Most birds have some growing up to do before they start to breed. Despite reaching full size within weeks or months of hatching, some species will not raise offspring for years, or even decades. Dr. Liam Taylor explores the strange things that some birds need to do before they reproduce—from developing a territory on a rocky island to finding a dance partner on the rainforest floor. Looking back through millions of years of evolution, we will uncover how behavioral, social, and sexual development continues to create new challenges and opportunities for adolescent birds. Liam Taylor is an ornithologist and evolutionary … Continue reading →

The Maine landscape remains widely covered by forests but our current forests are very young compared to the pre-European landscape, when large, old trees were dominant.  These old forests may be treasure troves of hidden biodiversity.  Why this matters and what we should do about it will be discussed by Malcolm Hunter, Professor Emeritus of Wildlife Ecology from the University of Maine. Dr. Hunter’s research experience covers a variety of ecosystems and organisms – birds, amphibians, mammals, reptiles, insects, vascular plants, rivers, lakes, wetlands, grasslands, and more – but his major focus is on forest ecosystems and the maintenance of … Continue reading →