The Wilson Journal of Ornithology 124(4):835- 846, 2012 
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NINETY-THIRD ANNUAL MEETING 
JOHN A. SMALLWOOD. SECRETARY 
The Ninety-third Annual Meeting ot the 
Wilson Ornithological Society was held from 
Tuesday, 14 August, through Saturday, 18 
August 2012. on the campus of the University 
of British Columbia in Vancouver, in joint 
session with the American Ornithologists' 
Union, the Association of Field Ornithologists, 
La Sociedad para Estudio y Conservacidnde las 
Aves en Mexico (CIPAMEX). the Cooper 
Ornithological Society, the Raptor Research 
Foundation, the Society of Canadian Orniihol- 
ogists/Soeiete des Ornithologistes du Canada, 
and the Waterbird Society, This joint meeting 
was the Fifth North American Ornithological 
Conference (NAOC-V). Kathy Martin, Envi¬ 
ronment Canada and University of British 
Columbia, served as the NAOC-V Conference 
Chair and Chair of the NAOC-V Steering 
Committee, which also included Erica Nol 
(Latin American Participation, Society of Ca¬ 
nadian Ornithologists), Peter Davidson (Field 
Trips, Bird Studies Canada), Kimberly Cl. Smith 
(Finance Committee. American Ornithologists' 
Union). Lee H. Robinson (Society Meeting 
Requests, Association of Field Ornithologists), 
Katherine Renton (Latin American Participa¬ 
tion. CIPAMEX). Kimberly A. Sullivan (Sci¬ 
entific Program Liaison, Cooper Ornithological 
Society), Elizabeth K. Mojica (Student Affairs, 
Raptor Research Foundation). Robert L. Curry 
(Student Presentation Awards. Wilson Ornitho¬ 
logical Society), and Robert W. Elner (Chair. 
Local Organizing Committee, Waterbird Soci¬ 
ety). The Local Organizing Committee also 
included Andrea M. S. Norris. David P. L. 
Toews, Erin Gendron, Lee II. Robinson. Mark 
Drever. Nancy Mahony, Peter Arcese. Peter 
Davidson. Shelagh Bueknell. and Wendy 
Easton. The following organizations sponsored 
(he conference: Environment Canada (Wildlife 
Research Division). The University ol British 
Columbia (Beaty Biodiversity Museum. Centre 
for Applied Conservation Research, Depart¬ 
ment of Zoology, Forestry, and Office of 
Vice-President of Research and International). 
Simon Fraser University (Biological Sciences, 
Centre for Wildlife Ecology), Commission for 
Environmental Cooperation of North America, 
and Holohil Systems Ltd. 
NAOC-V activities began on Sunday. 12 
August, with a workshop on estimating avian 
abundance and occupancy with marked and 
unmarked individuals. Additional events from 
Sunday. 12 August, through Tuesday. 14 August, 
included a continuation ol the avian abundance 
and occupancy workshop, plus five more work¬ 
shops on writing and reviewing scientific 
papers, communicating research effectively 
through the media, using and contributing to 
avian collections, loon conservation, and a 
workshop conducted by the North American 
Ornithological Atlas Committee. Several of the 
participating societies also held their council/ 
board meetings. The Wilson Ornithological 
Society had held its annual Council Meeting 
previously, from 31 March to 1 April 2012, in 
Buffalo, New York. Bridget Stutchbury present¬ 
ed the lecture “Frequent fliers: tracking song¬ 
bird migration through the Americas' on 
Monday evening and the opening reception 
was held on Tuesday evening. 
Conference Chair Kathy Martin opened the 
scientific program on Wednesday morning with 
welcoming remarks, noting the NAOC-V had 
attracted >1.500 participants from >25 coun¬ 
tries. Chairperson Martin subsequently intro¬ 
duced John L, lnnes. Dean of Forestry, who 
welcomed those assembled to the University ol 
British Columbia. Dean lnnes. in turn, introduced 
the first plenary speaker, Fiona Schmiegelow, 
who presented the lecture “An odyssey of boreal 
bird research and conservation in Canada. " The 
scientific program, conducted over 4 days, con¬ 
sisted of an astounding 1.167 presentations, 
including 643 papers organized into 69 sessions 
and 12 symposia, 520 poster presentations 
organized into two sessions, and a plenary lecture 
to begin each day of the program. On Thursday 
morning Irby J. Lovetie presented the plenary 
lecture “Historical perspectives on the evolution 
of warbler diversity, behavior, and ecology." 
Roxanna Torres opened the Friday program with 
••Sexual selection from a life history perspec¬ 
tive: colour communication in a seabird. On 
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