Research
My research interests include songbird ecology and conservation, with an emphasis on studying the factors affecting nest success. Because nest predation is typically the most frequent cause of nest failure for songbirds, I am interested in evaluating the links between nest predators and landscape and habitat attributes.
I completed my M.S. under the supervision of Dr. Frank Thompson. My research focused on monitoring nests of Golden-cheeked Warblers (Dendroica chrysoparia), an endangered migrant songbird whose breeding range is restricted to juniper-oak woodlands in central Texas. I monitored nests in Austin, a rapidly growing city with historically large amounts of breeding habitat, with video cameras to identify nest predators and determine the extent individual predator species and groups contribute to nest failure, and to compare predator composition and predation rates from this urban landscape to that of Fort Hood, situated in a rural landscape. I also evaluated factors at several spatial and temporal scales to determine what factors affected nest survival.
I am now a research specialist with the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences. As such, I conduct field research in the Ozarks, train and supervise technicians, analyze data using a variety of techniques, and produce technical reports and manuscripts. Currently, I am comparing recently developed techniques used to estimate abundance of avian populations from point count data. I also continue to conduct research on Golden-cheeked Warblers in Austin, Texas during the spring.