A pod cast in this english class is geared towards presenting a problem and a solution to that problem about a topic under our subject area.

I am struggling to come up with a topic that will provide 4-5 minutes of pod cast time.  I feel like I am covering a lot of topics in my webtext that could be further split up and be covered individually, though I don't really want to split them up.  I want to save birds being hit by cars for the slide show presentation, and I can't really think of another big topic to make my pod cast about.  Should I take the loss of natural areas portion out of my webtext and have that be the topic of my pod cast?  I don't have a very solid research base for it yet.  Then my webtext would just be about birds and the city and how people can help with safe migration.

What do you think would be best?

Topic Definition Statement and Key Words


Key words and Phrases

• Bird migration
• Great Lakes
• Stop over
• Over-wintering sites
• Windows
• Lights
• Habitat loss
• Nocturnal migration
• Conservation plans
• Navigation
• Migration pattern
• Collisions
• Detours
• Ecological Barriers

 Background Information


Large numbers of birds die every year during migration, and it is mostly from the effects of urbanization and habitat loss. The great lakes area is a critical stop over point for many migrating birds and consideration needs to be given to preserving the remaining natural areas to facilitate their migration.

Purpose of the Project

My paper will thoroughly review the impacts humans have on birds and their migration and how we can alleviate those impacts.


Working Title


Bird Migration: can humans be part of a solution rather than a problem?


Questions to Answer

How can people assist birds in having a safe migration in the great lakes area?

What conservation issues are effecting bird migrations in the great lakes area?
What issues are effecting bird migration that are man made?

 Bibliography Entries

Alerstam, T. (2001) Detours in Bird Migration. J. Theor. Biol. pp. 319-331

Summary:  This paper reviews the energy costs of migration birds and how often they make stops and take detours during migration.  It also touches upon how birds deal with ecological barriers.
Assessment:
Authority: written by a faculty member of Lund University, and published in a scientific journal
Accuracy:  It is a peer reviewed article
Currency: Some information may have changed in the last 10 years since it was published, but it is otherwise current.
Objectivity: It is very objected since it is a scientific publication.  All of the statements are backed up with scientific evidence.
Reflection:  This article may yeild some useful information, but it is not entirely related to my topic.

Hill, G. E. (2004) A Head Start for Some Redstarts. Science. Vol. 306, Issue 5705. Summary: This article examines the different times that Red Starts Molt, and how they can have different chemical components in their feathers based on what latitude they live.  It also discusses the consequenses of molting before, after , or during migration.
Assessment:
Authority It was published under Science journal.
Accuracy: It is a paper about a scientific study.
Currency: Published in 2004, so it is relatively current.
Objectivity: It is a scientific publication so all statements and speculation are backed up with scientific evidence.
Reflection:  This paper isn't necessarily applicable to my paper, but it does discuss the energy costs of migration and how that is an essential part to a successful trip.

Original Question:

How do humans impact North American seasonal bird migration?

Broadened Questions:

How do humans effect animal migration world wide?

How do humans impact the lives of birds?

Narrowed Questions:

How do humans negatively effect bird migration around the great lakes?

How does industry and business impact travel for birds along the mississippi flyway?