Meeting Objectives: To identify knowledge gaps, meet research needs, and improve conservation actions required to help hummingbirds thrive in this changing world.

The working groups aim to develop programs and collaborations upon which HCNs can facilitate and support quality and effective research for hummingbird conservation.
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We will schedule three concurrent working groups per afternoon session, and each working group will meet for two afternoon sessions. The desired outcome of each working group is an outline of crucial topics and the next steps for a report/paper that HCNs’ staff or authors awarded a small grant will complete.

Please identify your working group interests in your registration 

Current Working Groups:   ​

1.   Identifying gaps in the nectar landscape. Objectives are:
a.    Predicting where and when gaps in the nectar landscape will occur;
b.   Exploring climate spaces for flowering hummingbird nectar plants using the hummingbird/flower paper data;
c.    Defining a postdoctoral position at the University of Arizona to complete the paper and to continue the investigation of climate conditions favorable for flowering hummingbird nectar plants.

2.   Measuring hummingbird diversity and abundance. Objectives are:
a.    Listing research topics that would benefit from measuring hummingbird diversity and abundance.
b.   Proposing analyses and measures could inform the above topics about changes in hummingbird diversity and abundance.
c. Evaluating the diversity and abundance status of hummingbird communities and the effectiveness of conservation actions in these communities.

3.   Prioritizing regional research topics. Objectives are:
a.    Dividing into regional subgroups for topic discussions
b.   Developing collaborations for addressing shared priorities
c.    Identifying projects ready to be written into grant proposals.

4.   Sharing field techniques and data analyses effective in hummingbird studies. Objectives are:  
a.    Sharing results using various field techniques
b.   Evaluating and analyzing the effectiveness of techniques
c.    Updating and publishing HCNs’ Field Study guide on our website

5.   Developing conservation economies in HCCRs. Objectives are:
a.    Creating community jobs for hummingbird monitoring and nectar plant restoration
b. Identifying economic opportunities that can fund hummingbird conservation activities
c. Implementing these ideas with communities interested in joining the Hummingbird Conservation Communities and Reserves network.

6.   Creating HCNs’ Science Advisory Council. Objectives are:
a.   Generating guidelines for council activities
b.   Inviting advisors to become members of the council
c.    Determining subsequent actions and meetings.