Oases in the Mojave Desert are used by a wide variety of bird species every fall as stopping points during their southward migration. Beginning on Tuesday evening’s Zoom meeting, this course examines the important role of these stopover areas in the conservation of neotropical migrant birds and introduces the techniques used to identify the common families of birds found in the vicinity of the Desert Studies Center. On Saturday, students travel by car to nearby sites in Death Valley, Baker and Soda Springs that serve as migrant “traps.” Some of these sites are marshes and others are merely small islands of green in a sea of desert. Through observation of both migrant and resident birds in their natural habitats, students learn about ecology, natural history and special adaptations to the harsh desert environment. Sunday’s activities center around the Desert Studies Center where more than 240 bird species have already been recorded. The course should benefit ornithology students of all levels, those interested in general desert ecology and teachers looking for useful ideas for the classroom. This field study is based at the Desert Studies Center (of California State University) located within the Preserve at Soda Springs (Zzyzx)

Approved