Victoria Moseley Bayless
Curator, Louisiana State Arthropod Museum
Email: vmosele@lsu.eduI started my career as an entomologist at the age of seven when I decided to dissect a tobacco hornworm. I was extremely disappointed and slightly disgusted that there was nothing inside but goo. I think I was hoping for something that might explain how it became a big moth.
I received my undergraduate degree in biology with an emphasis on botany from Louisiana State University in Shreveport (my home town). After working for several years as a pre-school teacher (not much biology that you can teach 4 year olds), I decided to go back to school. I enrolled in an intro entomology class and that was all it took. I loved insects. I had worked at the library and at the herbarium while in school and developed a passion for museum work and filing. Therefore I wanted to work in a museum of insects filing specimens instead of books. I decided to get my masters degree in Entomology. I was not very focused and so wound up working on a bio-control project with Dr. Gary Piper at Washington State University. It was a great experience and I graduated in 1986 with my masters.
I did not pursue a career in bio-control but returned home to Louisiana to be near my family. I started work at the LSU AgCenter Red River Research Station in 1988. Then I heard about the opening of an assistant curator position at the Louisiana State Arthropod Museum. I was extremely excited when the current director, Dr. Joan Chapin, hired me. I moved to Baton Rouge and started work here in March of 1990.?
Dr. Chapin taught me all about museum curation and I continued to fall in love with the insect world. Beetles were always my favorite but I have had to become a generalist and learn about all orders to do my job well. The museum was in excellent shape thanks to my predecessor Cheryl Barr (now at Berkeley). I remember her saying to me that unless I was able to accept that this job was never finished then I would go crazy. I soon understood what she meant! When Dr. Chapin retired and Dr. Chris Carlton took over, he started a very active collecting program. There were always specimens and more specimens. Pinning, labeling, identifying, curating and then..databasing! Oh my! Graduate students bringing in more and more specimens. The museum facility grew larger and there was more work. Yes, Cheryl, you were right. The work is never done, but as you know it is a very rewarding and extremely fun job.
The real fun part is collecting trips. Hot, sweaty, working trips but fun if you like that sort of thing. U. S. trips to Louisiana, Arizona, Alabama, Tennessee and North Carolina (Great Smoky Mountains National Park). Foreign trips to Belize, Costa Rica, Ecuador and Ghana. Meetings in many states, Mexico and Australia. What a great opportunity! What a wonderful job. What wonderful people to work with.
I decided that I wanted to do what most curators or collection managers do, I wanted to do some research. So with the help of Chris and Rich Leschen I became interested in a neo-tropical nitidulid genus Cyclocaccus back in 1998 . I dont even want to think of how long ago that was. Time, what a strange thing. But I have not given up yet. I have specimens and types and it will happen!
I have met so many great people through my job and many like Joan and Chris have become life long friends. My life has been enhanced in so many ways by these friends and by my fascination with insects. My personal life is also rich and full of fun and loving people; my beloved father who passed away recently but will always be with me, my Mother, my sister and her husband, Marlene and Charlie, my niece and nephew, Natalie and Dylan, my husband Ron and my new step-children Rebecca and Forrest, wonderful friends here, there, and yonder, my adorable dogs, Angel and Ladybird. My belief in the goodness of the universe and all that it has to offer me keeps me on track even when times are tough. So that is my story. That is all.
BIRD LIST FOR JUNE-AUGUST 1999 AT YASUNI BIOLOGICAL STATION AND VACINITY
The list below is compiled from sightings of members of the LSAM expedition to Yasuni National Park and Biological Station, Ecuador. For more information about the expedition see the LSAM Expeditions Page. Contributors were myself, Chris Carlton, Debra Murray, and Alexey Tishechkin. Apparently, there is no bird list available for the area. This list will contain most of the common species that can be expected in the vacinity of the station.
- Tinamous
- Great Tinamou Tinamus major
- Cinereous Tinamou Crypturellus cinereus
- Undulated Tinamou Crypturellus undulatus
- Herons
- Capped Heron Pilherodius pileatus
- Striated Heron Butorides striatus
- Fasciated Tiger-Heron Tigrisoma fasciatum
- American Vultures
- Black Vulture Coragyps atratus
- Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura
- Greater Yellow-headed Vulture Cathartes melambrotus
- King Vulture Sarcoramphus papa
- Hawks
- Swallow-tailed Kite Elanoides forficatus
- Double-toothed Kite Harpagus bidentatus
- Plumbeous Kite Ictinia plumbea
- Crane Hwak Geranospiza caerulescens
- Black-faced Hawk Leucopternis melanops
- White Hawk Leucopternis albicollis
- Roadside Hawk Buteo magnirostris
- Black Hawk-Eagle Spizaetus tyrannus
- Ornate hawk-Eagle Spizaetus ornatus
- Falcons
- Black Caracara Daptrius ater
- Red-throated Caracara Daptrius americanus
- Laughing Falcon Herpetotheres cachinnans
- Bat Falcon Falco rufigularis
- Cracids
- Speckeled Chachalaca Ortalis guttata
- Spix's Guan Penelope jacquacu
- Blue-throated Piping Guan Pipile cumanensis
- Salvin's Curassow Mitu salvini
- Pheasants
- Marbled Wood-Quail Odontophorus gujanensis
- Hoatzin
- Hoatzin Opisthocomus hoazin
- Trumpeter
- Gray-winged Trumpeter Psophia crepitans
- Sungrebe
- Sungrebe Heliornis fulica
- Pigeons and Doves
- Plain-breasted Ground-Dove Columbina minuta
- Parrots
- Blue-and-yellow Macaw Ara ararauna
- Military Macaw Ara militaris
- Scarlet Macaw Ara macao
- Chestnut-fronted Macaw Ara severa
- Cobalt-winged Parakeet Brotogeris cyanoptera
- Tui Parakeet Brotogeris sanctithornae
- Black-headed Parrot Pionites melanocephala
- Blue-headed Parrot Pionus menstruus
- Cuckoos
- Squirrel Cuckoo Piaya cayana
- Black-bellied Cuckoo Piaya melanhogaster
- Little Cuckoo Piaya minuta
- Greater Ani Crotophaga major
- Smooth-billed Ani Crotophaga ani
- Rufous-vented Ground-Cuckoo Neomorphus geoffroyi
- Typical Owls
- Tawny-bellied Screech Owl Otus watsonii
- Crested Owl Lophostrix cristata
- Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl Glaucidium b. brasilianum
- Potoos
- Great Potoo Nyctibius grandis
- Nightjars
- Pauraque Nyctidromus albicollis
- Swifts
- White-collared Swift Streptoprocne zonaris
- Short-tailed Swift Chaetura brachyura
- Fork-tailed Palm-Swift Tachornis squamata
- Hummingbirds
- Long-tailed Hermit Phaethornis superciliosus
- Straight-billed Hermit Phaethronis bourcieri
- Gray-breasted Sabrewing Campylopterus largipennis
- White-necked Jacobin Florisuga mellivora
- Trogons
- White-tailed Trogon Trogon viridis
- Collared Trogon Trogon collaris
- Blue-crowned Trogon Trogon curucui
- Violaceous Trogon Trogon violaceus
- Kingfishers
- Ringed Kingfisher Megaceryle torquata
- Amazon Kingfisher Chloroceryle amazona
- Green Kingfisher Chloroceryle americana
- Motmots
- Rufous Motmot Baryphthengus martii
- Jacamars
- White-eared Jacamar Galbalcyrhynchus leucotis
- Bronzy Jacamar Galbula leucogastra
- Puffbirds
- Collared Puffbird Bucco capensis
- Black-fronted Nunbird Monasa nigrifrons
- White-fronted Nunbird Monasa morphoeus
- Yellow-billed Nunbird Monasa flavirostris
- Swallow-winged Nunbird Chelidoptera tenebrosa
- Barbets
- Scarlet-crowned Barbet Capito aurovirens
- Lemon-throated Barbet Eubucco richardsoni
- Toucans
- Ivory-billed Aracari Pteroglossus azara
- Many-banded Aracari Pteroglossus pluricinctus
- Yellow-ringed Toucan Ramphastos culminatus
- Cuvier's Toucan Rampahstos cuvieri
- Woodpeckers
- Lafresnaye's Piculet Picumnus lafresnayi
- Yellow-tufted Woodpecker Melanerpes cruentatus
- Little Woodpecker Veniliornis passerinus
- Lineated Woodpecker Dryocopus lineatus
- Red-necked Woodpecker Campephilus rubricollis
- Crimson-crested Woodpecker Campephilus melanoleucos
- Woodcreepers
- Plain-brown Woodcreeper Dendrocincla fuliginosa
- Olivaceous Woodcreeper Sittasomus griseicapillus
- Wedge-billed Woodcreeper Glyphorynchus spirurus
- Curve-billed Scythebill Campylorhamphus procurvoides
- Ovenbirds
- Olive-backed Foliage Gleaner Automolus infuscatus
- Typical Antbirds
- Rufous-tailed Antwren Myrmotherula erythrura
- Stripe-chested Antwren Myrmotherula longicauda
- White-flanked Antwren Myrmotherula axillaris
- Black-faced Antbird Myrmoborus myotherinus
- Spot-winged Antbird Percnostola leucostigma
- Sooty Antbird Myrmeciza fortis
- White-plumed Antbird Pithys albifrons
- White-cheeked Antbird Gymnopithys leucaspis
- Spot-backed Antbird Hylophylax naevia
- Scale-backed Antbird Hylophylax poecilonota
- Ground Antbirds
- Thrush-like Antpitta Myrmothera campanisona
- Becards
- Black-tailed Tityra Tityra cayana
- Cotingas
- White-browed Purpletuft Iodopleura isabellae
- Dusky Piha Lipaugus fuscocinereus
- Screaming Piha Lipaugus vociferans
- Purple-throated Fruitcrow Querula purpurata
- Manakins
- Wire-tailed Manakin Pipra filicauda
- Golden-headed Manakin Pipra erythrocephala
- Blue-crowned Manakin Pipra coronata
- Blue-backed Manakin Chiroxiphia pareola
- Flycatchers
- Drab Water-Tyrant Ochthornis littoralis
- Tropical Kingbird Tyrannus melancholicus
- Social Flycatcher Myiozetetes similis
- Lesser Kiskadee Philohydor lictor
- Great Kiskadee Pitangus sulphuratus
- Swallows
- Gray-breasted Martin Progne chalybea
- White-banded Swallow Atticora fasciata
- Jays
- Violaceous Jay Cyanocorax violaceus
- Wrens
- Black-capped Donacobius Donacobius atricapillus
- Thrush-like Wren Campylorhynchus turdinus
- House Wren Troglodytes aedon
- White-breasted Wood-Wren Henicorhina leucosticta
- Southern Nightingale-Wren Microcerculus m. marginatus
- Troupials
- Crested Oropendola Psarocolius decumanus
- Green Oropendola Psarocolius viridis
- Russet-backed Oropendola Psarocolius angustifrons
- Band-tailed Oropendola Ocyalus latiristris
- Olive Oropendola Gymnostinops yuracares
- Yellow-rumped Cacique Cacicus cela
- Solitary Cacique Cacicus solitarius
- Tanagers and Allies
- Magpie Tanager Cissopis leveriana
- Yellow-backed Tanager Hemithraupis flavicollis
- Fulvous-crested Tanager Tachyphonus surinamus
- White-shouldered Tanager Tachyphonus luctuosus
- Red-crowned Ant-Tanager Habia rubica
- Masked Crimson Tanager Ramphocelus nigrogularis
- Sliver-beaked Tanager Ramphocelus carbo
- Blue-gray Tanager Thraupis episcopus
- Thick-billed Euphonia Euphonia laniirostris
- White-vented Euphonia Euphonia minuta
- Orange-bellied Euphonia Euphonia xanthogastra
- Paradise Tanager Tangara chilensis
- Green-and-gold Tanager Tangara schrankii
- Yellow-bellied Tanager Tangara xanthogaster
- Bay-headed Tanager Tangara gyrola
- Opal-rumped Tanager Tangara velia
- Opal-crowned Tanager Tangara callophrys
- Honeycreepers
- Black-faced Dacnis Dacnis lineata
- Blue Dacnis Dacnis cayana
- Green Honeycreeper Chlorophanes spiza
- Purple Honeycreeper Cyanerpes caeruleus
- Emberizine Finches
- Yellow-browed Sparrow Ammodramus aurifrons
- Red-capped Cardinal Paroaria gularis
- Chestnut-bellied Seedeater Sporophila castaneiventris
- Chestnut-bellied Seed-Finch Oryzoborus a. angolensis
- Dull-colored Grassquit Tiaris obscura