Current Research

Current studies include the effects of habitat restoration on breeding prairie warblers, habitat-specific abundance and survival of wintering migrant songbirds in the Caribbean, Honduras and Belize, identifying area thresholds for breeding shrubland birds and native bees in gaps, migratory movements and stopover ecology of songbirds in the Gulf of Maine, forecasting the effects of climate change on spruce-fir birds, the effects of urbanization on forest birds, and developing market-based approaches for forest conservation in Latin America.

Research Interests

My interests are in applied conservation research, including the effects of forest management, climate change, urbanization, habitat restoration and agroforestry on Neotropical migrants during breeding, migration and stopover, with an emphasis on full life cycle conservation. This multidisciplinary approach combines ecology, ornithology and conservation biology with advanced sampling, statistical and modeling techniques to evaluate the relationship between habitat conditions and stressors with the abundance and fitness of birds and other organisms.

Past Research

I have worked on the effects of forest management on mature forest birds, the ecology of shrubland birds in silvicultural openings, powerline corridors, beaver meadows and pitch pine-scrub oak barrens, the winter ecology of the endangered golden-cheeked and golden-winged warblers, habitat selection and habitat-specific survival of mature forest birds during the postfledging period, the value of agroforestry habitats for the conservation of wintering migrant songbirds, and the effects of habitat management on native bees.

Why This Research is Important

Americans care for wildlife and wild places, and birds are a conspicuous component of our wildlife resource that attracts millions of bird watching enthusiasts annually. Many bird species are declining and require habitat management for their numbers to persist. This is particularly true of disturbance dependent species, the focus of much of my research. These populations are vulnerable at all stages of the annual cycle, and thus, my research includes study of the habitats needed for breeding, migration and over wintering. My research provides the knowledge and tools required by managers to conserve these species and the habitats they require.

Education

• University of Massachusetts,Amherst, Ph.D. Wildlife and Fisheries Conservation/Organismic and Evolutionary Biology (joint degree) 1999
• University of Massachusetts,Amherst, M.S. Wildlife and Fisheries Conservation 1995
• Humboldt State University,Arcata, B.S. Wildlife Management 1989

Professional Organizations

• American Ornithologists' Union
• The Wildlife Society

Featured Publications & Products

• Chandler, Richard B.; King, David I.; Raudales, Raul; Trubey, Richard; Chandler, Carlin; Arce Chávez, Víctor Julio. 2013. A small-scale land-sparing approach to conserving biological diversity in tropical agricultural landscapes.
• King, David; Finch, Deborah M. 2013. The effects of climate change on terrestrial birds of North America.
• King, David I.; Chandler, Richard B.; Rappole, John H.; Raudales, Raul; Turbey, Rich. 2012. Community-based agroforestry initiatives in Nicaragua and Costa Rica.
• Chandler, Carlin C.; King, David I.; Chandler, Richard B. 2012. Do mature forest birds prefer early-successional habitat during the post-fledging period.
• Schlossberg, Scott; King, David I.; Chandler, Richard B. 2011. Effects of low-density housing development on shrubland birds in western Massachusetts.
• Schlossberg, S.; King, D.I. 2010. Effects of invasive woody plants on avian nest site selection and nesting success in shrublands.

Publications

• Akresh, Michael E.; King, David I; Marra, Peter P. 2019. Examining carry over effects of winter habitat on breeding phenology and reproductive success in prairie warblers Setophaga discolor.
• Lerman, Susannah B.; King, David I; Arendt, Wayne ; Paulina María M., ; Paulino, Luis R. 2019. Mourning dove nest on a Palmchat colony in urban Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
• Schlossberg, Scott ; King, David I.; Destefano, Stephen ; Hartley, Mitch . 2018. Effects of early-successional shrubland management on breeding wood thrush populations.
• Smetzer, Jennifer R.; King, David I. 2018. Prolonged stopover and consequences of migratory strategy on local-scale movements within a regional songbird staging area.
• Roberts, H. Patrick; King, David I. 2017. Area requirements and landscape-level factors influencing shrubland birds.
• Akresh, Michael E.; Ardia, Daniel R.; King, David I. 2017. Effect of nest characteristics on thermal properties, clutch size, and reproductive performance for an open-cup nesting songbird.
• Roberts, H. Patrick; King, David I.; Milam, Joan. 2017. Factors affecting bee communities in forest openings and adjacent mature forest.
• Smetzer, Jennifer R.; King, David I.; Taylor, Philip D. 2017. Fall migratory departure decisions and routes of blackpoll warblers Setophaga striata and red-eyed vireos Vireo olivaceus at a coastal barrier in the Gulf of Maine.
• Akresh, Michael E.; King, David I.; Timm, Brad C.; Brooks, Robert T. 2017. Fuels Management and Habitat Restoration Activities Benefit Eastern Hognose Snakes (Heterodon platirhinos) in a Disturbance-Dependent Ecosystem.
• Chandler, Richard B.; Tolfree, Sharna ; Gerwin, John ; Smalling, Curtis ; Chavarría-Duriaux, Liliana ; Duriaux, Georges ; King, David I. 2016. Conservation implications of Golden-winged Warbler social and foraging behaviors during the nonbreeding season.
• Rohrbaugh, Ronald W.; Buehler, David A.; Swarthout, Sara Barker; King, David I.; Larkin, Jeffrey L.; Rosenberg, Kenneth V.; Roth, Amber M.; Vallender, Rachel; Will, Tom. 2016. Conservation perspectives: Review of new science and primary threats to golden-winged warblers.
• Akresh, Michael E.; King, David I. 2016. Eastern whip-poor-will breeding ecology in relation to habitat management in a pitch pine-scrub oak barren.
• DeLuca, William V.; King, David I. 2016. Montane birds shift downslope despite recent warming in the northern Appalachian Mountains.
• King, David I.; Chandler, Richard B.; Smalling, Curtis; Trubey, Richard; Raudales, Raul; Will, Tom. 2016. Nonbreeding golden-winged warbler, habitat: status, conservation, and needs.
• Ralston, Joel; DeLuca, William V.; Feldman, Richard E.; King, David I. 2016. Population trends influence species ability to track climate change.
• Ralston, Joel ; DeLuca, William V; Feldman, Richard E.; King, David I. 2016. Realized climate niche breadth varies with population trend and distribution in North American birds.
• Streby, Henry M.; Rohrbaugh, Ronald W.; Buehler, David A.; Andersen, David E.; Vallender, Rachel; King, David I.; Will, Tom. 2016. Research on golden-winged warblers: recent progress and current needs.
• Byers, Bruce E.; Akresh, Michael E.; King, David I.; Koenig, W. 2016. Song and Male Quality in Prairie Warblers.
• Byers, Bruce E.; Akresh, Michael E.; King, David I. 2015. A proxy of social mate choice in prairie warblers is correlated with consistent, rapid, low-pitched singing.
• Ralston, Joel; King, David I.; DeLuca, William V.; Niemi, Gerald J.; Glennon, Michale J.; Scarl, Judith C.; Lambert, J. Daniel. 2015. Analysis of combined data sets yields trend estimates for vulnerable spruce-fir birds in northern United States.
• Akresh, Michael E.; King, David I.; Brooks, Robert T. 2015. Demographic response of a shrubland bird to habitat creation, succession, and disturbance in a dynamic landscape.
• Schlossberg, Scott; King, David I. 2015. Measuring the effectiveness of conservation programs for shrubland birds.
• Akresh, Michael E.; King, David I. 2015. Observations of new bird species for San Salvador Island, the Bahamas.
• Kwit, Charles; King, David I.; Collins, Beverly; Swanson, Mark E. 2014. Conservation importance of early post-disturbance temperate forests.
• Auer, Sonya K.; King, David I. 2014. Ecological and life-history traits explain recent boundary shifts in elevation and latitude of western North American songbirds.
• Deluca, William V.; King, David I. 2014. Influence of hiking trails on montane birds.
• Smetzer, Jennifer R.; King, David I.; Schlossberg, Scott. 2014. Management regime influences shrubland birds and habitat conditions in the Northern Appalachians, USA.
• King, David I.; Schlossberg, Scott. 2014. Synthesis of the conservation value of the early-successional stage in forests of eastern North America.
• Labbe, Michelle A.; King, David I.; Mousseau, Tim A. 2014. The effect of local and landscape-level characteristics on the abundance of forest birds in early-successional habitats during the post-fledging season in western Massachusetts.
• Lerman, Susannah B.; Nislow, Keith H.; Nowak, David J.; DeStefano, Stephen; King, David I.; Jones-Farrand, D. Todd. 2014. Using urban forest assessment tools to model bird habitat potential.
• Berger, Alaina L.; Palik, Brian; D'Amato, Anthony W.; Fraver, Shawn; Bradford, John B.; Nislow, Keith; King, David; Brooks, Robert T. 2013. Ecological impacts of energy-wood harvests: lessons from whole-tree harvesting and natural disturbance.
• Byers, Bruce E.; Kramer, Brodie A.; Akresh, Michael E.; King, David I. 2013. Interspecific song imitation by a Prairie Warbler.
• Jones, Todd M.; Akresh, Michael E.; King, David I. 2013. Recent sightings of Kirtland's warblers on San Salvador Island, The Bahamas.
• King, David I.; Chandler, Carlin C.; Rappole, John H.; Chandler, Richard B.; Mehlman, David W. 2012. Establishing quantitative habitat targets for a "Critically Endangered" neotropical migrant (golden-cheeked warbler Dendroica chrysoparia) during the non-breeding season.
• Tomosy, Monica; Stoleson, Scott H.; King, David I. 2011. A century of avian research on USFS Experimental Forests and Ranges: Introduction to the special section on long-term avian research on Experimental Forests and Ranges.
• Stoleson, Scott H.; King, David I.; Tomosy, Monica. 2011. Avian research on Experimental Forests and Ranges: Emergent themes, opportunities, and challenges.
• King, David I.; Schlossberg, Scott; Brooks, Robert T.; Akresh, Michael E. 2011. Effects of fuel reduction on birds in pitch pine scrub oak barrens of the United States.
• King, David; Yamasaki, Mariko; DeGraaf, R.M.; Costello, Christine. 2011. Three decades of avian research on the Bartlett Experimental Forest, New Hampshire, U.S.A.
• King, David I.; Chandler, Richard B.; Collins, Jeffrey M.; Petersen, Wayne R.; Lautzenheiser, Thomas E. 2009. Effects of Width, Edge and Habitat on the Abundance and Nesting Success of Scrub-shrub Birds in Powerline Corridors.
• Chandler, Richard B.; King, David I.; Chandler, Carlin C. 2009. Effects of management regime on the abundance and nest survival of shrubland birds in wildlife openings in northern New England, USA.
• Arce, Victor Chavez; Raudales, Raul; Trubey, Rich; King, David I.; Chandler, Richard B.; Chandler, Carlin C. 2009. Measuring and managing the environmental cost of coffee production in Latin America.
• Wolfe, Jared D.; Chandler, Richard B.; King, David I. 2009. Molt patterns, age, and sex criteria for selected highland Costa Rican resident landbirds.
• King, David I.; Chandler, Carlin; Chandler, Richard; DeGraaf, Richard M. 2005. Effects of Silviculture on Mature Forest and Early-successional Shrubland Passerine Birds in Northern and Central New England.
• King, David I.; Byers, Bruce E. 2002. An evaluation of powerline rights-of-way as habitat for early-successional shrubland birds.
• King, David I.; DeGraaf, Richard M. 2002. The effect of forest roads on the reproductive success of forest-dwelling passerine birds.
• King, David I.; DeGraaf, Richard M.; Champlin, Paul J.; Champlin, Tracey B. 2001. A new method for wireless video monitoring of bird nests.
• King, David I.; DeGraaf, Richard M.; Griffin, Curtice R. 2001. Plumage coloration and reproductive success in male chestnut-sided warblers.
• King, David I.; DeGraaf, Richard M.; Griffin, Curtice R. 2001. Productivity of early successional shrubland birds in clearcuts and groupcuts in an eastern deciduous forest.
• King, David I.; DeGraaf, Richard M. 2000. Bird species diversity and nesting success in mature, clearcut and shelterwood forest in northern New Hampshire, USA.
• King, David I.; DeGraaf, Richard M.; Griffin, Curtice R.; Maier, Thomas J. 1999. Do Predation Rates on Artificial Nests Accurately Reflect Predation Rates on Natural Bird Nests.

Research Highlights

Highlight	Title	Year
NRS-2017-80	Bird conservation and ecosystem services on small diversified farms Small diversified farms in the northeast represent an increasing sector of the nation's agriculture. These farms encompass semi-natural habitats ...	2017
NRS-2016-93	Enhancing Songbird Populations in Eastern Forests with Forest Management Many forest bird populations are declining. Can forestry actually enhance habitat quality for these species? Forest Service scientists at the ag ...	2016
NRS-2013-063	Saving Tropical Forests for Migrant Birds Most northeastern and midwestern songbirds migrate to spend the winter in the tropics, where much of their habitat is threatened by clearing and ...	2013
NRS-2010-019	Shrubland Birds and Their Habitats Shrubland birds, such as prairie warblers and field sparrows require constant habitat management, and thus, reliable and specific knowledge to g ...	2010