Welcome to the Ward Laboratory!

Avian Ecology, Behavior, and Conservation

Research Interests

We study various aspects of avian ecology and behavior often with an overarching goal of improving conservation efforts. We work in a variety of habitats, and while most of our research is conducted in the Midwest, we also work in Mexico and select other locations. Much of the research we conduct involves understanding the habitat selection process of birds. In addition to understanding the habitat selection process we investigate the demographics and population dynamics of several species. We use many different technologies (e.g., automated telemetry systems) to improve our ability to track individual birds and understand their