Retired prof Eldon Greij has long history with KW

 
By JERRY NUNN

In 1963, a decade before the Endangered Species Act, when the Kirtland’s Warbler count was a fraction of what it is now, a biology instructor from Hope College brought a class of students to the Mac Lake area looking for the tiny, yellow-breasted bird. Meeting success – a nested pair of Kirtland’s Warblers, with young – he’s been returning north ever since.

Eldon Greij, that same instructor now retired, will mark this year’s return with a visit to the Kirtland’s Warbler Festival as one of the programs’s featured presenters.

In separate Saturday presentations, Greij (pronounced GRAY), the former owner and editor of Birder’s World magazine, will share an exciting career’s worth of bird-watching knowledge. In “Becoming a Better Birder,” to be held at 10:30 a.m. in the Instructional Center, Greij will teach the tools and skills necessary to good birding. At 1:30 p.m., his presentation “Exciting and Intriguing Courtship Behavior” will examine bird behavior from courtship to brood rearing.

Birding does not need to be overly expensive said Greij, but there is some equipment that is essential to success and those tools, as well as necessary skills, is what will be discussed it in his morning class.

“In the field, fast identification is essential. You need to be able to look at that bird, sometimes with little more than a glance, and identify and record its markings,” said Greij. “I’ll provide some tips for reading a bird, looking at its bill, its head and eyes, how to look for streaks, marks, different colors, things that stand out and identify a bird as different.”

Greij will also discuss optics, having examples of different brands and styles on hand as well as field guides, the most essential piece of birding equipment, giving tips and examples of what makes for a good guide. With up-to-date equipment such as computer CDs with bird songs, Greij will show how using songs, converted into words or phrases, can help identify birds in the field and bush.

A life-long bird lover, Greij studied biology, specializing in ornithology and ecology at Iowa State University, graduating with a Ph.D. in 1969. His bird-watching knowledge covers the entire globe; he conducts tours and safaris to South America and Africa. And he remains an active writer, lecturer and tour promoter.

While Greij has a great interest in marches and studied Common Moorhens for 12 years of his career, he remains highly knowledgeable in songbirds and holds an annual three-day-weekend course in bird-watching entitled “An Appreciation of Birds” through his tour company, Avian Enterprises.

Greij talks with excitement about his afternoon session at the Warbler Festival.

“It is a potpourri of the whole reproduction process,” he said. “Many birds have elaborate courtship rituals that are very complex and interesting. We’ll look at some of those and talk about some new things biologists are finding out about the mating process.”

This illustrated presentation will focus on behaviors such a mate selection, courtship, copulation and incubation, and will discuss strategies birds have developed. It will also look at the differences in songs and see how these can influence mating success.

Greij’s work and study of birds have taught him a great appreciation of others in the field and applauds the agencies and individuals working with the Kirtland’s warbler.

“It is important work with far reaching benefits,” said Greij. “It may seem like a lot of work, just for one species of bird, but when you do habitat management, or habitat enhancement, and it helps many different species. And not just birds.”

Contact Eldon Greij by e-mail at greije@hope.edu or by phone at (616) 396-0540, or write him at Avian Enterprises, 240 S. River Ave., Holland, MI 49423.