Education

Post-doctoral research at North Carolina State University 1971-1974
Ph. D. 1971. Pennsylvania State University (Food Science and Biotechnology)
M. Agr. Sc. 1966. Massey University, New Zealand (with Honours)
B. Agr. Sc. 1963. Massey University, New Zealand (concentration agricultural biochemistry)

Occupation

1985- present Insurance Agent, First Express Insurance, Sidney, Iowa
Professional designation: C.I.C. (Certified Insurance Counselor)
1974-1985 Manager and Nutritionist, Swine Operations, Mar-I-War Farms, Tabor, Iowa

Professional Ornithological Experience

Owner New Zealand Land and Pelagic Bird Tours
Conducted Nebraska Game and Parks Commission Henslow’s Sparrow and Grasslands Survey 2007
Conducted Nebraska Game and Parks Commission Henslow’s Sparrow and Grasslands Survey 2006
Conducted (with Bill F. Huser) Nebraska Game and Parks Commission Cerulean Warbler Survey 2004

Volunteer Ornithological Experience

Co-compiler of Southern Great Plains Region, North American Birds, 2002-present
Compiler of quarterly seasonal field reports for Nebraska Bird Review, 1993-present
Nebraska Ornithologists’ Union Records Committee, 1986-2004
Iowa Ornithologists’ Union Records Committee 2007-present
Important Bird Areas (IBA) Nebraska Technical Committee, 2003-present
Information contributor and reviewer to Nebraskaland Magazine’s 2003 issue Birding Nebraska
Nebraska Range map consultant for The Sibley Guide to Birds of Eastern North America, 2002
Nebraska Range map consultant for The Sibley Guide to Birds of Western North America, 2002
Nebraska Range map consultant for National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America, 2002
President, Iowa Ornithologists’ Union, 1982.

Ornithological and Conservation Memberships

Nebraska Ornithologists’ Union 1989-present (Life Member)
American Birding Association 1978-present
Iowa Ornithologists’ Union 1976-present
Kansas Ornithological Society 1979-present
Audubon Society of Missouri 1979-present
British Ornithologists’ Club 2002-present
Ornithological Society of New Zealand 1992-present
Southern Ocean Seabird Study Association
Australasian Seabird Group
Friends of Tiritiri Matangi
The Nature Conservancy
New Zealand Forest and Bird
Pheasants Forever
Ducks Unlimited

Publications

Books and Monographs

Sharpe, R.S., W.R. Silcock, and J.G. Jorgensen. 2001. Birds of Nebraska: Their Distribution and Temporal Occurrence. University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln. 520 pages.
Bray, T.E., B.K. Padelford, and W. Ross Silcock. 1986. The Birds of Nebraska: A Critically Evaluated List. Published by the authors, Bellevue. 111 pages.

Reviews

Atlas of Bird Distribution in New Zealand 1999-2004. Wilson Bulletin (in press).
The Nature of Nebraska. Wilson Bulletin, 115: 492-494. 2003.
Kansas Breeding Bird Atlas. Wilson Bulletin, 115:109-110. 2003.
Birds in Iowa. Iowa Bird Life, 67:70-72. 1997.
Birds In Kansas, Vol. 1. Iowa Bird Life, 60:21-22. 1990.
Birds in Minnesota. Iowa Bird Life 59:23-24. 1989.

Presentations

W.R. Silcock and Joel G. Jorgensen. 2008. The Nebraska Chapter of The Wildlife Society: Prairie Science Bird Symposium. "Henslow's Sparrow (Ammodramus henslowii) abundance in southeast Nebraska. and an assessment of habitat availability."
Jorgensen, J.G., and W.R. Silcock. 2007. On the Outskirts: the Henslow’s Sparrow in Nebraska. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Henslow’s Sparrow Workshop. Minneapolis, MN.
Nebraska Ornithologists’ Union Spring 2006 “Hybridization on the Great Plains”
Iowa Ornithologists’ Union Fall 2006 “Birding and Conservation in New Zealand”
Nebraska Ornithologists’ Union Spring 1999 (100th Anniversary Meeting) “From Arapahoe to Zrtac: History of the State Bird List”

Papers and Short Notes

Silcock, W. Ross. 2007. A preliminary survey of southeast Nebraska grassland habitat and potential Henslow’s Sparrow habitat. Nebraska Bird Review 75: 53-61.
Silcock, W. Ross, and Joel G. Jorgensen. 2007. Henslow’s Sparrow status in Nebraska. Nebraska Bird Review 75: 13-16.
Silcock, W. Ross. 2006. White-cheeked Geese in Nebraska. Nebraska Bird Review 74:99-105.
Silcock, R., J.J. Dinan, B. Huser, J.G. Jorgensen. 2005. Status of the Cerulean Warbler (Dendroica cerulea) in Nebraska. Nebraska Bird Review 73:124-130.
Silcock, W.R. 2004. The Greater Snow Goose (Chen caerulescens atlanticus) in Nebraska. Nebraska Bird Review 72: 104-108.
Silcock. W.R. 2004. Thayer’s and Kumlien’s Gulls and the State List. Iowa Bird Life 74:151-153.
Dinsmore, S.J. and W.R. Silcock. 2004. The Changing Seasons: Expansions. North American Birds 58: 324- 330.
Brogie, M.A., and W.R. Silcock. 2004. Eurasian Collared-Dove (Streptopelia decaocto) Expansion. Nebraska Bird Review 72: 18-23.
Silcock, W.R. 2003. Hitting the Hot Spots in Fremont County. Iowa Bird Life 73:142-146.
Silcock, W.R. 2001. In Summer, How Close are Spotted Towhees to Iowa and Eastern Towhees? Iowa Bird Life 71:61-64.
Dinsmore, S.J., and W.R. Silcock. 2001. First confirmed records of Dusky Flycatcher for Nebraska. Nebraska Bird Review 69:33-35.
Silcock, W.R., and S.J. Dinsmore. 1999. Common Crane in central Platte Valley, Nebraska, March 1999, and a discussion of prior North American records. Nebraska Bird Review 67:28-30.
Dinsmore, S.J., and W.R. Silcock. 1998. Parasitic Jaeger at Lake McConaughy. Nebraska Bird Review 66:114-115.
Jorgensen, J.G., and W.R. Silcock. 1998. Nebraska’s first Curlew Sandpiper (Calidris furruginea). Nebraska Bird Review 66: 3.
Dinsmore, S.J., and W.R. Silcock. 1995. Cattle Egrets nesting in Keith County. Nebraska Bird Review 63:89-90.
Dinsmore, S.J., and W.R. Silcock. 1995. First nesting records for Mississippi Kite in Nebraska. Nebraska Bird Review 63:88-89.
Dinsmore, S.J., and W.R. Silcock. 1995. Laughing Gulls in western Nebraska. Nebraska Bird Review 63:66-67.
Silcock, W.R. 1994. Gyrfalcon in northwestern Iowa. Iowa Bird Life 64:115-116.
Dinsmore, S.J., and W.R. Silcock. 1993. First record of a Ross' Gull for Nebraska. Nebraska Bird Review 61:88-89.
Dinsmore, S.J., and W.R. Silcock. 1993. Lesser Black-backed Gull at Sutherland Reservoir. Nebraska Bird Review 61:87.
Silcock, W.R. 1992. An additional Nebraska record of Common Eider? Nebraska Bird Review 60:149-150.
Silcock, W.R. 1989. Long-billed Curlew in Pottawattamie County. Iowa Bird Life 59:120-121.
Silcock, W.R. 1989. Barrow's Goldeneye at DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge. Iowa Bird Life 59:89-90.
Silcock, W.R. 1989. Brant at DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge. Iowa Bird Life 59:88.
Silcock, W.R. 1988. Birding Riverton Area. Iowa Bird Life 58:65-67.
Silcock, W.R., T.E. Bray, and B.K. Padelford. 1986. Mexican Duck in Nebraska. Nebraska Bird Review 54:41-42.
Silcock, W.R., T.E. Bray, and B.K. Padelford. 1986. Records needed. Nebraska Bird Review 54:40-41.
Silcock, W.R., T.E. Bray, and B.K. Padelford. 1986. Mottled Duck in Nebraska. Nebraska Bird Review 54:39-40.
Silcock, W.R. 1979. Some comments on the "Breeding Birds of Nebraska". Nebraska Bird Review 48:38.
Silcock, W.R. 1977. Annotated List of Foray Birds. Iowa Bird Life 47:123-132.

Personal

Ross was born at Paeroa, New Zealand, 15 December 1944. He attended high school at King’s College in Auckland, New Zealand, then Massey University in Palmerston North, New Zealand. He moved to the United States in 1968 to attend graduate school at Penn State University.
Ross is a City Councilman at Tabor, Iowa, and is also Secretary of the Fremont County Economic Development Corporation.
Ross is married to Lyndabeth Emch, a native of Kansas, and they have two married children living in Chicago and Glenwood, Iowa, and five grand-children.

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