Researchers from Tufts University will be spending their third year of a study on grassland birds at Woodsom Farm in Amesbury, MA, this summer, the Newburyport Daily News reports.
The research will include casting nets to tag and draw blood from birds, as well as figure out why species such as the Bobolink and Eastern Meadowlark prefer large fields instead of small ones. The students will be looking at nest density of the different birds at the 350-acre farm, vegetation structures, physical attributes of the birds, predator avoidance, bird alertness and their overall condition, as well as insect populations within this habitat.
The Bobolink is the only American bird
that is black underneath and white on top.
(Photo by Marie Read via AllAboutBirds.com)
A press release from Mayor Kezer’s office asks visitors to Woodsom Farm “not to approach or tamper with the nets as this may endanger the birds and impact the research.” Visitors with dogs are also asked to obey Amesbury’s leash laws and keep dogs away from the nets.
The research will start in May and continue through autumn. It will be follow strict principles to keep down the disruption to the birds.
