There was a time when seeing parakeets in Chicago was not an uncommon occurrence. No, we’re not talking about escaped pets, but rather the now extinct Carolina Parakeet, a species endemic to the eastern half of the U.S. But what happened? How did the bird once described as the most colorful bird in North America cease to exist? What can we learn from their story to better conserve birds today?
Join us as Dr. Kevin Burgio discusses what is known about the history, biology, and extinction of Chicago’s only native parrot. Kevin will explain how his research, using modern research methods, sheds new light on the extinction of the Carolina Parakeet from range limitations and to disturbances such as climate change and habitat fragmentation.
All are welcome to attend this free event but RSVP is required.
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About our speaker:
Dr. Kevin R. Burgio is the Director of Conservation and Science at New York City Audubon. He is a U.S. Air Force veteran who earned his PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Connecticut in 2017. As a student, Dr. Burgio was selected as a Barry Goldwater Scholar as an undergraduate and was a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow as a graduate student. Before he joined NYC Audubon, he spent two years as a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the University of Connecticut in Science Communication, followed by a year at the Cary Institute for Ecosystem Studies as its Undergraduate Research Program Coordinator and Research Specialist, and then as a Postdoctoral Research Associate with Environment and Climate Change Canada.
Dr. Burgio’s conservation research focuses on using an integrative approach to understanding how climate change, habitat loss, and other disturbances affect bird populations, with particular focus on parrots and Carolina Parakeets. He has published his conservation research in many peer-reviewed journals, including Conservation Biology, Science Advances, and the Journal of Ornithology. He is a subject editor for the scientific journal Avian Conservation and Ecology. He has also published articles about birds and science in many media outlets, including the Washington Post, Salon, and American Scientist, and been quoted on his research in the New York Times, Smithsonian Magazine, Audubon Magazine, and among others. His goal is to bridge the divide between ecological theory and on-the-ground conservation in order to make the best possible decisions for now and the future. He also advocates for inclusion and equity in science. You can follow him on Twitter, @KRBurgio.