Voluntariado para estudiar comportamiento de colibríes

HUMMINGBIRD BEHAVIOR FIELD INTERN (2 positions available) - The Little
Hermit is a lek mating hummingbird of Venezuela and Trinidad known for
the peculiar patterns of vocal variation among different regions,
between different leks, and even within a lek. Little is known about how
and why this spatial pattern of vocal dialects occurs in this species.
The project's main goal is to test hypotheses about the adaptive
significance of geographic variation in vocalizations of the Little
Hermit hummingbird. Field research assistants will participate in data
collection during an intensive 4 month field season of this long-term
study. Assistant duties will include (but are not limited to)
nest-searching, behavioral observations, color band reading, netting,
radio-tracking, and playback experiments. Days will be long and the work
will be physically and mentally demanding, but for those seeking to gain
experience in field research you won't be disappointed. The work week
will typically be 6 days long in the buggy, snakey, and humid forests of
Trinidad; this work will leave you exhausted at the end of the day!
Assistants will be involved in all aspects of the project, including
discussions of the conceptual framework of the project. The upcoming
field season will be geared primarily towards 1) obtaining paternity
data of lekking males through intensive nest searching, 2) conducting
playback experiments, and 3) watching interactions between lekking
males. Location: Brasso Seco village, Northern Range, Trinidad. Dates:
Early Jan – early May, 2009. College graduates and undergraduates who
can take a leave of absence for the spring semester are particularly
encouraged to apply. Students are encouraged to apply for academic
credit for their work at their home institution. SALARY: Free housing
and food (Unfortunately, you will have to pay your own airfare to
Trinidad). DEADLINE: Until positions are filled. QUALIFICATIONS: Those
with previous field experience (especially those who have mist netting
experience) and a strong interest in bird behavior are highly preferred.
Other important qualifications include 1) willingness to work very long
hours in tropical conditions (that means buggy, sweaty, and very wet),
2) commitment to paying attention to detail (e.g. writing legibly) for
the entire 4 months of work, 3) ability to get along well with others in
a very cramped environment (you will be in close contact with myself and
1 other field assistant for the whole 4 months), 4) ability and
willingness to work alone in the field and to work in an area where
encounters with poisonous snakes is a very real possibility, 5)
willingness to cook (all meals will have to be prepared ourselves).
Applicants must have a strong interest in field research as a possible
(or definite) career goal (i.e. applying because you'd like to see a
tropical forest before going off to medical school is not something I'm
looking for). APPLICATION: Send a cover letter (1 page) detailing your
interests and career goals and how you see this internship fitting in
with them, a resume or CV (keep it to relevant details), an unofficial
transcript (or simple list of courses and grades on a spreadsheet), and
the names and contact information (email and phone) of 3 references
(ideally with some experience with how you work in a research/field
context) to JULIAN KAPOOR at (EM: vak9 AT cornell.edu).