Undergraduate-Led Research

Mixed-Species Bird Flocks

Undergraduate Research Project — Caitlin Whitaker

This project investigates how birds communicate predator threats within mixed-species feeding flocks in the Salt Lake City region. In these flocks, certain “leader species” produce alarm calls that alert other birds to potential danger. Understanding how these signals function helps explain how groups of different species coordinate predator detection and collective responses.

To examine how alarm calls vary with predator type and environmental context, we conducted playback experiments using calls of common predators, including Sharp-shinned Hawk, Northern Saw-whet Owl, and Domestic Cat. Alarm responses were recorded from key leader species such as Black-capped Chickadees, Mountain Chickadees, nuthatches, and Juniper Titmice.

The acoustic structure of alarm calls was analyzed alongside flock composition across habitats representing a gradient of human disturbance. Preliminary results suggest that alarm calls encode predator-specific information, with similar pitch patterns across leader species responding to the same predator type. We also find that urbanization influences flock composition and communication dynamics, potentially affecting how predator information spreads within mixed-species flocks.

This work contributes to a broader understanding of animal communication, community ecology, and the ecological effects of human disturbance.

Microplastic Exposure in Urban Birds

Undergraduate Research Project — Morgan Merrill-McNeal

Microplastics are now recognized as widespread environmental pollutants, yet their presence in terrestrial birds remains poorly understood. This project investigates how microplastic exposure varies across environments with different levels of human disturbance.

Feather samples are collected from columbid birds (pigeons and doves) in urban, suburban, and captive settings in the Salt Lake City region. Feathers provide a non-lethal way to study pollution because microplastics can accumulate both within the feather shaft and in the oils birds use during preening.

Using chemical and enzymatic extraction methods followed by spectrometric analysis, we quantify microplastics present in feather samples from birds across these environments. Preliminary expectations are that microplastics will be detectable in all sampled birds, with higher concentrations associated with increased urbanization and human activity.

Because pigeons and doves are common prey for urban raptors, microplastic accumulation in these birds may represent a pathway for trophic transfer of pollutants within urban food webs. This study highlights the potential of feathers as non-lethal bioindicators of environmental contamination and contributes to understanding how urban ecosystems influence pollutant exposure in wildlife.

Nest Survivability in Fire-Prone Landscapes

Undergraduate Research Project — Tyler Keller

Wildfires are an increasingly common disturbance in the western United States, shaping habitats and influencing wildlife behavior. This project investigates how Black-billed Magpies (Pica hudsonia) adjust their nesting behavior in response to fire-prone environments in Utah Valley.

We compared magpie nests in areas that had experienced two+ fires, one fire, or no fires within the past decade. Field observations focused on nest density, nest height above ground, nest structure, and the types of vegetation incorporated into nests across sites with different fire histories. These data were used to generate predictions about how nest placement and construction might influence survivability during wildfire events.

Preliminary observations suggest that nests in twice-burned areas occur at higher densities, are placed higher above ground, and incorporate more diverse vegetation compared with nests in once-burned or unburned sites. These patterns indicate that magpies may modify nest-building behavior in response to repeated disturbance.

Future work will test these predictions using controlled thermal exposure experiments, 3D imaging of nest architecture, and material analyses to evaluate how structural characteristics influence nest stability and resilience under simulated wildfire conditions.

This research explores how wildfire regimes may shape avian nesting strategies and highlights the potential for behavioral flexibility to enhance resilience in fire-prone landscapes.