This web site contains information relevant to nomenclature of the avian brain. Its current purpose is to serve as a communication means by which scientists can become more knowledgeable about the avian brain, exchange ideas, and formulate proposals for changing the existing nomenclature.

A Forum was held in July 2002 at the Duke University Medical Center, to decide and implement nomenclature changes for avian brain. A table of the nomenclature changes which came out of that forum is available here.

A 2-year preparation period (that began in July 2000) is designed for consensus-building through active participation of individuals across the spectrum of avian, reptilian, and mammalian neurobiology. This period and web site is expected to include decision making, to acquaint the larger community of avian neurobiologists with the advancing changes, and to incorporate the views of the larger community. Although a proposed nomenclature change may come from one person, several persons, or a large group, carrying the weight of the field in a formal communication arena better guarantees that such changes will be put into practice. With such preparation, participants are expected to arrive at the forum with consensus on a number of issues, such that at the forum, these issues can be quickly resolved, and needed time spent on issues where differences exist.

All information on the web site is expected to be respected by scientific ethics. If someone else's information is used to further advance their ideas, credit should be given to those persons. Should web based information be mentioned in a publication, reference should be made to the this website and the person(s) responsible for the information. Please contact Erich. D. Jarvis or Harvey Karten for questions and additions to the this web site. Site first posted 10/25/2000.

2002 Nomenclature Forum Participants

Top Row: Wayne Kuenzel, Kei Yamamoto, Kazuhiro Wada, Toru Shimizu, Scott Husband, Loreta Medina, Haru Horita, Connie Siang, Sarah Durand, Alice Powers
Middle Row: Diane Lee, Lubica Kubikova, David Perkel, Stephanie White, Tom Smulders, Andras Csillag, Laura Bruce, Claudio Mello, Greg Ball, Gerald Hough, Jennifer Dugas-Ford
Bottom Row: Ann Butler, Onur Gunturkun, Georg Striedter, Erich Jarvis, Tony Reiner, George Paxinos, Martin Wild