RESEARCH
I am interested in spatial ecology as it relates to the conservation of threatened and endangered species. For my master’s research I will be looking at the dispersal and detectability of barred owls in the coastal redwoods of California, a region where nonnative barred owls are prolific and pose a threat to the native northern spotted owl. I will track juvenile barred owls using GPS satellite technology to collect information on dispersal, habitat selection, and seasonal movement. I will additionally be using bioacoustics in the form of methodically deployed Autonomous Recording Units to assess barred owl distribution and detectability. Through this project I aim to provide a basis for the effective management of barred owls in order to promote the conservation of the spotted owl.
EDUCATION
M.Sc in Wildlife Ecology | University of Wisconsin – Madison
B.A. in Biology | Macalester College, 2012
Watson*, W.A., D.F. Hofstadter*, G.M. Jones*, H.A. Kramer*, N.F. Kryshak*, C.J. Zulla*, S.A. Whitmore*, V. O’Rourke, J.J. Keane, R.J. Gutiérrez*, and M.Z. Peery (2023a). Characterizing juvenile dispersal dynamics of invasive Barred Owls: Implications of management. Ornithological Applications duad061. https://doi.org/10.1093/ornithapp/duad061
Watson*, W.A., C.M. Wood*, K.G. Kelly*, D.F. Hofstadter*, N.F. Kryshak*, C.J. Zulla*, S.A. Whitmore*, V. O’Rourke, J.J. Keane, R.J. Gutiérrez*, and M.Z. Peery (2023b). Passive acoustic monitoring indicates Barred Owls are established in northern coastal California and management intervention is warranted. Ornithological Applications, 125(3). doi.org/10.1093/ornithapp/duad017
Gonzales*, H. M., D. F. Hofstadter*, W. A. Watson*, and M. Z. Peery (2023). Toe-pad length and body mass are reliable indicators of sex in Barred Owls. North American Bird Bander 48: 45-52.
Rodríguez-Herrera, B., P. Rodríguez, W. Watson, G. F. McCracken, R. A. Medellín, and I. Galván. 2019. Sexual dichromatism and condition-dependence in the skin of a bat. Journal of Mammalogy 100:299–307.