Victoria Moseley Bayless
Curator, Louisiana State Arthropod Museum
I 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 don’t 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