Chris Kirkpatrick
kirkpatr@email.arizona.edu

Background:

I work as a Senior Research Specialist in the Arizona Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit and assist Dr. Conway with a number of avian-related research projects in southeastern Arizona. I received a B.S. in Biology from the College of William and Mary in 1991 and a M.S. in Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences from the University of Arizona in 1999. For my graduate thesis, I examined the effects of prescribed fire on a grassland bird community at the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge in southern Arizona. My current research interests are focused on the ecology and conservation of bird communities in the southwestern U.S. Projects that I am assisting with include:

1) Effects of groud water withdrawal and surface water depletion on riparian bird communities in the Southwest

2) Effects of predator activity on seasonal variation in nesting success of passerine birds

3) Population status, distribution, and effects of wildfire on buff-breasted flycatchers (Empidonax fulvifrons)

4) Factors affecting the evolution of clutch size in birds

5) Effects of wildfire on montane forest bird communities in the Southwest

 

  

 

           
               
  Publications:    
     
  • Robinson G., C. J. Conway, C. Kirkpatrick, and D. LaRoche, In Review. Nestling throat ligatures induce nest sanitation by Abert’s towhee. Wilson Journal of Ornithology.
     
  • Kirkpatrick, C. and C. J. Conway. 2010. Nest predators of ground-nesting birds in montane forest of the Santa Catalina Mountains, Arizona. Wilson Journal of Ornithology, in press.
     
  • Kirkpatrick, C. , and C. J. Conway. 2010. Importance of montane riparian forest and influence of wildfire on nest-site selection of ground-nesting birds. Journal of Wildlife Management, in press.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
     
  Presentations:
     
  • LaRoche, D., Conway, C. J., Kirkpatrick, C. K., and D. Swann. 2009. Evaluating the influence of surface water on bird diversity and abundance in southwestern riparian woodlands. American Ornithologist's Union annual meeting, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
   
  • Kirkpatrick, C. , C. J. Conway, D. D. LaRoche, and D. Swann. 2009. Quantifying impacts of surface water and ground water depletion on avian communities in desert riparian woodlands of the southwestern U.S.   DOD Sustaining Military Readiness Conference, Phoenix , Arizona . Poster.
   
  • Kirkpatrick, C. , C. J. Conway, D. LaRoche, and G. Robinson. 2009. Monitoring the health of riparian birds at Tumacacori National Historical Park. NPS Santa Cruz River Researcher's Day, Tucson , Arizona.
   
  • LaRoche, D., C. J. Conway, and C. Kirkpatrick. 2008. "Evaluating the efficacy of sticky traps to measure arthropod abundance in riparian woodlands". American Ornithologists’ Union annual meeting, Portland , Oregon. Poster
   
  • Kirkpatrick, C ., and C. J. Conway. 2008. "Non-random nest placement of ground-nesting birds highlights the importance of montane riparian forest in the southwestern U.S.". American Ornithologists' Union annual meeting, Portand, Oregon. Poster
   
  • Kirkpatrick, C ., and C. J. Conway. 2007. "Changes in the breeding distribution of Buff-breasted Flycatchers in the southwestern United States: the role of fire suppression". Arizona Field Ornithologists first annual membership meeting, Gilbert, Arizona.
   
  • Kirkpatrick, C. , and C. J. Conway. 2007. "Does predator activity cause seasonal variation in nesting success of passerine birds?" The Wildlife Society annual meeting, Tucson, Arizona.
   
  • LaRoche, D., C. J. Conway, and C. Kirkpatrick. 2007. "Evaluating the efficacy of sticky traps to measure arthropod abundance in riparian woodlands". The Wildlife Society annual meeting, Tucson, Arizona.
   
  • Conway, C. J., and C. Kirkpatrick. 2007. "Effects of fire suppression, fire severity, and fire frequency on Buff-breasted Flycatchers and other montane forest birds in the Sky Island Mountain Ranges of southern Arizona". American Ornithologists' Union annual meeting, Laramie, Wyoming.
   
  • Kirkpatrick C.,C. J. Conway, and M. H. Ali. 2007. "Complete sanitation of dead nestlings by parent birds may bias nest depredation rates". American Ornithologists' Union annual meeting, Laramie, Wyoming. Poster.
   
  • Kirkpatrick C. , and C. J. Conway. 2007. "Quantifying impacts of groundwater withdrawal on avian communities in desert riparian woodlands of the southwestern U.S.". DOD Sustaining Military Readiness Conference, Orlando, Florida. Poster.
   
  • Kirkpatrick, C. , and C. J. Conway. 2007. "Effects of surface water depletion on Arizona’s riparian bird communities". NPS Science Symposium, Saguaro National Park, Tucson, Arizona.
   
  • Kirkpatrick C., C. J. Conway, and D. Swann. 2007. "Quantifying impacts of surface water and groundwater depletion on riparian bird communities in the desert southwest". Seminar given to the School of Natural Resources, University of Arizona.
   
  • Kirkpatrick C., and C. J. Conway. 2007. "Effects of surface water and groundwater depletion on riparian bird communities in the desert southwest". Arizona Riparian Council Annual Meeting, Casa Grande, Arizona.
   
  • Kirkpatrick, C., and C. J. Conway. 2007. "Habitat selection and factors influencing nesting success of ground-nesting forest birds in southeastern Arizona". Wildlife Society southwestern regional meeting, Albuquerque, New Mexico.
   
  • Kirkpatrick C., and C. J. Conway. 2006. "Effects of surface water depletion and groundwater withdrawal on Arizona’s riparian bird communities". Arizona Game and Fish Department’s Arizona Bird Conservation Initiative annual meeting, Phoenix, Arizona.
     
  • Kirkpatrick, C., C. J. Conway, and M. Ali. 2006. "Video identification of nest predators of ground-nesting forest birds in southeastern Arizona". Arizona-Nevada Academy of Sciences annual meeting, Tucson, Arizona.
     
  • Hughes, K., C. Kirkpatrick, C. J. Conway, and J. deVos.  2006.  "Nest-site selection and nesting success of band-tailed pigeons".  39th Joint Annual Meeting AZ/NM Chapters of The Wildlife Society and AZ/NM Chapters of the American Fisheries Society, Flagstaff, Arizona.
     
  • Kirkpatrick, C., C. J. Conway, and P. B. Jones.  2005.  "Distribution and relative abundance of forest birds in relation to burn severity in southeastern Arizona." 4th USGS Wildland Fire Sciences Workshop, Tucson, Arizona.  Poster.
     
  • LaRoche, D., C. Kirkpatrick, and C. J. Conway.  2005.  "Proposed evaluation of methods for measuring burn severity in forests during avian surveys."  4th USGS Wildland Fire Sciences Workshop, Tucson, Arizona.  Poster.
     
  • Kirkpatrick, C., C. J. Conway, K. M. Hughes, and J. deVos.  2005.  "Call-broadcast increases probability of detecting band-tailed pigeons during surveys."  American Ornithologists' Union annual meeting, Santa Barbara, California.  
     
  • Kirkpatrick, C., C. J. Conway, K. M. Hughes, and J. deVos.  2005. " Conservation of band-tailed pigeons: an evaluation of potential survey techniques."  Arizona-Nevada Academy of Sciences annual meeting, Las Vegas, Nevada.  
     
  • Conway, C. J., and C. Kirkpatrick.  2004.  "Effects of parental activity on probability of nest predation: a test of Skutch's hypothesis."  American Ornithologists' Union annual meeting, Quebec City, Canada.
     
  • Conway, C. J., and C. Kirkpatrick. 2002. "Population trends and effects of fire on Buff-breasted Flycatchers in southeastern Arizona". Third International Partners-in-Flight Conference, Monterey, CA.
     
  • Kirkpatrick, C., S. DeStefano, R. W. Mannan, and J. Lloyd. 1999. "Effects of prescribed burning on grassland birds in southern Arizona". Wildlife Society southwestern regional meeting, Gallup, New Mexico.
   
  Awards:
     
  • 2003 George Miksch Sutton Award in Conservation Research. Awarded by the Southwestern Association of Naturalists.