Museum hosts “The Evolution of Birdsong” lecture
August 6, 2007
RALEIGH – Discover the intricacy, ecology and evolution of birdsong when the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences presents a lecture by Duke Biology Professor Steve Nowicki, on Tuesday, August 21 at 7 p.m. Free.
Nowicki is a long-time student of birdsong. His laboratory studies the ecology and evolution of animal behavior, especially questions about the evolution of diversity and complexity in animal communication signals. He and his students have worked on a diverse array of organisms including invertebrates such as insects, spiders, crabs, shrimp and lobsters, and other vertebrates including lizards, ground squirrels and primates. One recent experiment shows that female song sparrows prefer the most accurate performance of their song — the inference being that the male who learned it best has perhaps the sharpest intellect.
“The Evolution of Birdsong” is the third in a series of four lectures held to complement “Wild Music: Sounds & Songs of Life,” the newest traveling exhibit at the Museum of Natural Sciences. The exhibit, which runs through September 16, explores evidence for the biological origins of music.
For the fourth and final lecture of the series — held Tuesday, September 4 at 7 p.m. — Donald Hodges will present “A Layman’s Guide to the Musical Brain.” Hodges is Covington Distinguished Professor of Music Education and Director of the Music Research Institute at UNCG. At the Institute, he oversees nearly 30 active research projects in biomusic, neuroimaging of musicians, music education, music-related hearing loss, music performance, music medicine and ethnomusicology. Two of the projects are Sounds of Learning, an investigation of the role of music education in the lives of school age children, and Multi-sensory Processing of Conductors, an investigation into the ways auditory and visual information integrate in the brains of highly trained musicians.
All the lectures in the series are free and open to the public. “Wild Music” exhibit prices are $5 for adults, $4 for seniors and students, and $3 for children. For more information, visit the Museum online at www.naturalsciences.org or call 919-733-7450 ext. 309/310.
The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, in downtown Raleigh, documents and interprets the natural history of the state of North Carolina through exhibits, research, collections, publications, and educational programming. Hours: Mon.-Sat., 9 am to 5 pm, and Sun., noon to 5 pm. Admission is free. Visit the Museum on the Web at naturalsciences.org. The Museum is an agency of the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources, William G. Ross Jr., Secretary.
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