The Williams Avian Ecology Lab
I am an avian ecologist with a broad interest in understanding how birds use habitats within the landscape and how habitat use and environmental conditions affect the full annual ecology of birds.
Our Team
I supervise undergraduate and masters students in research and experiential learning. Students in my lab employ a variety of ornithological field techniques including bird banding, automated and manual telemetry, and territory mapping. We quantify habitat at the landscape and local scale, food availability, and parental care in order to link environmental conditions and behavior to habitat use and survival. Our lab uses the Motus Wildlife Tracking System, GIS and R to map and analyze data
My lab started a bird-building collision monitoring project in fall of 2023 to determine if buildings on our campus are causing avian mortality. We build collaborations to find and implement conservation solutions.
News and Updates
Last Updated: September 11, 2025
OU students present findings from Bird Building Collision Monitoring Project
January 17, 2025
Hanna Mielcarek and Biz Savitski presented findings from our lab’s Bird Building Collision Monitoring Project at the Ohio Wildlife Management Association meeting. Did you know that collisions with windows is a major cause of bird mortality and we can take action to prevent window strikes?
Does light pollution affect sleep in birds?
January 17, 2025
Olive Stringer presented research plans to examine if light pollution leads to sleep debt in birds at the Ohio Wildlife Management Association Meeting. Stay posted for what we find!
Featured Research Areas
My lab is currently focused on the Movement Ecology of Birds. We seek to understand how birds use habitat within the landscape and how habitat use affects survival.
Overwinter Habitat Use of Sparrows
We are using automated and manual telemetry to understand how overwintering sparrows use habitat patches within the landscape.
Movement Ecology of Henslow’s Sparrows
We are using automated and manual telemetry to understand habitat use, and territory size of Henslow’s Sparrows during breeding and post-breeding dispersal.
Bird-Building Collision Monitoring
Our lab is monitoring buildings on campus to determine if birds are colliding with windows.
Ohio University Avian Movement Ecology and the Motus Wildlife Tracking Network
We use the Motus Wildlife Tracking Network to track birds we tag with VHF nanotags. My lab operates two Motus Towers in Athens County, including one at Ohio University’s Land Lab on Radar Hill. You can find more about our project and see migration tracks of birds we tagged.