On Thursday, April 30th, Scott McWilliams, PhD, professor of wildlife ecology and physiology at URI, will give a talk on migratory birds and the food that sustains them. Migratory birds are incredible endurance athletes. They can fly for days without eating or drinking as they travel from their northern breeding grounds to southern wintering areas, and they exercise more intensely and longer than the best of Tour de France bicycle racers. Migratory birds fuel their long-distance feats by eating lots and by selecting carefully what to eat. Wild fruits are usually on the menu for birds during migration and they provide important nutrients that seem to facilitate migration. Habitat management for migratory songbirds in southern New England should include planting certain fruiting shrubs and monitoring whether the habitat is providing what the birds seek and require. McWilliams’ research primarily focuses on the nutrition, physiology, and ecology of wild vertebrates, with an emphasis on migratory birds of conservation interest. We hope you’ll join us for a potluck supper at 6pm and the program at 7pm. Please register at jane.baumann@sklt.org or call 789-0962 ext. 1 to let us know if you will attend.
