Birds and Their 'Bugs,' Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea July 19, 2012

The oceanic islands off the southeastern tip of Papua New Guinea are biologically interesting and yet poorly known. Most of the significant ornithological expeditions took place in the late 1800s and early 1900s, and these visited only the largest islands. In 2009 and 2011, a team from California Academy of Sciences chartered a small sailboat and spent 14 weeks visiting large and small islands, surveying birds, and collecting samples for studies of bird evolution and avian diseases. Jack Dumbacher, the expedition leader, will take you on a virtual tour of the islands, introduce you to the birds, and discuss the scientific goals of the expeditions.

Jack Dumbacher has worked in Papua New Guinea since 1989, when he studied Raggiana Birds of Paradise and their mating behavior. After being bitten by a poisonous bird (the Hooded Pitohui), Dumbacher focused his PhD studies on chemical defense in birds. He worked at the Smithsonian Institution for six years studying bird genetics and evolution. Now, as the curator of birds and mammals at the California Academy of Sciences, he continues his work on these topics and is beginning new work to discover novel avian diseases.

Official Website: http://www.goldengateaudubon.org