​Ornithology

​Student Opportunities

There are opportunities for students to get involved in updating catalogs and organizing specimens in the research and teaching collections along with processing new specimens. There may also be other opportunities related to the active areas of research or based on student interest. 

​Current Research

Avian Parasitology Projects: There are several ongoing and future projects combining the Ornithology and Parasitology Collections. 1) The first project involves students collecting ectoparasites (e.g. lice, fleas, mites) from the specimens collected or donated to the Ornithology collection. The goal is to catalog these parasites along with the host. 2) Second, as part of the National Science Foundation Terrestrial Parasite Tracker project, we are investigating host-parasite associations while digitizing the arthropod parasite collections. In the process of transcribing data, we are looking for records of specimens collected and vouchered in the Ornithology Collection to match up with the specimen records and contribute this valuable information to online databases. 3) The third project involves tissue sampling of waterfowl used in parasite research for future molecular genetics projects or blood parasite projects.

Window Collision Projects: Window collisions by migratory birds are among the leading causes of bird mortality. To better understand the contributing factors and species affected, we coordinate with volunteers to collect birds on campus and other buildings, that have died by colliding with windows. We collect and voucher the specimens as part of an effort to document human impacts on bird populations and educate the public about this important issue. These data will hopefully allow us to implement strategies to reduce bird mortality.