ORNITHOLOGY, WFSC 402 - Texas A&M AgriLife

ORNITHOLOGY, WFSC 402Instructor: Dr. Gary VoelkerOffice: 306 Old HeepEmail (preferred contact method): gvoelker@tamu.eduOffice hours: By appointment (and you don’t need to wait until the day before a test ).Teaching Assistants:Johanna Harvey johannaaharvey@gmail.com 102 Old HeepJerry Huntley chewie79@email.tamu.edu 302 Old HeepOffice hours: By appointment (talk to us at lab sessions, or email).Lecture venue: Nagle 104Lab venue (Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Monday lab exams): University Services Building (seebelow)Suggested text: Gill, F. Ornithology. This is a great, well written book that any WFSC student shouldhave on their bookshelf as a reference; but there are other ornithology texts out there.Required text: A field guide of your choosing (we will suggest a few).Text Readings: The text tends to cover (to varying degrees) the material presented in lecture, however Iinclude examples from current research to highlight the concepts being discussed in class (i.e., these willNOT be in the text). The text should help you understand the material presented in lecture and to studyfor exams. Lectures make much more sense if you read the topical material to be covered beforeattending lecture.Laboratory meeting times: You are scheduled to have lab on Monday evenings AND Wednesday orThursday or Friday. In general, the Monday lab periods will NOT be used— but LAB PRACTICALSwill be on Monday nights (during your scheduled time) at the BRTC (USB on your course schedule).Grading: A total of 550 points are possible. Sources of points: three lecture exams (100 pointseach), four laboratory practical exams (50 points each), and a field journal (50 points). There is nolecture final.The final grading scale is as follows (no plus/minus grading is used): A 100-90%; B 89-80%; C 79-70%; D 69-60%; F 59-0%.Exams: Following the syllabus schedule, all students will be evaluated on three lecture exams scheduledduring regular class meeting time. I do not give practice exams, nor do I give exam review sessions.Exam material will cover lecture and associated textbook information. Examinations generally take theentire allotted time period; students who arrive late are at a decided disadvantage. Exams will not begiven out any later than 15 minutes after the start of an exam or after the first student leaves the examroom, whichever comes first. Laboratory exams will be allowed the entire lab time (however, you shouldnot need more than 30-45 minutes if you’ve studied), with the above conditions enforced.Re-grading policy: Lecture—In order to have your work considered for a re-grade, you must turnit back to me at the class period immediately following the class period during which the test or paperwas returned to the class; no exceptions. The last exam will not be re-graded. The request for regrade must include a written reason for why you are seeking a re-grade, and be justified beyond “I

should have gotten more points”. Be sure to include which questions you are seeking re-grade for,although I reserve the right to re-assess the entire test. Your reason for re-grade must not includephrases such as “I meant to say” or “my friend got more points”. As to the first, you should have saidit during the exam, and as to the second, I will have to have you turn your friend’s test in as well both will be re-considered for re-grade, to include the possibility that points will be lost on either, orboth, re-grades. Lab—There are no re-grades on lab practicals.Plagiarism, Copying and Cheating: Nothing is more destructive to science and academics thanunethical duplication of others’ work. Detection of this type of dishonesty will result in zero pointsfor the exercise, as well as summary discipline as set out in University policy. If we see cell phones,other electronic devices or notes during an exam or lab practical, we will assume that you arecheating, and you will be asked to leave (with the above mentioned penalties). Hats will be removed,or turned bill-backwards.“An Aggie does not lie, cheat or steal, or tolerate those who do.”Attendance, Etiquette and Make-ups:1. Attendance at all lectures will maximize the probability of scoring well on the exams andpracticals. I often use examples from current research to highlight points made in the text, and failingto attend lecture could put you at a decided disadvantage at exam time. At each lecture I will passaround an attendance sheet—it is YOUR responsibility to insure that you sign your name each day.Those with near perfect attendance may, at my discretion, be eligible for a “grade bump” if they areon the cusp of receiving a higher grade (particularly if they have interacted during class). This wouldonly occur for students that will clearly receive a passing grade (which I consider here to be a “B” or“C”) regardless of such a bump. Your chances of receiving a grade bump go up considerably if youactually interact with me during class (ask questions, and try to answer those I ask!!).2. Make up exams will be accommodated only in emergency situations; due to the timeinvolved in setting up lab exams, make ups for lab exams are very unlikely to occur. Vehicles notstarting or alarm clocks failing to go off do not qualify as emergency situations. Although makeupexams are available for eligible students, average grades are generally lower on them compared tooriginal exams; you should strongly consider avoiding make up exams. To be eligible to take amakeup exam, a student must clear the absence with me prior to the test date. Be aware that theoften-invoked “family death” excuse, while clearly valid if true, is inherently suspicious just beforean exam and should I find that you lied, you will earn an “F” for the course (see honor code, above).ONLY ONE MAKE-UP WILL BE ALLOWED. It is not possible to make up the last exam.3. Make up exams will not necessarily follow the format of the exam administered to theother students. All make up exams will be given on the last day of class, immediately followingclass—note that your third exam is being administered on that final class day; due to the timeinvolved in setting up lab exams, makeups for lab exams are very unlikely to occur.4. If a non-exam class is cancelled because of inclement weather, exam and other deadlinedates will not change. If the exam falls on the cancelled date, it will be made up the first classmeeting following the cancellation.5. Please remember to turn off cell phones and pagers during class. If your phone/pagergoes off during lecture you will be asked to leave, even if this occurs during an exam. If anemergency situation warrants keeping these devices on, see me prior to class.

Special Needs: The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal anti-discriminationstatute that provides comprehensive civil rights protection for persons with disabilities. Amongother things, this legislation requires that all students with disabilities be guaranteed a learningenvironment that provides for reasonable accommodation of their disabilities. If you believe youhave a disability requiring an accommodation, please contact Disability Services, currentlylocated in the Disability Services building at the Student Services at White Creek complex onwest campus or call 979-845-1637. For additional information, visit http://disability.tamu.edu.Reasonable accommodations will be made only after I receive something from Disability Services.Please visit with me to deliver the memo and to discuss your needs as soon as possible at thebeginning of the semester. Late notification may result in the requested accommodation beingunavailable.Lecture Schedule: Dates for lecture topics are subject to change. If this occurs, I will try to give asmuch advanced notice as possible. I do not anticipate Exam dates changing; if not on schedule, I willtell you what the cutoff is for material to be included on the first two exams. Major events areboldfaced.TO GET TO BRTC (USB):Traveling east on University Avenue, FROM the main campus: Cross over Hwy. 6, and pass VeteransPark. Our entrance is about 1 mile past the park, on the right. Turn right at the Texas A&M Universitysign and drive about a quarter of a mile through the wooded park to the University Services Building. TheTCWC is located in the southeast corner (Room 128) of the building. Look for the double glass doors andentrance ramp.If you miss the turn off University, your next right (almost immediate) puts you on Copperfield Parkway(where the big, ugly, unfinished office building is). Then turn right at the bank entrance, then a left andfollow to the collections.BE VERY CAREFUL MAKING THE TURN OFF UNIVERSITY—THERE ARE LOTS OFENTRANCES ON THE LEFT THAT PEOPLE SLOW FOR, AND THE SPEED DEMONSFOLLOWING THEM TEND TO VEER ON TO THE RIGHT MARGIN WHICH PUTS THEMDANGEROUSLY ON THE BUMPER OF ANYBODY (I.E. YOU) TRYING TO TURN RIGHT IN TOTHE COLLECTIONS. TURNING BACK ON TO UNIVERSITY ALSO REQUIRES A BIT OF CARE;IDEALLY THE ALTERNATIVE ENTRANCE WILL WORK.ALTERNATIVE: Use Harvey Road (instead of University Ave.), turn left on Copperfield and followthat to the bank entrance and take a left (the bank is almost at the light on University), then another leftand follow to the collections.

WFSC 402 Lecture ScheduleDate20 Jan25 Jan27 Jan1 Feb3 Feb8 Feb10 Feb15 Feb17 Feb22 Feb24 Feb29 Feb2 Mar7 Mar9 Mar14 Mar16 Mar21 Mar23 Mar28 Mar30 Mar4 Apr6 Apr11 Apr13 Apr18 Apr20 Apr25 Apr27 AprTopicIntroductionDinosaur ancestry and the origin of flightSystematics and BiogeographyGeographic variation and speciationGeographic variation and speciationFeathers, plumage, colorationMolt 1Molt 2Lecture Exam 1Physiology (respiration, energy, thermoregulation)Physiology (digestive system, excretion, repro. system, sense organs)Physiology (bone, muscle, blood)FlightMigration 1Migration 2SPRING BREAKSPRING BREAKMigration 3, NavigationTerritorialityLecture Exam 2Mating systemsSexual selectionSongReproductionGrowth and developmentParental careAvian Malaria and disease ecologyTBDLecture Exam 3

ORNITHOLOGY, WFSC 402 Instructor: Dr. Gary Voelker Office: 306 Old Heep Email (preferred contact method): gvoelker@tamu.edu Office hours: By appointment (and you don’t need to wait until the day before a test ). Teaching Assistants: Johanna Harvey johannaaharvey@gmail.com 102 Old Heep Jerry Huntley chewie79@email.tamu.edu 302 Old Heep