Ornithologist specializing in avian migration patterns and climate impact. PhD from Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Known for her groundbreaking research on warbler migration routes.
Tone: scientific yet accessible, data-driven
Voice: research-focused, uses field observations and studies
Expertise: Bird migration, climate change impacts, warblers
Regional Focus: Northeast migration corridors, Great Lakes flyway, Cornell Lab
The Utqiagvik Migratory Bird Festival provides unprecedented access to Arctic breeding birds serving as climate indicators. King Eiders and other Arctic specialists face mounting pressure as sea ice patterns shift and breeding windows narrow.
The 1935 Dust Bowl eliminated 3.5 million acres of prairie habitat. Today, restoration projects are bringing back grassland birds—if you know how to identify them. These restoration sites have become unexpected hotspots for observing species that were once common across America's heartland.
Master the field identification of two challenging species critical to breeding bird atlas projects. Learn to distinguish Barn Owls from Short-eared Owls and separate female Wood Ducks from similar waterfowl using proven field marks, vocalizations, and behavioral cues developed from 15+ years of atlas data analysis.
New research from Audubon's Southwest Florida program reveals how precisely crafted decoys exploit Least Tern social behavior to restore nesting colonies, achieving significantly higher success rates than natural recolonization on developed coastlines.
Master waterbird identification with this comprehensive guide to distinguishing Wood Ducks, Mallards, and Belted Kingfishers through field marks, behavior, and habitat preferences.
Sixty years of water-level monitoring at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary reveals how flood control channels affect Wood Stork breeding success, demonstrating the power of long-term data in adaptive conservation management.
New research in Alaska's Cook Inlet reveals the razor-thin margins of shorebird breeding success, where chicks face urban obstacles and climate-driven habitat changes during their critical first weeks of life.
New monitoring data from Audubon's Everglades Research Station demonstrates why Roseate Spoonbills have become our most reliable barometer for measuring restoration success in Florida Bay, with nest success metrics providing critical insights into ecosystem recovery.
Recent monitoring data from South Carolina's coastal stewardship program reveals that strategic fencing and volunteer education can achieve remarkable nest success rates—even on heavily used recreational beaches.
Master the identification of large birds along North America's migration corridors with expert field marks, behavioral cues, and habitat preferences for Sandhill Cranes, Wood Ducks, Northern Flickers, and Steller's Jays.
Analysis of 20-year datasets from major migration monitoring stations reveals systematic shifts in stopover timing among boreal forest birds, with some species arriving 6-8 days earlier than two decades ago.
Recent GPS tracking and eBird data analysis reveals a fascinating paradox in bird migration: while populations show remarkable timing consistency, individual birds demonstrate significant flexibility in their departure and arrival decisions based on local conditions.
Local Audubon chapters generate behavioral observations that often precede formal research by years, documenting territorial interactions, social hierarchies, and seasonal transitions that reshape our understanding of avian intelligence and adaptation strategies.
How can moving cattle daily create better habitat for ground-nesting birds than leaving pastures ungrazed? Recent certification data from Missouri's Horstmann Cattle Company provides compelling evidence that rotational grazing systems can reverse grassland bird declines more effectively than traditional conservation approaches.
New research reveals Snow Geese are departing Arctic breeding grounds up to 21 days earlier than two decades ago, with GPS tracking data showing systematic changes across North America that challenge traditional waterfowl management strategies.
New research from Missouri's Riverlands sanctuary reveals how protecting 3,700 acres of bottomland forest affects bird populations across 45 countries, from Venezuela to Uruguay, reshaping our understanding of local conservation's global impact.
Native habitat restoration doesn't just bring birds back—it fundamentally transforms how they breed, forage, and establish territories. Understanding these behavioral changes helps us recognize successful restoration and appreciate the complex relationship between habitat quality and avian behavior.
When 60 mph winds nearly destroyed Middleton Island's research tower, they threatened to sever one of our most important connections to understanding how the North Pacific ecosystem responds to climate change.
New GPS tracking technology reveals the precise mechanics behind V formation flight, showing how birds save up to 14% of their energy during migration through sophisticated positioning in wing-tip vortices.
Master identification of three key wetland species—Sandhill Cranes, Brown Pelicans, and Belted Kingfishers—through field marks, behavior, and habitat preferences in protected areas like South Carolina's Francis Beidler Forest.
Transform science education through hands-on bird behavior observation. Students develop critical thinking skills while studying foraging strategies, territorial displays, and communication patterns of common species like Scarlet Tanagers and Ruby-throated Hummingbirds.
Cornell Lab's BirdCast platform uses weather radar data to predict bird migration with unprecedented accuracy, transforming how birders and researchers track nocturnal movements across North America.
Master the identification challenges of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds and Red-tailed Hawks for accurate citizen science contributions. Learn field marks, behavioral cues, and common misidentifications that can make or break volunteer monitoring datasets.
A researcher who spent 30 years transforming her graduate study site into one of California's most important long-term ecological monitoring stations, providing irreplaceable data on how bird communities respond to habitat management and climate change.
Despite facing a massive budget shortfall, Maryland lawmakers maintained funding for critical bird research programs that generate population data across the mid-Atlantic. The decision preserves decades of monitoring infrastructure and creates new research opportunities through vernal pool mapping requirements.
New stewardship data from Audubon South Carolina reveals 47 shorebird species are experiencing significant timing mismatches that could reshape conservation strategies across the Atlantic Flyway, as climate change disrupts traditional migration patterns.
Understanding the four fundamental elements of bird vocalization—rhythm, repetition, pitch, and tone—transforms casual listening into precise field identification. Recent research confirms that analyzing song structure provides more reliable identification than memorizing individual notes.
New GPS tracking data reveals Golden-cheeked Warblers return to breeding territories within 200 meters of previous locations, while climate change shifts their arrival timing by over six days—creating conservation challenges for North America's most range-restricted warbler.
From mockingbirds mimicking tractor sounds to mallards timing their feeding around cattle schedules, birds in working grasslands display remarkable behavioral adaptations. Understanding these changes reveals both avian resilience and the potential for conservation-minded ranching to support biodiversity.
Classic memory devices like "Old Sam Peabody-Peabody-Peabody" help birders identify species by song. Research shows mnemonics significantly improve recognition rates, but different vocal patterns require adapted strategies—from melodic mimicry to rhythm-based associations.
Understanding which birds face the highest risk from power infrastructure helps birders recognize behavioral patterns that increase collision likelihood and contribute meaningful conservation data.
Field observations reveal Wilson's Plovers demonstrate sophisticated habitat assessment behaviors during breeding season, selecting nest sites based on precise microhabitat variables including substrate composition, vegetation distance, and elevation gradients.
Rehabilitated Chimney Swifts from Connecticut are providing the first detailed tracking data on migration routes for a species that has declined 65% since 1970, revealing unexpected westerly corridors that challenge assumptions about aerial insectivore conservation.
How can we bridge the gap between classroom learning and real conservation work? Youth programs combining forestry training with bird research are creating pathways for the next generation of conservation leaders while generating crucial data on species like Red-tailed Hawks, Bald Eagles, and White-throated Sparrows.
New research reveals Hooded Mergansers possess extraordinary optical adaptations that allow them to modify their vision underwater, fundamentally reshaping our understanding of their remarkable hunting success compared to other diving ducks.
Recent research reveals hummingbird 'color preference' is actually learned behavior driven by nectar quality, not innate attraction to red. Field studies show birds consistently choose higher sugar concentrations regardless of feeder color, reshaping our understanding of these remarkable migrants.
Two dramatically different North American birds—the bold Blue Jay and retiring Rose-breasted Grosbeak—present unique identification challenges as their populations shift and ranges overlap. Master the field marks, behaviors, and habitat preferences that separate these species in the field.
The 2026 Salton Sea Leadership Program launched this January with eleven participants developing expertise to address complex conservation challenges at one of the Pacific Flyway's most critical stopover sites, where over 400 bird species depend on California's largest lake.
Master the art of distinguishing Sandhill Cranes from Mallards in Iowa's restored prairie potholes. Learn key field marks, behavioral cues, and habitat preferences that separate these species in grassland-wetland complexes.
Game camera footage reveals Least Terns, Black Skimmers, and American Oystercatchers increasingly nesting on urban rooftops as beach habitat disappears. New research shows rooftop sites may actually improve breeding success—but climate change threatens this adaptation.
Trail camera footage from Minnesota's Offal Wildlife Watching Project reveals Northern Cardinals and 35 other bird species scavenging deer entrails—challenging our understanding of avian dietary flexibility and revealing crucial survival strategies in changing environments.
Three North American bird species demonstrate distinct approaches to seasonal movement: Sandhill Cranes with their ancient flyways, Killdeer with flexible partial migration, and Great Horned Owls with year-round territorial stability. Each strategy reveals evolutionary adaptations to specific ecological challenges and requires tailored conservation approaches.
From Gray Catbirds incorporating tropical sounds learned on wintering grounds to urban birds mimicking car alarms, vocal mimicry reveals sophisticated neural adaptations that serve crucial evolutionary functions in territory defense, mate attraction, and social communication.
Unlike migratory species that escape seasonal pressures, Northern Cardinals have evolved sophisticated year-round behavioral strategies including mirror aggression, complex female vocalizations, and flexible foraging patterns that offer insights into avian adaptation and territorial dynamics.
Northern Cardinals, Great Horned Owls, and Barn Owls reveal remarkable behavioral adaptations during winter months, from altered foraging patterns to unexpected social dynamics that challenge assumptions about resident bird species.
Four decades of Texas Colonial Waterbird Survey data is transforming conservation from guesswork to evidence-based strategy, with targeted habitat management and technology integration driving measurable species recovery outcomes.
Modern bird identification relies on behavioral patterns, seasonal variations, and habitat associations beyond visual field marks. eBird data from over 800 million observations reveals how White-breasted Nuthatches and Canada Geese demonstrate the power of data-driven identification approaches.
Migration timing represents one of the most precisely calibrated biological phenomena in the natural world. Understanding these bird migration patterns reveals how different taxa have evolved distinct strategies for navigating seasonal resource availability and breeding success.
Community-driven bird monitoring has evolved from casual observation to sophisticated behavioral research. Through platforms like eBird, citizen scientists are documenting complex behavioral adaptations in common species, creating datasets that rival professional research and directly inform conservation strategies.
Three of North America's most recognizable birds harbor surprising complexity that can challenge even experienced birders. Learn to identify subspecies variations, behavioral cues, and field marks that separate these common species from their look-alikes.