Dr. Apa began his career as a researcher with the Colorado Division of Wildlife in November 1999. He was raised in Nebraska and received his B.S. degree from the University of Montana, an M.S. degree from South Dakota State University, and his Ph.D. from the University of Idaho. His Ph.D. research focused on the habitat use and movements of sympatric Greater Sage-grouse and Columbian Sharp-tailed Grouse. He has been involved in research and/or management of sage-grouse in 2 states (Colorado and Idaho) for over 20 years. He was a technical expert for the development of the Gunnison Sage-grouse Rangewide Conservation Plan and the Greater Sage-grouse Statewide Plan. Dr. Apa is Colorado's representative on the Sage and Columbian Sharp-tailed Grouse Technical Committee, which serves the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies.

Selected Publications:

Stiver, S.J., A.D. Apa, J.R. Bohne, S.D. Bunnell, P.A. Deibert, S.C. Gardner, M.A. Hilliard, C.W. McCarthy, and M.A. Schroeder. 2006. Greater sage-grouse comprehensive conservation strategy. Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies.  Unpublished Report. Cheyenne, Wyoming.

Hausleitner, D., K.P. Reese, and A.D. Apa. 2005. Timing of vegetation sampling at greater sage-grouse nests. Rangeland Ecology & Management 58:553-556.

Oyler-McCance, S.J., J. St. John, S.E. Taylor, A.D. Apa, and T.W. Quinn. 2005. Population genetics of Gunnison sage-grouse: Implications for management. Journal of Wildlife Management 69:630-637.

Schroeder, M.A., C.L. Aldridge, A.D. Apa, J.R. Bohne, C.E. Braun, S.D. Bunnell, J.W. Connelly, P.A. Deibert, S.C. Gardner, M.A. Hilliard, G.D. Kobriger, S.M. McAdam, C.W. McCarthy, D.L. Mitchell, E.V. Rickerson, and S.J. Stiver. 2004. Distribution of the sage-grouse in North America. Condor 106:363-376.

Connelly, J.W., A.D. Apa, R.B. Smith, and K.P. Reese. 2000. Effects of predation and hunting on adult sage grouse Centrocercus urophasianus in Idaho. Wildlife Biology 6:227-232.

Apa, A.D. K.P. Reese, and J.W. Connelly, Jr. 1997. An evaluation of nest placement theory using artificial and Columbian sharp-tailed grouse Tympanchus phasianellus columbianus nests. Wildlife Biology 3:278.

Connelly, J.W. R.A. Fischer, A.D. Apa, K.P. Reese, and W.L. Wakkinen. 1993. Renesting by sage grouse in southeastern Idaho. Condor 95:1041-1043.

Fischer, R.A., A.D. Apa, W.L. Wakkinen, K.P. Reese, and J.W. Connelly. 1993. Nesting-area fidelity of sage grouse in southeastern Idaho. Condor 95:1038-1041.

Danielle M. Johnston (formerly Bilyeu)

Dr. Johnston began her career as a researcher with the Colorado Division of Wildlife in June 2007. She received a B.A. degree from Rice University, and a Ph.D. from Colorado State University. Although she has done some direct work with birds, Dr. Johnston’s expertise is in plant ecology.  The focus of her research is to evaluate and improve techniques used to manage habitats for birds and other wildlife in Colorado.   Her current focus is on developing techniques to restore and manage native plants in sagebrush habitats of western Colorado. See Dr. Johnston's research on the Wildlife Habitat Research page.

Selected Publications:

Bilyeu D.M., D.J. Cooper, and N.T. Hobbs NT. 2008. Water tables constrain height recovery of willow on Yellowstone's Northern Range. Ecological Applications 18:80-92.

Bilyeu D.M., D.J. Cooper, and N.T. Hobbs NT. 2007. Assessing impacts of large herbivores on shrubs: tests of scaling factors for utilization rates from shoot-level measurements.  Journal of Applied Ecology 44:168-175

Johnston D.B., D.J. Cooper, and N.T. Hobbs NT. 2007. Elk browsing relieves water stress and promotes productivity of willow with low water table in Yellowstone National Park.  Oecologia 154:467-478.

Victoria J. Dreitz

Dr. Dreitz began her career as a researcher with the Colorado Division of Wildlife in December 2003. She received a B.S. degree from Colorado State University, and a Ph.D. at the University of Miami, Coral Gables. She also held a post-doctoral position estimating and comparing Mountain Plover nest success on agricultural fields and rangelands across eastern Colorado with the Colorado Natural Heritage Program and USGS. Her primary interest is to understand the dynamics and regulation of avian populations. The majority of her research experience has involved understanding environmental and management impacts on demographic rates of avian populations, including reproductive parameters and population parameters (i.e., density/abundance and occupancy). Dr. Dreitz's current research focuses on the suite of shortgrass prairie avifauna species that occupy the eastern plains of Colorado, with emphasis on Mountain Plovers.

Selected Publications:

Dreitz, V.J.  2009.  Parental behavior of a precocial species: implications for juvenile survival (pdf).  Journal of Applied Ecology 46: 870-878.

Tipton, H.C., P.F. Doherty, Jr, and Dreitz, V.J.  2009.  Abundance and density of Mountain Plover (Charadrius montanus) and Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia) in eastern Colorado.  Auk 126:493-499.

Lukacs, P.M., and V.J. Dreitz.  2009.  Young survival from marked adults. In Program MARK: a gentle introduction, E.Cooch and G.C. White (eds.). http://www.phidot.org/software/mark/docs/book/

Augustine, D.J., S.J. Dinsmore, M.B. Wunder, V.J. Dreitz, and F.L. Knopf.  2008.  Response of Mountain Plovers to plague-driven dynamics of black-tailed prairie dog colonies.  Landscape Ecology 23: 689-697.

Tipton, H.C., V.J. Dreitz, and P.F. Doherty, Jr.  2008.  Occupancy of Mountain Plover and Burrowing Owl in Colorado.  Journal of Wildlife Management 72: 1001-1006.

Muths, E., and V.J. Dreitz. 2008. Designing monitoring programs to assess reintroduction efforts: a critical component in recovery. Animal Biodiversity and Conservation 31:47-56.

Tipton, H.C., V.J. Dreitz, and P.F. Doherty, Jr. 2007. Occupancy of two shortgrass prairie avian species in Colorado. Journal of Wildlife Management 72:1001-1006.

Dreitz, V.J., and F.L. Knopf. 2007. Species conservation on private lands: the mountain plover model. BioScience 57:681-687.

Dreitz, V.J., P.M. Lukacs, and F.L. Knopf. 2006. Monitoring low density avian populations: an example using mountain plovers. Condor 108:700-706.

Mettenbrink, C.W., V.J. Dreitz, and F.L. Knopf. 2006. Nest success of mountain plover relative to anthropogenic edges in eastern Colorado. Southwest Naturalist 51:191-196.

Dreitz, V.J., M.B. Wunder, and F.L. Knopf. 2005. Comparative movements and home ranges of mountain plover broods in three Colorado landscapes. Wilson Bulletin 117: 128-132.

Lukacs, P.M., V.J. Dreitz, F.L. Knopf., and K.P. Burnham. 2004. Estimating survival probabilities of unmarked dependent young when detection is imperfect. Condor  106:927- 932 

Dreitz, V.J., W.M. Kitchens, and D.L. DeAngelis. 2004. The effects of natal dispersal and environmental state on survival of juvenile snail kites in Florida. Auk 121:894-903.

James H. Gammonley

Dr. Gammonley began his career as a researcher with the Colorado Division of Wildlife in March 1995, and has been the Avian Research Program Manager since September 2005. He received a B.S. degree from the University of California at Davis, and an M.S. and Ph.D. from the University of Missouri at Columbia. His past research experience centered on understanding the ecology and management of waterfowl and other wetland birds.  He serves as Colorado's representative on the Central Flyway Council's Waterfowl, Webless Migratory Game Bird, and Central Management Unit Technical Committees.

Selected Publications:

Witter, D., D. J. Case, J.H. Gammonley, and D. Childress. 2006. Social factors in waterfowl management: conservation goal, public perception, and hunter satisfaction.  Transactions of the North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference.

Connelly, J., J.H. Gammonley, and J.M. Peek. 2005. Harvest management.  Pages 658-690 in C. E. Braun, editor. Techniques for wildlife investigations and management.  Sixth edition. The Wildlife Society, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.

Gammonley, J.H. 2004. Wildlife use of natural palustrine wetlands in the Intermountain West. Pages 130-153 in M.C. McKinstry, W.A. Hubert, and S.H. Anderson, editors.  Wetland and riparian areas the intermountain West. University of Wyoming, Laramie.

Gammonley, J.H., and M.K. Laubhan. 2002. Patterns of food abundance for breeding waterbirds in the San Luis Valley of Colorado. Wetlands 22:409-508.

Laubhan, M.K., and J.H. Gammonley. 2001. Agricultural producers’ perceptions of sandhill cranes in the San Luis Valley of Colorado. Wildlife Society Bulletin 29:639-645.

Humburg, D.A., T.W. Aldrich, S. Baker, G. Costanzo, J.H. Gammonley, M.A. Johnson, B. Swift, and D. Yparraguirre. 2000. Adaptive harvest management: has anything really changed?  Transactions of the North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference.

Laubhan, M.K., and J.H. Gammonley. 2000. Density and foraging habitat selection of waterbirds breeding in the San Luis Valley of Colorado. Journal of Wildlife Management 64:808-819.

Elizabeth "Lee" Olton

Lee Olton is the Program Assistant for the Avian Research Program. She began her career with the Colorado Division of Wildlife in January 1992. Prior to joining the CDOW, Lee was the Operations Manager of the Tissue Culture for Crops Project at Colorado State University, a project funded by the United States Agency for International Development, under the auspice of the Biology Department. Lee has worked for the State of Colorado since March 1985.

Michael L. Phillips

Dr. Phillips began his career as a researcher with the Colorado Division of Wildlife in July 2003. He received a B.A. degree from the University of Illinois, an M.S. degree in Animal Behavior from the University of Missouri at St. Louis, and a Ph.D. in Animal Ecology from Iowa State University for his work on the movement patterns of predators and their interaction with prey species (waterfowl) in prairie landscapes. He was a postdoctoral fellow at the Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center (USGS) in North Dakota and at the University of Florida where he continued work on examining wildlife-habitat relationships. His primary research interest is in combining field ecology with statistical and spatial simulation modeling to examine the effect of landscape structure on the behavioral ecology and population dynamics of vertebrate species. Landscape structure is determined by the various types and spatial arrangement of habitats in a landscape and can influence individual movement patterns, reproductive success and recruitment into local populations. Dr. Phillips' current research with the Division of Wildlife is focused on the ecology and conservation of Gunnison Sage-grouse.

Selected Publications:

Horn, D.J., M.L. Phillips, R.R. Koford, W.R. Clark, M.A. Sovada, and R.J. Greenwood. 2005. Landscape composition, patch size, and distance to edges: interactions affecting duck reproductive success. Ecological Applications 15:1367-1376.

Phillips, M.L., W.R. Clark, S.M. Nusser, M.A. Sovada, and R.J. Greenwood. 2004. Analysis of predator movement in prairie landscapes with contrasting grassland compositions.  Journal of Mammalogy 85:187-195.

Phillips, M.L., W.R. Clark, M.A. Sovada, D.J. Horn, R.R. Koford, and R.J. Greenwood. 2003.  Predator selection of prairie landscape features and its relation to duck nest success.  Journal of Wildlife Management 67:104-114.
 
Sovada, M.A., C.C. Slivinski, R.O. Woodward, and M.L. Phillips. 2003. Home range, habitat use, litter size, and pup dispersal of swift foxes in two distinct landscapes of western Kansas. Pages149-160 in M.A. Sovada and L. Carbyn, editors. The Swift Fox: Ecology and Conservation of Swift Foxes in a Changing World. Canadian Plains Research Center, University of Regina. 

Mindy B. Rice

Dr. Rice began her career as a researcher with the Colorado Division of Wildlife in June 2008. She earned a B.S. in Zoology from Colorado State University, an M.S. in Conservation Ecology from Manchester Metropolitan University, United Kingdom, and a Ph.D. in Wildlife Management at Texas Tech University in 2006. Dr. Rice’s primary interest and expertise is in the spatial ecology of wildlife.  She is currently involved in spatial modeling and analysis of a variety of wildlife populations in Colorado, including greater sage-grouse, mule deer, and black bears.

Selected Publications:

Rice, M. B., W. B. Ballard, E.B. Fish, N.E. McIntyre, and D. Holdermann. In press. The importance of accurate landuse/landcover maps for assessing habitat utilization by black bear in the Trans-Pecos region of Texas. Wildlife Biology in Practice.

Rice, M.B., W.B. Ballard, E.B. Fish, D.B. Webster, and D. Holdermann. 2008. Landowner attitudes toward black bears in the Trans-Pecos region of Texas. Human Dimensions of Wildlife in press.

Rice, M.B., and M. Jones. 2006. Characteristics of black rhino (Diceros bicornis) bedding sites. African Journal of Ecology 44:452-457.

Rice, M. B., D. A. Haukos, J. D. Dubovsky, and M. Runge. In review. Survival rates of northern pintails (Anas acuta) using continental band-recovery data. Submitted to Journal  of Wildlife Management.

Jonathan P. Runge

Dr. Runge began his career as a researcher with the Colorado Division of Wildlife in June 2007. He received a B.S. degree from the Montana State University–Bozeman and a Ph.D. from the University of Montana–Missoula. He was a postdoctoral research associate at the Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit at the University of Georgia. His primary research interests and areas of expertise are assessment of habitat quality, estimation of vital rates, population viability analyses, and adaptive management. Dr. Runge’s current focus is on the ecology and management of waterfowl and other game birds in Colorado, and he serves as Colorado’s representative on the Pacific Flyway Council’s Study Committee.

Selected Publications:

Conroy, M.J., J.T. Peterson, O.L. Bass, C.J. Fonnesbeck, J.E. Howell, C.T. Moore, and J.P. Runge.  2008.  Sources of variation in detection from aerial surveys of wading birds in the Florida Everglades. Auk 125:731-743.

Runge, J.P., J.T. Peterson, and C.R. Martin. 2008. Survival and dispersal of hatchery-raised rainbow trout (Onchorynchus mykiss) in a river basin undergoing urbanization.  North American Journal of Fisheries Management 28:745-757. 

Runge, J.P., J.E. Hines, and J.D. Nichols. 2007. Estimating species-specific survival and movement rates when species identification is uncertain. Ecology 88:282-288.

Conroy, M.J. and J.P. Runge. 2007. Trapping protocols, sampling, and viability analyses for the Alabama Beach Mouse (Peromyscus poliotonus ammobates). Report to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Runge, J.P., M.C. Runge, and J.D. Nichols. 2006. The effect of local populations within a landscape context: Defining and classifying sources and sinks. American Naturalist 167:925-938.

Conroy, M.J. and J.P. Runge. 2006. Technical support for adaptive management for American black ducks. Report to Black Duck Joint Venture, U.S Fish and Wildlife Service, Canadian Wildlife Service.

Runge, J.P. 2004. Population viability analysis for Alaska Breeding and Pacific populations of Steller’s eider. Report to the Steller’s Eider Recovery Team, USFWS.

Brett L. Walker

Dr. Walker began his career as a researcher with the Colorado Division of Wildlife in June 2007. He received a B.S. degree from the University of California–Berkeley, an M.S. degree from the University of Montana–Missoula, and a Ph.D. from the University of Montana–Missoula. His expertise is in avian behavioral and population ecology, and he has extensive field experience working with a variety of game and non-game bird species. Dr. Walker’s current focus is on responses of sagebrush obligate bird species to landscape-level changes in sagebrush steppe habitats in western Colorado.

Selected Publications:

Taylor, R., B. L. Walker, L. S. Mills, and D. E. Naugle. 2011. Managing multiple vital rates to maximize greater sage-grouse population growth. Journal of Wildlife Management. In press.

Naugle, D. E., K. E. Doherty, B. L. Walker, H. E. Copeland, and J. D. Tack. 2011. Sage-grouse and cumulative impacts of energy development. In P. Krausman, ed., Cumulative Effects in Wildlife Management: Mitigating Impacts. CRC Press. 288 p.

Naugle, D. E., K. E. Doherty, B. L. Walker, H. E. Copeland, M. J. Holloran, and J. D. Tack. 2011. Sage-grouse and cumulative impacts of energy development. In D. E. Naugle, ed., Energy Development and Wildlife Conservation in Western North America. Island Press. 357 p.

Walker, B. L. and D. E. Naugle. 2011. West Nile virus ecology in sagebrush habitat and impacts on Greater Sage-grouse populations. Pp. 127-142 in S. T. Knick and J. W. Connelly (eds.). Greater sage-grouse: ecology and conservation of a landscape species and its habitats. Studies in Avian Biology, Vol. 38, University of California Press, Berkeley, CA, USA.

Naugle , D. E., K. E. Doherty, B. L. Walker, M. J. Holloran, and H. Copeland. 2011. Energy development and greater sage-grouse. Pp. 489-503 in S. T. Knick and J. W. Connelly (eds.). Greater sage-grouse: ecology and conservation of a landscape species and its habitats. Studies in Avian Biology, Vol. 38, University of California Press, Berkeley, CA, USA.

Bush, K. L., C. K. Dyte, B. J. Moynahan, C. L. Aldridge, H. S. Sauls, A. M. Batazzo, B. L. Walker, K. E. Doherty, J. D. Tack, J. Carlson, D. Eslinger, J. Nicholson, M. S. Boyce, D. E. Naugle, C. A. Paszkowski, and D. W. Coltman. 2011. Population structure and genetic diversity of greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) in fragmented landscapes at the northern edge of their range. Conservation Genetics 12:527-542.

Schrag, A. M., S. K. Konrad, S. N. Miller, B. L. Walker, and S. Forrest. 2010. Climate-change impacts on sagebrush habitat and West Nile virus transmission risk and conservation implications for greater sage-grouse. Geojournal. Published on-line. DOI 10.1007/s10708-010-9369-3.

Doherty, K. E., D. E. Naugle, and B. L. Walker. 2010. Greater sage-grouse nesting habitat: the importance of managing at multiple scales. Journal of Wildlife Management 74:1544-1553.

Doherty, K. E., D. E. Naugle, and B. L. Walker. 2008. Sage-grouse winter habitat selection and energy development. Journal of Wildlife Management 72:187-195.

Walker, B. L., D. E. Naugle, and K. E. Doherty. 2007. Greater sage-grouse population response to habitat loss and coal-bed natural gas development. Journal of Wildlife Management 71: 2644-2654.

Walker, B. L., D. E. Naugle, K. E. Doherty, and T. E. Cornish. 2007. West Nile virus and greater sage-grouse: estimating infection rate in a wild bird population.  Avian Diseases 51: 691-696.

Naugle, D. E., and B. L. Walker. 2007. A collaborative vision for integrated monitoring of greater sage-grouse populations. Pages 57-62 in K. P. Reese and T. R. Bowyer, eds.  Monitoring Populations of Greater Sage-grouse: proceedings of a symposium at Idaho State University. College of Natural Resources Experiment Station Bulletin 88.  Moscow, ID.

Naugle, D. E., C. L. Aldridge, B. L. Walker, K. E. Doherty, M. R. Matchett, J. McIntosh, T. E. Cornish, and M. S. Boyce. 2005. West Nile virus and sage-grouse: what more have we learned?  Wildlife Society Bulletin 33: 616-623.

Walker, B. L., D. E. Naugle, K. E. Doherty, and T. E. Cornish. 2004. Outbreak of West Nile virus in greater sage-grouse and guidelines for monitoring, handling, and submitting dead birds. Wildlife Society Bulletin 32:1-7.

Mahony, N. A., W. M. Vander Haegen, B. L. Walker, and P. G. Krannitz. 2002. Male incubation and multiple brooding in Brewer’s sparrows. Wilson Bulletin 113:441-444.