That’s what this part of Arnhem Land is like. Other places are all right but here in the middle you’ve got to talk to the country. You can’t just travel quiet, no! That’s law for the centre of Arnhem Land.
Here I present the abstracts from the ethnoornithology session at the 38th annual Society of Ethnobiology meeting at the University of California Santa Barbara campus last week titled "What Do Birds Tell Us? How Ethno-ornithology Opens Doors to Understanding Relationships with Others."
These guys just don't give a shit, and have a great time doing it. I don't know if this species is the loudest bird in the world but I reckon even the FA-18s from the nearby Tindal RAAF base would be hard-pressed to cut through the Blue-winged Kookaburra's cacophonous clatter at close quarters.
For Kaytetye speakers, the main difference between their ethnospecies is size and frequency: arlewatyerre is smaller and common while aremaye is big and less common - five of the former and one of the latter were obtained on this day.
Applied ethno-biology at its best. This guest post from Peter Cooke examines the benefits that Aboriginal fire management regimes can have on fragile landscapes and vulnerable --literally -- bird and mammal species.
If you like Australian raptors and a big sky there is no better place to get both at the same time than the Barkly Tablelands in the heartland of the Northern Territory.
It isn't every day that you get to see the world's rarest bird while being battered, bruised and drenched by the south Atlantic Ocean - and paying for the fantastic privilege.
A look at some of the work being undertaken across the globe by researchers and indigenous people with an interest in birds, people, cultures and the land and environments that they share - from the 13th International Society of Ethnobiology Congress at Montpelier, France in May 2012.
The recognition and application of traditional knowledge of birds is increasingly appreciated as a valuable tool for contemporary societies to re-engage with the knowledge of past generations and to provide opportunities to inform modern land and species management for the benefit of species, landscapes and societies. Across the world, local language and cultural groups are recognising the value of ethnoornithology and ethnobiological methodologies, including as tools for inter-generational transfer of knowledge and engaging mainstream land managers with indigenous cultures and societies.
This fascinating piece of ethnoornithological research explores the knowledge and beliefs of and about Owls by secondary and primary school-children in Zambia. I'd love to know if any of the students went on to become biologists or natural history workers later in life.
