One of IOS’s objectives is “To promote scientific research and education in order to improve knowledge and awareness of birds in Illinois”. The IOS Grants Program was initiated several years ago to support this objective with funds.
The 2014 IOS Grant Program received 14 grant requests. As a result of the generosity of several groups and individuals, 12 applicants were awarded, totaling $9,742. In addition to IOS provided funds, thanks to the following for their generous help:
- Bob and Karen Fisher and Vicky Sroczynski
- Pat Durkin
- Carl and Pen Daubach
- Southern Illinois Audubon Society
- The DuPage Birding Club
- The Lake-Cook Audubon Society
- Quad Cities Audubon Society
- Kane County Audubon Society
- Many IOS Members
Thanks again to Steve Bailey and Jeff Walk for reviewing and rating all the requests and to Bob Fisher who raised much of the funds.
Congratulations to the winners and watch for their project articles in future issues of The Meadowlark.
The following grants were awarded, with information regarding how the funding will be used:
| # | Amount | Name/Organization | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | $500 | Amber Wingert U of I – Champaign |
Video monitoring of Barn Owl Nests to help estimate factors influencing reproductive success in this declining species. |
| 2. | $1,000 | Antonio Celis Murillo U of I – Champaign |
Genetics to help elucidate patterns of extra-territorial forays in Field Sparrows; helping to answer “Why cheat on your partner?” |
| 3. | $500 | Christie Trifone-Simon Jo Daviess Conservation Foundation |
Funds would help defray costs of a 5-day educational day camp, which provides outdoor experiences, many of which are bird oriented. |
| 4. | $492 | Janice Kelly U of I – Champaign |
Playback experiment to understand if Yellow Warblers use information associated with their two distinct song types during habitat selection. |
| 5. | $1,000 | John Maddux U of I – Champaign |
Molecular techniques to identify the importance of bumble bees as a food source for North America songbirds. A large collaborative project that attempts to connect the population declines among songbirds and bumble bees. |
| 6. | $500 | Justin Shew Southern Illinois University – Carbondale |
Hire student technicians to complete analyses on various projects including studying the factors influencing Red-winged Blackbird aggression and Brown-headed Cowbird nest predation. |
| 7. | $750 | Kattie Morris DePaul University |
Cameras to investigate the competition for cavities Red-headed Woodpeckers experience during the winter and spring within Cook Co., IL. |
| 8. | $1,000 | Kevin Sierzega Southern Illinois University – Carbondale |
Transportation and arthropod quantification to support ongoing research on the factors that influence migratory songbirds in southern Illinois. |
| 9. | $1,000 | Maria Stager U of I – Champaign |
Genomic techniques used to understand how birds are physiologically capable to cope with environmental change. Maria is using Dark-eyed Juncos that endure winter conditions as her model species. |
| 10. | $1,000 | Matthew Craffey Eastern Illinois State University |
Radio-telemetry to study the behaviors of Red-winged Blackbirds using Miscanthus, a potential new agricultural crop in the Midwest. This research will help assess the environmental impact on bird communities in response to a shift in agricultural practices. |
| 11. | $1,000 | Scott Chiavacci U of I – Champaign |
Camera equipment and other materials to experimentally test for the cues used by nest predators (e.g. odor vs. visual) in central Illinois. |
| 12. | $1,000 | Ben O’Neal and Heath Hagy Franklin College and Illinois Natural History Survey |
Investigation of the nest success and density of waterbirds in various habitat types at Emiquon in response to changing water levels. |