Our Editors

Jeffrey P. Hoover

University of Illinois, Prairie Research Institute, Illinois Natural History Survey

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I am an avian ecologist and study birds (particularly migratory songbirds) in upland and bottomland forest ecoystems and use observational and experimental field studies to address ecological questions and conservation issues. A primary focus of my research has been determining how habitat features and landscape composition affect nest predation and brood parasitism in breeding birds. My work in bottomland forests has also documented how hydrological restoration of forested wetlands affects breeding bird communities. Another major focus of my research has been studying brood-parasite/host interactions and their ecological and evolutionary ramifications. Finally, my long-term work on Prothonotary Warblers has addressed behavioral decision rules for site fidelity, natal philopatry and first-year survival, density dependent reproductive output, and the effects of a warming climate on the timing of breeding.

Themes: nesting ecology, nest predation, brood parasitism, breeding site fidelity, natal philopatry, survival, forest fragmentation, lifetime reproductive success

Abby N. Powell

USGS Florida Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit

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I am the Unit Leader of the USGS Florida Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit. Before that, I served as an Assistant Unit Leader of the Alaska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit for 15 years. My graduate students and I work on a variety of research in avian ecology, mostly with an applied focus. I have worked a lot with species of conservation concern and have a particular affinity for working with shorebirds. However, my work has spanned over many avian taxa including eiders, ravens, passerines, and long-legged waders.

Themes: avian ecology, conservation, migration

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Matthew Reudink

Department of Biological Sciences, Thompson Rivers University, Kamloops, BC, Canada

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I am a Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, BC, Canada, located on the traditional lands of the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc within Secwepemcúlucw, the traditional and unceded territory of the Secwépemc. I study the evolution and behaviour of birds, with particular emphasis on the evolution of plumage colouration.

Themes: Evolution, behaviour, sexual selection, colour, migration

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Scott A. Rush

Mississippi State University

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Scott Rush is an Associate Professor in the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries & Aquaculture at Mississippi State University. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Georgia (2009) where his research focused on indicators of ecosystem properties within northern Gulf of Mexico tidal marshes. His post-doctoral training, completed at The University of Windsor’s (Windsor, Ontario) Great Lakes’ Institute for Environmental Research, addressed changes in energy mobility through Great Lakes ecosystems. Now at Mississippi State University, Scott and his students continue to work within an expanding research framework incorporating novel technologies and chemical tracers to address features of landscape and trophic ecology relative to wildlife populations. Some current work strives to understand the effects of climate change on avian population regulation, and management of ecological communities supporting threatened and endangered species, especially within the context of human-wildlife conflicts.

Themes: Community ecology; ecology and conservation of tidal systems; human-wildlife conflict; urban wildlife ecology; wildlife management

Jen Smith

The University of Texas at San Antonio

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I am an Assistant Professor at The University of Texas at San Antonio. My lab’s research takes a mechanistic approach to assess the effects of land-use and management decisions on the behaviour, space use, and demography of birds, but occasionally on other taxa too. I am also interested in the human dimensions of wildlife which influence, and are influenced by wildlife management and conservation behaviours. Overall, my objective is to conduct research that informs policy and promotes sustainable land uses that consider the conservation of wildlife and human well-being.

Themes: avian ecology, conservation, global change, human dimensions of wildlife, urban wildlife ecology, wildlife management

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Michal Šulc

Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Czech Academy of Sciences

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I am interested in the behavioural and evolutionary ecology of birds. I am particularly fascinated by inter- and intra-specific brood parasite-host interactions in the common cuckoo and the barn swallow study system. I video-record parasitism in situ at host nests and follow individuals by using RFID tags and readers. For studying the impact of visual signals (e.g. mimetic eggs of brood parasites) to host behaviour (e.g. egg recognition), I use up-to-date methods that simulate avian visual perception of colours and patterns. These include e.g. spectrometry, UV photography and modelling of avian vision.

Themes: behaviour, cognition, brood parasitism

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Ann E. McKellar

Environment and Climate Change Canada

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I am a Research Scientist within the Wildlife Research Division of Environment and Climate Change Canada and Adjunct Professor at the University of Saskatchewan. I specialize in the full life cycle biology and conservation of migratory birds in prairie ecosystems, with a primary focus on waterbirds and shorebirds. I have a particular interest in using new technologies (drones, light-level geolocators, satellite tags, Motus Wildlife Telemetry) to track and monitor migratory birds.

Themes: avian ecology, migratory connectivity, prairies, species at risk, tracking technology

Ben J. Vernasco

Washington State University

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I am an integrative organismal biologist fascinated by the causes and consequences of variation in fitness-related traits and behaviors. I use an integrative approach to address applied and fundamental ecological and evolutionary questions in both free-living and captive animals.

Themes: telomeres, endocrine, testosterone, glucocorticoids, aging, behavioral ecology, lek, manakin, migration, finch, nomad, alpine, metabarcoding, post-fledgling survival, behavioral endocrinology, stress

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Maria A. Pacheco

Temple University

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I am an Assistant Professor (Research) at the Department of Biology/Institute for Genomics and Evolutionary Medicine (iGEM) from Temple University. My academic and professional interests are avian ecophysiology and evolutionary biology. My research has focused on understanding the evolution of haemosporidian parasites and their hosts, especially birds. I am applying phylogenetic and molecular clock methods to understand host switches and the radiation of avian haemosporidian parasite groups. I am also interested in the rate and mode of evolution of the mitochondrial genome in birds and their haemosporidian parasites.

Juan I. Areta

Laboratorio de Ecología, Comportamiento y Sonidos Naturales (ECOSON), IBIGEO-CONICET

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I am a Neotropical field ornithologist based in NW Argentina. I have broad interests in bird ecology, systematics, migration and bioacustics.

Themes: bird song, bamboo-specialist birds, integrative taxonomy, biogeography, Neotropics

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Lauryn Benedict

University of Northern Colorado

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Lauryn Benedict is a Professor of Biological Sciences at the University of Northern Colorado. She studies the form, function, and evolution of song (and other communication signals) among male and female birds.

Themes: communication, signaling, song, behavior

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Travis L. DeVault

University of Georgia

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Dr. Travis DeVault is the Associate Director for Research and Senior Research Scientist at the University of Georgia’s Savannah River Ecology Laboratory. He earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in ecology and systematics from the Department of Biology at Indiana State University and a PhD in wildlife ecology from the Department of Forestry and Natural Resources at Purdue University. Travis is a wildlife ecologist and conservation biologist; his research focuses on understanding and preventing animal-vehicle collisions and other human-wildlife conflicts. He also maintains a long term research interest in the ecology of vultures and other vertebrate scavengers.

Themes: animal-vehicle collisions, behavior, conservation, human-wildlife conflicts, scavengers, vultures

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Michale Glennon

Paul Smith’s College Adirondack Watershed Institute

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Michale Glennon serves as the Science Director of the Paul Smith’s College Adirondack Watershed Institute. She is interested in the effects of land use management on wildlife populations and is engaged in research ranging from issues of residential development to recreation ecology to climate change. Most of this work uses birds as a tool for understanding threats to the Adirondack region. She is an ecologist and previously spent 15 years as the Director of Science for the Adirondack Program of the Wildlife Conservation Society. At AWI, Michale works to support and help shape the scientific research program, provide high quality research opportunities for students, and distribute and champion AWI’s work in order to enhance the use of science in the management and stewardship of the natural resources of the Adirondack Park.

Themes: Adirondack Park, community ecology, exurban development, boreal birds, recreation, occupancy modeling

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Terri J Maness

Louisiana Tech University

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Dr. Maness is an Associate Professor and Environmental Science Program Coordinator at Louisiana Tech University.Her research group attempts to explain the structure and function of organisms in terms of their ecology and evolutionary history. Our approach is integrative, encompassing behavioral ecology, conservation, demography, endocrinology, immunology, and toxicology.

Themes: avian health, conservation physiology

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Rachael C Shaw

Victoria University of Wellington

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Rachael Shaw is a behavioural ecologist who studies the causes and consequences of individual variation in cognitive ability in wild birds. She is based in Wellington, New Zealand, where she researches New Zealand’s endemic avifauna.

Themes: animal cognition;behavioural ecology;cognitive ecology;cognitive evolution

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