Powdermill Research Associate Dr. David Norman’s main focus is working with Bob Mulvihill analyzing twenty years’ data (more than 5,000 records) on the timing and extent of the complete prebasic molt for some 50 species. The primary aim is to produce a monograph which will serve as an important reference (the first of its kind for North American species) for bird banders and ornithologists. Data summarization and analyses will be presented in a standardized format and will include such difficult-to-obtain information as the range of dates for molt onset and completion and the molt duration for populations of these species sampled at Powdermill. For species with a large sample size, data also will be summarized and analyzed to express age and sex-related variation and, in cases where additional datasets are available, geographic variation. For selected species with especially large sample sizes, more in-depth studies likely will be done for separate publication in peer-reviewed journals of ornithology.

Dr. Norman’s other projects and interests at Powdermill include examining the stopover ecology of fall migrants, especially fattening and pre-migratory weight gain, to compare with published data from other sites (including European sites). The expectation is that birds at Powdermill, with no significant ecological barrier before or after their visit, might differ in behavior from that observed at coastal and island sites, which can be the birds’ last opportunity to feed before crossing an ecological barrier, or their first opportunity to feed after surmounting one.

As well as these specific projects, Dr. Norman usually spends three or four weeks resident at Powdermill each fall, assisting with the banding, demonstrations, and workshops, and interacting on some aspects of Breeding Bird Atlas methodology, always bringing a welcome international dimension and conservation focus to discussions and interactions with PARC staff and visitors. Click here to visit Dr. Norman's Web site.