A tree swallow munches on some insects. Photo: Maren Vitousek
We are broadly interested in questions about avian behavior, foraging, and movement ecology. To ask these questions, we primarily study cavity-nesting birds. Much of our research has implications for conservation and management decisions.
We use integrative techniques to learn about bird behavior and ecology. To track tree swallow foraging movements and behavior, we use radio tags and behavioral observations. To identify tree swallow diet content, we use fecal DNA metabarcoding.
Please see below to learn about some of our current and previous projects. We often have new projects brewing that aren't always listed here, so don't hesitate to get in touch if you want to learn more!
We use integrative techniques to learn about bird behavior and ecology. To track tree swallow foraging movements and behavior, we use radio tags and behavioral observations. To identify tree swallow diet content, we use fecal DNA metabarcoding.
Please see below to learn about some of our current and previous projects. We often have new projects brewing that aren't always listed here, so don't hesitate to get in touch if you want to learn more!
Current Projects
Foraging in wild birds
Finding and eating the "correct" foods can be a matter of life and death, so we would expect strong selection on foraging behavior. Yet, animals, especially generalists, eat a wide variety of food items, and the drivers of this variation are not well understood. We are working to elucidate the causes and consequences of variation in foraging behavior in a highly tractable system: cavity-nesting songbirds.
Causes of foraging variation: challenges and hormones
Solar-powered radio tag and PIT tag used to track bird movements
Human-driven global change is altering food availability, predation pressure, and weather regimes. We are interested in how these challenges affect foraging behavior.
Glucocorticoids, hormones typically secreted in response to the aforementioned challenges, are associated with activity levels and may mediate foraging movements. We are investigating whether glucocorticoids are associated with individual movement, foraging, and nestling provisioning patterns in tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) through both observational and experimental studies. Future work will investigate how agricultural development, predation pressure, and unpredictable weather conditions impact foraging.
Glucocorticoids, hormones typically secreted in response to the aforementioned challenges, are associated with activity levels and may mediate foraging movements. We are investigating whether glucocorticoids are associated with individual movement, foraging, and nestling provisioning patterns in tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) through both observational and experimental studies. Future work will investigate how agricultural development, predation pressure, and unpredictable weather conditions impact foraging.
Consequences of foraging variation: fitness
Photo: Maren Vitousek
Generalist animals can choose from a vast array of suitable food items, and show a great deal of diet variation. Among this variety of food items, are certain foods or combinations of foods especially important?
With Conor Taff and Jennifer Houtz, we are exploring adult and nestling tree swallow diets by examining fecal sample insect content via DNA metabarcoding. Specifically, we are interested in how aquatic insect content and dietary diversity relate to fitness outcomes.
In future work, we plan to explore dietary variation across species using the same habitat, and to investigate whether differences have fitness consequences. We also plan to explore how foraging at different guilds impacts exposure to harmful pollutants.
With Conor Taff and Jennifer Houtz, we are exploring adult and nestling tree swallow diets by examining fecal sample insect content via DNA metabarcoding. Specifically, we are interested in how aquatic insect content and dietary diversity relate to fitness outcomes.
In future work, we plan to explore dietary variation across species using the same habitat, and to investigate whether differences have fitness consequences. We also plan to explore how foraging at different guilds impacts exposure to harmful pollutants.
Hormones and Migration
Photo: David Chang van Oordt
Migration is an energetically costly feat. Previous work shows that glucocorticoid hormones play a role in preparation for migration, but we do not know how glucocorticoids vary across migratory species and how glucocorticoid phenotypes may differ compared to non-migratory species. Do migratory birds show specific suites of glucocorticoid phenotypes compared to resident birds? Could migration shape selection on glucocorticoid traits (or vice versa)? We are using HormoneBase, a publicly available database of steroid hormone measures, to explore these questions in birds.
Previous Projects
Naturalized parrots in the USA
As an undergraduate at the University of Chicago, Jenny worked with Stephen Pruett-Jones to examine the status and distribution of naturalized parrots in the USA. We used community science (also known as citizen science) data from eBird and Christmas Bird Count to identify where various species have been sighted outside of captivity in the USA, and followed up these observations with detailed literature reviews to determine where these species are breeding. This work led us to explore how humans respond to and interact with these wild parrots in various localities. In some cases, such as that of the red-crowned parrot (Amazona viridigenalis), these naturalized parrots may be important populations that can be used for reintroduction or captive breeding efforts to bolster dwindling populations in the parrots' native range.