Western Field Ornithologists Conference Experience
Written by Song Han Ngo
Each year, the Western Field Ornithologists (WFO) holds a conference in the western United States, bringing together birders and scientists from all over western North America. The WFO, started fifty years ago, has grown to become a major hub for bird science, publishing peer-reviewed journals and promoting the conservation of important species. The organization also has a robust student program, aimed at inspiring young birders to pursue their passions in ornithology. As a scholarship recipient, I was excited to travel down to San Diego to attend the 48th annual WFO conference.
Snowy Egret by Song Han Ngu
As part of the conference, birders are offered the opportunity to attend birding field trips around the local area. This included a variety of habitats, such as sloughs, the pelagic zone, forests, and we even got exclusive entry into a salt works area where thousands of birds migrate through each year. I spent Thursday morning birding along the Tijuana River Estuary, and had a wonderful close encounter with a Ridgway’s rail, the theme bird of the conference. We also saw many other amazing birds such as the Vermillion Flycatcher, a White Tailed Kite, and a Pacific Golden Plover. A huge part of this experience was thanks to our field trip guide, Mel, who had been birding in the area for years and knew all of the best spots.
An integral part of the conference are the science sessions, where researchers from across North America come to share their findings. The highlight for me was hearing about the Ridgway Rail conservation work being done in the area, and how the population has been slowly but steadily growing thanks to the conservation. There were also plenty of other interesting research studies, including ones analyzing the phylogeography of Wrentits, sucrose perceptions in pigeons, and the differences between house and pacific wrens in California. It was my first time listening to such high level research projects, and I was really impressed by the work that so many ornithologists are doing studying birds.
Science Sessions at the Western Field Ornithologist Conference.
In addition to the science sessions, there were also ornithology workshops where birders could learn how research is being done in the field. I was able to attend the Ridgway Rail Conservation workshop and the Specimen-preparation one, both of which were wonderful experiences! At the Ridgway Rail workshop, we were given a tour of the Living Coast Discovery Center to see the breeding area and proving pens where Ridgway rails are cared for. We then helped to build and implement a rail raft to help improve the birds’ habitat. The specimen preparation workshop was fascinating as well. We listened to Philip Unnit explain the importance and applications of taxidermies, before getting to watch a live demo on two birds.
Taxidermy Demo.
My favorite part of the conference was getting to meet the other student scholars. We had the opportunity to meet and talk with each other at the reception, banquet, and at a special event called the Next Generation Birders Reception. It was really cool to hear about how they’re involved with their own local audubon societies, including habitat restoration work and banding birds. It was also really inspiring to meet previous student scholars who are now researchers and college graduates in the field of ornithology.
Overall, being at the conference was a really special experience, and I had a wonderful time. I got to meet ornithologists and scientists from all over the region and their research, see many of the local birds around the San Diego area, and attend workshops where I learned more about how bird science is being done. I truly thank the WFO for everything that they’ve done for birds and ornithology, and will continue to follow the organization for many years to come.