The work will consist of setting up hummingbird feeders at the Preserve, and then returning 3-4 days later in early January (7th-10th) to catch the birds, gather morphological measurements and blood samples via toenail clipping, and then band and release them. Banding should only take a couple of days at maximum, and no birds will be harmed for the study. There would be no lasting damage or changes to the Preserve, as the only setup required is the installation of hummingbird feeders for a short time. This work will be performed by myself and one assisting labmate from SDSU. We will be working under all the necessary permits, authorized through Dr. Chris Clark from UC Riverside. This data collection is for my Master's thesis project, which I am working on with my adviser Dr. Kevin Burns. The project is a description of a putative hybrid zone between the two subspecies of Allen's Hummingbird (Selasphorus sasin), and a genomic survey of these subspecies to look for the genetic factors controlling migratory behavior. Determining whether there is ongoing hybridization between subspecies will be important for further conservation research. Collecting data from birds during the winter will assure that we only capture resident birds, as migratory birds will still be wintering in central Mexico.

Approved