Retired professor Dave McDonald will present on his years of research on Neotropical manakins, colorful birds with a lek mating system in which males perform spectacular courtship displays at clustered courts visited by females prospecting for mates. Most recently his focus has been on Golden-winged Manakins in Ecuador where he discovered that females play a more active role in shaping male behavior than previously suspected.

He will be joined by Bird Alliance board member Erin Madden, who will provide practical advice on visiting Ecuador for birding, including photos from her recent trip in November 2024.

Please arrive at 6:30 if you want to order food or drink!