or relevant people, communities or organisations you think
I should contact;
2 - previous or current research, publications etc relevant to this area;
3 - examples of the application of traditional ornithological knowledge
in practice;
4 - any local resources of relevance;
5 - any other research areas or approaches I might have overlooked; and
6 - anyone who might want to meet and/or provide a bed/in-kind support
etc during my cross-country treks - as always it is the local
connections that are important and any tip, suggestion or new contact
can be important.

I'll set up a blog/webpage to record comments and progress over the
course of this research, particularly what I hope will be the great
field trips to many parts of the country I've yet to visit, and will
advise of the address when this is done. I also have a dedicated email
address (BirdKnowledge@...) to which I'd prefer email for this
project sent.

Thanks to you all and I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Robert Gosford
Aboriginal Bird Knowledge book project
LPO Yuendumu
via Alice Springs
NT 0872
Australia
Email: BirdKnowledge@...

Dear Nature Lovers !

Few months back, a weblog on 'Biodiversity of Gujarat' was
launched with an intention of sharing information on hand.

Keeping in mind, the very need of the nature lovers around the
State as well as Country, recently the same "Blog" has been
furnished with lot of information such as:

==========================================
GUJARAT:

Gujarat Forest
Gujarat Wetlands
Gujarat Avifauna
Gujarat Wildlife
Gujarat Organisations

INDIA:

India Organisations
India Bibliography

INTERNATIONAL:

International Organisations
International Bibliography

OTHERS:

E-Groups
Links
E-Library
Blog Archives

& MANY MORE ARE STILL TO COME.....!

A link of the weblog is as follows:

http://www.gujarat-biodiversity.blogspot.com

Hope it would be much informative with 'Handful Information' on
'Biodiversity, Bibliography & Leading Insinuations' for all.

Fruitful suggestions from all of you are welcome for the
betterment of the same.

Warm & Best Regards - HIREN SONI

================================

HIREN SONI
(Biodiversity Specialist - Ornithology & Wildlife Biology)
Lecturer in Animal Science (Zoology)
29 - Yogiswami Society
Bhalej Road, Anand - 388001
Gujarat (India)
E-mail: hirensoni@... / hinazeni@...
Tel: 02692 - 251217 (R), 9426023901 (M)
URL: http://hotjobs.yahoo.com/resumes/hirensoni/cv
Blog: http://gujarat-biodiversity.blogspot.com
Moderator: Gujarat_Birds
[http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Gujarat_Birds]

"Solutions to Problems depend upon Knowledge which only Research can
provide - H. Kalmbach"

Dear Nature Lovers !

Few months back, a weblog on 'Biodiversity of Gujarat' was
launched with an intention of sharing information on hand.

Keeping in mind, the very need of the nature lovers around the
State as well as Country, recently the same "Blog" has been
furnished with lot of information such as:

==========================================
GUJARAT:

Gujarat Forest
Gujarat Wetlands
Gujarat Avifauna
Gujarat Wildlife
Gujarat Organisations

INDIA:

India Organisations
India Bibliography

INTERNATIONAL:

International Organisations
International Bibliography

OTHERS:

E-Groups
Links
E-Library
Blog Archives

& MANY MORE ARE STILL TO COME.....!

A link of the weblog is as follows:

http://www.gujarat-biodiversity.blogspot.com

Hope it would be much informative with 'Handful Information' on
'Biodiversity, Bibliography & Leading Insinuations' for all.

Fruitful suggestions from all of you are welcome for the
betterment of the same.

Warm & Best Regards - HIREN SONI

================================


HIREN SONI
(Biodiversity Specialist-Ornithology & Wildlife Biology)
Lecturer in Animal Science (Zoology)
29 - Yogiswami Society
Bhalej Road, Anand-388001
Gujarat (India)
E-mail: hirensoni@... / hinazeni@...
Tel: 02692-251217 (R), 9426023901 (M)
URL: http://hotjobs.yahoo.com/resumes/hirensoni/cv
Blog: http://gujarat-biodiversity.blogspot.com
Moderator: Gujarat_Birds
[http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Gujarat_Birds]

"Solutions to Problems depend upon Knowledge which only Research can provide -
H. Kalmbach"

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam?  Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
http://mail.yahoo.com

First announcement:

12th Pan-African Ornithological Congress
South Africa, 7-12 September 2008

Information relating to the venue and the construction of the scientific
programme is now available at http://www.paoc12.org <http://www.paoc12.org>

Registration will be open in due course. Further announcements and web
updates will be made shortly.

Please distribute to any interested and appropriate groups.

Kind regards
Doug Harebottle
Chair: PAOC12 Scientific Programme Committtee (info@...
<mailto:info%40paoc12.org>)
Member: Interim Local Organising Committee