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Education
B.S.
in Biology, Virginia Tech (1984)
M.A. in Biology, College of William and Mary (1986)
PhD in Ecology, University of Georgia (1991)
Administrative
Experience
I have directed the Center for Conservation Biology from 1992
to the present. Administrative responsibilities have included oversight
of general operations, management of staff, development and execution
of budgets, proposal writing, and management of research programs.
Research
Interests
For information about my research interests, click
here.
Funding
I have been awarded more than 200 grants and contracts (1987-2006) totaling 4.7 million dollars.
Selected
Examples of Grants
$133,000 - Understanding the Importance of Shoreline Dynamics for Bank-dependent Wildlife Populations. U.S. Department of Defense
$95,000 - Assessing habitat stability for disturbance-prone species by evaluating landscape dynamics along the Virginia barrier islands . National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (DEQ-CZM)
$51,400 – Construction and implementation of a Habitat Suitability Model for Breeding Bald Eagles in Coastal Virginia. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
$50,000 - Investigation of Migrant and Resident Waterbirds within the Panama Canal Zone. U.S. Department of Defense
$32,943 - Investigating the influence of landscape-scale patterns on Whip-poor-will breeding ecology using radio telemetry. Weyerhaeuser Company.
$50,900 - Assessing the impact of Phragmites on sensitive marsh-nesting birds along the seaward margin of the Delmarva Peninsula. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (DEQ-CZM).
$26,000 - The Influence of Patch Size on the Incidence Rates and Community Organization in Marsh Birds. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
$200,000 - Geographic Distribution and Habitat Requirements of Landbird Migrants on the Lower Delmarva Peninsula. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Publications
I have produced 160 publications (1987-2006) including 60 research papers, 85 technical reports, 15 educational publications
Selected Examples of Recent Papers
Watts , B. D., A. C. Markham, and M. A. Byrd. 2006. Salinity and population parameters of Bald Eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) in the lower Chesapeake Bay . Auk 123:393-404.
Wilson, M. D. and B. D. Watts. 2006. Effects of Moonlight on Detection of the Whip-poor-will: Implications for Long-term Monitoring Strategies. Journal of Field Ornithology 77:207-211.
Wilke, A. L., B. D. Watts, B. R. Truitt, and R. Boettcher. 2005. Breeding season status of the American Oystercatcher in Virginia , USA . Waterbirds 28:308-315.
Watts, B. D. and M. D. Wilson. 2005. The use of pine plantations by Worm-eating Warblers in coastal North Carolina. Southeastern Naturalist 4:177-187.
Watts, B. D. and D. S. Bradshaw. 2005. Decline and protection of the Virginia red-cockaded woodpecker population. In R. Costa and S. J. Daniels, editors. Red-cockaded woodpecker: road to recovery. Hancock House Publishers, Blain, Washington, USA
Watts , B. D., M. A. Byrd, and M. U. Watts. 2004. Status and distribution of breeding Ospreys in the Chesapeake Bay: 1995-1996. Journal of Raptor Research 38:47-54.
Whalen, D. M. and B. D. Watts. 2002. Annual migration density and stopover patterns of Northern Saw-whet Owls (Aegolius acadicus). Auk 119:1161-2002.
Dunning, J. B. Jr., B. J. Danielson, B. D. Watts, J. Liu, and D. G. Krementz. 2000. Studying wildlife at local and landscape scales: Bachman’s Sparrows at the Savannah River Site. Studies in Avian Biology 21:75-80.
Whalen, D. M. and B. D. Watts. 2000. Interspecific variation in extraction of buried seed within an assemblage of sparrows. Oikos 88:574-584.
Mabey, S. E. and B. D. Watts. 2000. Conservation of landbird migrants: Addressing local policy. Studies in Avian Biology 20:99-108.
Selected Examples of Technical Reports
Watts, B. D. 2006. Evaluation of biological benefits and social consequences of Bald Eagle protection standards in Virginia. Center for Conservation Biology Technical Report Series, CCBTR-06-09. College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA. 28 pp.
Watts, B. D., D. S. Bradshaw, and M. D. Wilson. 2006. Investigation of Red-cockaded Woodpeckers in Virginia: Year 2005 report. Center for Conservation Biology Technical Report Series, CCBTR-06-03. College of William and Mary, Williamsburg , VA. 18 pp.
Watts , B. D. 2005. Virginia Bald Eagle conservation plan. Center for Conservation Biology Technical Report Series, CCBTR-05-06. College of William and Mary, Williamsburg , VA. 52 pp.
Watts, B. D., Padgett, S. M., M. A. Byrd, and E. C. Long. 2005. Virginia Peregrine Falcon monitoring and management program: Year 2005 report. Center for Conservation Biology Technical Report Series, CCBTR-05-09. College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA. 12 pp.
Watts, B. D. 2004. Status and distribution of colonial waterbirds in coastal Virginia: 2003 breeding season. CCBTR-04-06. Center for Conservation Biology, College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA 25 pp.
Paxton, B. J., M. D. Wilson, and B. D. Watts. 2004. Relationship between standing dead wood dynamics and bird communities within North Carolina pine plantations. Center for Conservation Biology Technical Report Series, CCBTR-04-08. College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA 35 pp.
Paxton, B. J. and B. D. Watts. 2003. Bird surveys of Lee and Hill Marshes on the Pamunkey River: Possible affects of sea-level rise on marsh bird communities. Center for Conservation Biology Technical Report Series. CCBTR-03-02. College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA 31 pp.
Watts , B. D. and B. J. Paxton. 2002. Investigating the distribution, population status, and habitat requirements of the Wayne’s Black-throated Green Warbler in the northern south Atlantic Coastal Plain. Center for Conservation Biology Technical Report Series. CCBTR-02-08. College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA. 21 pp.
Watts , B. D. 2002. Autumn migration of Northern Saw-whet Owls on the Lower Delmarva Peninsula 1994-2001: Project Report 2001. Center for Conservation Biology Technical Report Series, CCBTR-02-02. College of William and Mary, Williamsburg , VA.
Paxton, B. J. and B. D. Watts. 2001. Fall stop-over ecology of neotropical migrants: Are inner or outer coastal habitats energy sources for migrants. Center for Conservation Biology Research Report Series, CCBTR-01-11. College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, Va. 46 pp.
Watts , B. D. and B. J. Paxton. 2000. The influence of thorny elaeagnus on automobile-induced bird mortality. Center for Conservation Biology Technical Report, CCBTR-00-09. College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA. 18 pp.
Watts, B. D. 2000. An ecological-economic assessment of grassland management strategies within Colonial National Historical Park. Center for Conservation Biology Technical Report, CCBTR-00-07. College of William & Mary, Williamsburg, VA. 24 pp.
Wilson, M. D. and B. D. Watts. 2000. The Chuck-will’s-widow and the Whip-poor-will in a managed forest landscape: the effect of matrix habitats on distribution and abundance. Center for Conservation Biology Technical Report, CCBTR-00-05. College of William & Mary, Williamsburg, VA. 38 pp.
Papers
Presented at Scientific Meetings
I have presented or co-authored 49 papers at scientific meetings (1987-2006). I present 6-10 invited lectures per year.
Selected
Examples of Papers Presented
Watts, B. D. 2006. Objectives and Challenges of Goal-oriented Landscape Design. National Conservation Design Meeting, St. Louis, MO.
Markham, A. C. and B. D. Watts. 2006. The influence of salinity on
nestling provisioning and growth in Bald Eagles in the lower Chesapeake
Bay. Eastern Bird Banding Association annual meeting, Bethlehem, PA.
Watts, B. D., G. D. Therres, and M. A. Byrd. 2005. Status, distribution and the future of Bald Eagles in the Chesapeake Bay. 18 th Annual Biennial Conference of the Estuarine Research Federation, Norfolk, Virginia.
Wilson, M. D., B. D. Watts, D. F. Brinker, W. V. DeLuca, and P. B. Marra. 2005. The ecological role of the Chesapeake Bay in supporting marsh bird communities. 18 th Annual Biennial Conference of the Estuarine Research Federation, Norfolk, Virginia.
Chen, D., M. J. La Guardia, B. D. Watts, T. Matteson Mainor, E. O. Bush, E. P. Harvey, and R. C. Hale. 2005. Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in mid-Atlantic U. S. birds of prey: A comparative study. The society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry annual meeting, Baltimore, MD.
Wilson, M. D., and B. D. Watts. 2005. Influence of Landscape Configuration on the Distribution and Abundance of the Whip-poor-will. Joint Meeting of the Wilson Ornithological Society and Association of Field Ornithologists, Beltsville, MD.
Watts , B. D. and D. S. Bradshaw . 2003. Decline and protection of the Virginia Red-cockaded Woodpecker population. National Red-cockaded Woodpecker Symposium IV, Savannah, Georgia .
Whalen, D. M. and B. D. Watts . 2002. Influence of weather conditions and migrant density on migration patterns of Northern Saw-whet Owls. North American Ornithological Congress. New Orleans, Louisiana.
Watts, B. D. 1999. Evaluating species-landscape compatibility: A lost opportunity approach to the management of grassland birds. 5 th World Congress, International Association for Landscape Ecology. Snowmass Village, Colorado.
Students
I have mentored numerous graduate and undergraduate students conducting thesis research. Prospective students should click
here.
thesis supervision (*) indicates service on committee only
2005- |
Da Chen, Ph.D.*
Brominated fire retardant loads in raptors: A comparison between China and North America.
Virginia Institute of Marine Science, College of William and Mary
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2005- |
Elise Larsen, M.S.
Relationships between breeding bird communities and human density within the mid-Atlantic Coastal Plain.
Department of Biology, College of William and Mary
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2005- |
Andy Glass, M.S.
Effects of salinity on diet and reproductive parameters of Osprey in the Chesapeake Bay.
Department of Biology, College of William and Mary
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2004- |
Brian Arquilla, M.S.
Influence of predation pressure on waterfowl breeding on Virginia Barrier Islands.
Department of Biology, College of William and Mary
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2003- |
Elizabeth Long, M.A.
Conservation implications of diet in a coastal population of Peregrine Falcons.
Department of Biology, College of William and Mary
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2003- |
Alexandra Wilke, M.A.
Habitat selection and reproductive performance of American Oystercatchers along the Virginia barrier islands.
Department of Biology, College of William and Mary
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2001-2004 |
Ann Catherine Markham, M.A.
The influence of salinity on diet composition, provisioning patterns, and nestling growth in Bald Eagles in the lower Chesapeake Bay. 127 pp.
Department of Biology, College of William and Mary
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1996-2003 |
Andy Damalas, Ph.D.*
Landscape determinants of neotropical avian species diversity in the deciduous-coniferous ecotone, Great Smoky Mountains National Park. 310 pp.
Ecological Sciences, Old Dominion University
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1995-2003 |
Michael Wilson, M.A.
Distribution, abundance, and home range of the Whip-poor-will (Caprimulgus vociferus) in a managed forest landscsape. 89 pp.
Department of Biology, College of William and Mary
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1995-2002 |
Rhonda Hardesty Sipe, M.A.
Patch use of winter resident and migrant American Kestrels (Falco sparverius) in the Coastal Plain of Virginia. 52 pp.
Department of Biology, College of William and Mary
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1998-2000 |
Magill E. Weber, M.A.
Stopover ecology of the Blackpoll Warbler (Dendroica striata) during spring migration on the Coastal Plain of Virginia. 44 pp.
Department of Biology, College of William & Mary
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1995-1998 |
David M. Whalen, M.A.
Variation between sparrows in the ability to extract buried seed. 57 pp.
Department of Biology, College of William & Mary
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1994-1995 |
David M. Whalen, B.S.
The fall migration of the Northern Saw-whet Owl on the lower Delmarva Peninsula. 38 pp.
Department of Biology, College of William and Mary
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1993-1995 |
Amanda S. Allen, M.A.
Tidepool value as foraging patches for breeding and migrating birds in tidal salt marshes in the lower Chesapeake Bay. 88 pp.
Department of Biology, College of William & Mary
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1992-1994 |
Ellen L. Bentley, M.S.
Masters Thesis: Use of a landscape-level approach to determine the habitat requirements of the Yellow-crowned Night-heron in the lower Chesapeake Bay. 86 pp. Virginia Institute of Marine Science, College of William & Mary
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1992-1993 |
Chris W. Beck, B.S.
Honors Thesis: The effect of cover and food on space use by wintering Song and Field Sparrows. 42 pp.
Department of Biology, College of William & Mary
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1991-1993 |
Ellen F. McLean, M.A.
Masters Thesis: Human impacts on beach use by wintering and migrating birds in the lower Chesapeake Bay. 48 pp.
Department of Biology, College of William & Mary
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1991-1992 |
Steven C. Rottenborn, B.S.
Honors Thesis: Cover utilization and flocking behavior of shorebirds foraging in agricultural fields in Northampton County, Virginia. 94 pp.
Department of Biology, College of William and Mary |
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last updated August 16, 2006
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