AOU International Committee
Funds for Benchmark Surveys of Neotropical Bird Communities
Goal: We provide support to Latin American students to complete benchmark surveys
of bird communities in Latin America. Benchmark surveys have the purpose of
establishing baseline information on the richness and abundance of birds in Neotropical
locations during this dynamic time in history. As climate and land-use patterns change,
our understanding of how Neotropical birds respond to such changes will be facilitated
by establishment of a network of well-studied reference sites. The AOU International
Committee will award one or more grants per year for baseline studies of Neotropical
bird communities that build on the foundation established by publications such as
Terborgh et al. (1990), Robinson et al. (2000), Blake and Loiselle (2001), Blake (2007),
and Johnson et al. (2011). Awards will be made to one or more graduate, or advanced
undergraduate, students from any country in Latin America and the Caribbean (the
“Neotropical Region’” as broadly defined by the Neotropical Ornithological Society).
Awards will be competitive and are expected to be in the range of $1000-$2000.
Eligibility: Students (graduate or advanced undergraduate) from Latin America and
the Caribbean enrolled in a degree program at an institution in the Neotropical Region are
eligible to apply. Students enrolled in institutions from outside the region are ineligible
for funding.
Use of Funds: Funds are to be used for research-related expenses including supplies,
travel, and living expenses related to field work, etc. Grant monies will not cover salaries,
stipends, travel to meetings, routine living expenses, overhead or indirect costs to the
educational institution.
Application Calendar:
Application Deadline: 1 April 2015 (e-mail Receipt)
Announcement of Awards: 1 May 2015
Application Guidelines: Please follow the guidelines as only proposals following
the guidelines will be considered.
1. Proposals may be submitted in English, Spanish, or Portuguese. Proposals in
Spanish or Portuguese must have an abstract in English.
2. Applications are to be sent by e-mail only as a single PDF attachment to Douglas
Robinson ([email protected]) and must be received by 1 April. A
scanned copy of the original signed application cover page should be included as
the first page of the PDF.
3. Application should include cover page, proposal (see below—3 pages maximum
excluding the cover page), as summarized below, as well as a curriculum vitae
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(5 page limit). Three letters of recommendation should be sent to
[email protected] separately from your recommenders. At least one
letter needs to address your past experience and qualifications to survey
Neotropical bird communities. Please ask your recommenders to put your name in
the subject line of the email. Letters are due 1 April.
Literature referenced
Blake, J.G., and B.A. Loiselle. 2001. Bird assemblages in second-growth and old-growth
forests, Costa Rica: Perspectives from mist nets and point counts. Auk 118:304-326.
Blake, J.G. 2007. Neotropical forest bird communities: A comparison of species richness
and composition at local and regional scales. Condor 109:237-255.
Johnson, E.I., P.C. Stouffer, and C.F. Vargas. 2011. Diversity, biomass, and trophic
structure of a central Amazonian rainforest bird community. Revista Brasileira de
Ornitologia 19:1-16.
Robinson, W.D., J.D. Brawn and S.K. Robinson. 2000. Forest bird community structure
in central Panama: Influence of spatial scale and biogeography. Ecological Monographs
70:209-235.
Terborgh, J., S.K. Robinson, T.A. Parker, et al. 1990. Structure and organization of an
Amazonian forest bird community. Ecological Monographs 60:213-238.
Requested format for the Cover Page:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------APPLICATION TO THE AOU INTERNATIONAL FUND FOR BENCHMARK
SURVEYS OF NEOTROPICAL BIRD COMMUNITIES
Applicant’s Name:
Applicant’s Address:
Telephone:
E-mail:
Institutional Affiliation:
University Degree Sought & Date Expected:
Name of Advisor (if applicable):
Title of Proposal:
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Amount Requested:
Names, phone numbers and e-mail addresses of three references who have been
asked by you to send letters of recommendation:
Signature of Applicant and Date:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Proposal Guidelines
The text of the proposal is limited to three single-spaced pages (21.6 x 28 cm or 8 1/2 x
11 in), with 2.5 cm (1 in.) margins and 11 point font. The proposal should have the
following format:
Abstract (less than 150 words, in English)
Introduction - Provide a justification for creating a benchmark survey of the richness and
abundance of your proposed survey site. Explain why conducting such a survey should
have high priority.
Methods –Explain how the study will be conducted and why the proposed approach is
used rather than another method. Support the methods with references. If the project
requires capturing birds provide justification and include evidence that appropriate
permits have been obtained or the permit process has been initiated. We encourage use of
survey methods that can be exactly repeated in the future. Therefore, incorporation of
stationary counts within survey sites is recommended. Explain how survey stations will
be distributed, how many times each will be surveyed, and all the particulars of the
survey methods. We encourage applicants to utilize modern methods that will allow
calculations of detection probabilities.
Personal experience surveying Neotropical birds by sight and sound—In one paragraph,
summarize your past experiences with counting birds, particularly doing so by sound in
Neotropical bird communities. Expertise with auditory surveys is essential for these kinds
of surveys. Please be sure to have one or more of your recommenders address your skill
set in their letter of recommendation.
Map—Please include a map (no larger than half a page of your proposal, but sufficiently
clear that reviewers can understand where you will work and the habitat types involved)
or a Google map link that indicates the area of your proposed work.
Data sharing plan – Because a primary objective of benchmark surveys is to share the
data with future observers, we require that data be deposited in a public archive. This
could be in eBird, Avian Knowledge Network and/or Ecological Archives. Briefly
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indicate that you agree to publicly share your data. Award recipients will be provided
with instructions about data sharing. A portion of the award will be withheld until data
are shared.
Timetable – Provide dates for initiation and completion of field work, data analysis,
manuscript preparation, and submission for publication.
Budget – Be specific and reasonable in requesting an amount between approximately
$1000 and $2000. If the project will also be funded by other sources, make certain to
specify exactly which budget items are to be funded by the AOU International
Committee.
Budget Justification – Specifically justify the needs for budget items that are to be funded
by AOU International funds by relating the needs to the study objectives.
Curriculum Vitae