GREEN BAY-February can be "the cruelest month" for songbirds according to the speaker at the next University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Downtown Third Thursdays Lecture Series at noon Thursday, Feb. 21 in Suite 110 of the Baylake Bank City Center, 301 N. Adams St. "A Backyard Winter Oasis for Feeding Birds" is the topic for speaker Vicki Medland, an adjunct assistant professor in the Natural and Applied Sciences academic program.

Medland says that by February, natural food supplies sometimes are depleted, spring is far away, and a typical songbird must still eat 15 percent of its body weight each day in order to survive in the cold. She will discuss choices for feeders, foods and landscaping to attract birds. In addition to helping the birds, Medland notes that feeding birds also can provide a connection to nature that can relieve the gloominess of northern winters.

Medland's areas of research include aquatic ecology, animal behavior, evolution of dormancy, and evolution of mating systems. She earned a bachelor's degree at UW-Madison, a master's degree at New Mexico State University, and a Ph.D. at the University of Georgia.

The Downtown Third Thursdays series is sponsored by the Office of the Chancellor at UW-Green Bay, the UW-Green Bay Alumni Association, Downtown Green Bay, Inc., Olde Main Street, Inc., and On Broadway, Inc. in collaboration with the UW-Green Bay Division of Outreach and Adult Access.

More information about the lecture series is available online at www.uwgb.edu/downtown/.