Voluntariado en Panamá

VOLUNTEER FIELD ASSISTANTS (2): behavioral ecology of lance-tailed
manakins in Panama. Two positions are available 15 Feb to 20 Jun 2010
for an ongoing behavioral study of female mate choice in lance-tailed
manakins (Chiroxiphia lanceolata) in Panama. Females of this small,
lekking bird “shop” among males that display in cooperative pairs on
dispersed display territories. The successful applicant will be involved
in work investigating questions such as how indirect genetic benefits
affect female mate choice, why dominant males tolerate subordinate
cooperators, and how male experience affects display performance.
Responsibilities will include resighting color-banded birds, daily
maintenance of an automated telemetry system, conducting many hour-long
behavioral observations at display sites, extensive radio-tracking,
nest-searching through dense secondary-growth dry tropical forest, and
mistnetting birds for banding and blood sampling, as well as data entry
and organizational tasks. Experience in one or more of these areas is
strongly preferred. Applicants should have a very strong interest in
animal behavior, birds, and field biology. The field crew of four people
will live and work on a remote island off of Panama's Pacific coast and
share one-room housing, and can expect to have no internet access and
poor cell phone reception for up to two weeks at a time: experience
working in isolated field settings and/or living in close quarters is
highly desirable. Conversational Spanish ability is strongly preferred
for this position. Work on this field site is particularly difficult due
to steep terrain, extreme heat and humidity, long hours, mentally taxing
tasks, poisonous snakes, eccentric locals, and tons of ticks. Applicants
should be enthusiastic, physically fit, and emotionally grounded. Expect
to work long days (6am-6pm six days a week), be woken at 4 am by howler
monkeys on a regular basis, and see some amazing bird behavior. Upon
successful completion of the field season, assistants will be reimbursed
for round-trip airfare to Panama (max of $1000). Food, housing, and
required transportation within Panama will be provided. For more
information on the research, see (URL:
http://www.bio.fsu.edu/faculty-duval.php). To apply, send: 1)
coverletter explaining your motivation and suitability to work on this
project, 2) resume, and 3) email and phone numbers of three references
familiar with your field skills, personality, and motivation to: DR.
EMILY DUVAL, Florida State University Department of Biological Science,
(EM: ehduval AT gmail.com), and cc the application to crew leader
SAMANTHA LANTZ (EM: samlantz AT gmail.com). Please use the subject line
“Lance-tailed Manakin field assistant application.” Review of
applications will continue until positions are filled.