First RSI Research Updates Meeting

Here at the Red Siskin Initiative, we began 2021 with science. During the second week of January, we held the first RSI Research Updates Meeting in order to  help all our collaborators understand the various research projects in progress on Red Siskin biology and conservation.

We had a lively call that included more than 30 participants and allies who support RSI’s work. The institutions they represented included: Provita (VE), the Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas (VE), the Smithsonian Institution (NZP&SCBI, NMNH, and Conservation Commons, US), Brigham Young University (US), George Mason University (US), the Tracy Aviary (US), the National Aviary (US), Zoo Miami (US), Fundación Temaikèn (ARG), APEC (US), Milwaukee County Zoo (US), and Naturally For Birds (AUS).

Kate Rodriguez-Clark and Valentina Cedeño co-hosted the meeting, and Brian Coyle began the meeting with a presentation on the phylogeographic variation in museum specimens of the Red Siskin.

Presentations addressed diverse topics such as Red Siskin genomics, illegal trafficking, reproductive ecology, coffee forests and bird diversity, vocalizations and behavior, and breeding approaches. Participants agreed that learning about work in progress was  valuable for their own work and for the species conservation. Many thanks to all participants for joining. We look forward to seeing you again soon!

Presentation titles and authors:

1. Geographic variation in museum specimens of the endangered red siskin (Spinus cucullatus): mitochondrial and morphological patterns. Authors: Brian Coyle, Kathryn M. Rodríguez-Clark, Melissa T.R. Hawkins, E. Emperatriz Gamero-García, Michael J. Braun, Jesus Maldonado.
2. Conservation genomics of the endangered Red Siskin (Spinus cucullatus). Authors: Paul B. Frandsen, H.C. Lim, Rebecca B. Dikow, Brian Coyle, Kathryn Rodriguez-Clark, Pavel Dobrynin, Klaus Peter-Koepfli, Warren E. Johnson, Mike Braun.
3. Genomic analysis of introgression and pedigree uncertainty in the Endangered Red Siskin (Spinus cucullatus). Authors: Karen Holm, DVM, Kathryn Rodriguez-Clark, Ph.D., H.C. Lim, Ph.D., Brian J. Coyle, Ph.D., Rebecca M. Gooley, Ph.D., Erica Royer, Emperatriz Gamero
4. Understanding aviculturist intentions to demand wild-caught songbirds from South America: implications for the design of a behavior change intervention campaign. Authors: Arlene Cardozo-Urdaneta, Ada Sánchez-Mercado, Enrique Azuaje, Miguel A. Arvelo, Valentina Cedeño, Kathryn Rodríguez-Clark.
5. Nesting ecology of the Red Siskin (Spinus cucullatus): insights from a wild population. Authors: Jhonathan Miranda, Michael Braun, Erica Royer, Marcos Salcedo, Brian Coyle, Kathryn M. Rodríguez-Clark.
6. Shade coffee and bird conservation. Importance of vegetation cover on bird communities in a mountain locality of the Coastal Range in Venezuela. Authors: Pablo Lau, Jhonathan Miranda, Kathryn Rodríguez-Clark, Laurie Fajardo, Angel Fernandez, Ada Sanchez-Mercado.
7. Behavioral Study of an Ex-Situ Red Siskin (Spinus Cucullatus) Flock: Introducing New Flock Members & Sound Analysis. Author: Stacy Hill.

Red Siskin Husbandry Decoding Group. Authors: Mike Fidler, Gary Fitt, Bruce Hockley, David Holmes, and Paula Hansen.