DAVID JOSEPH HORN, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Biology, Department of Biology, Millikin University
Director of Research, Wild Bird Centers of America, Inc.

As the human population continues to increase, there is greater pressure to use our remaining natural areas for anthropomorphic functions. One way to demonstrate the importance of natural areas is to teach people about the wildlife in their own backyards. Feeding wild birds is the United States' second most popular hobby. Despite this popularity, there is still much to learn about feeding wild birds. Since 1992, Dr. Horn has been conducting studies on birds that use feeders. These studies have ranged in scope from studying feeder preferences of the American goldfinch to factors influencing the occurrence of birds that use feeders in Iowa. For the majority of his bird feeder studies, he has recruited non-scientists, particularly undergraduates, to monitor feeders. Dr. Horn believes that this approach gives the public a greater appreciation of the types of work scientists do, hands-on experience with the scientific method, and helps to develop a stronger conservation ethic.

Dr. Horn's research interests focus on two major issues in avian ecology: 1) how habitat loss and fragmentation have impacted grassland and forest bird populations, and 2) population ecology of urban bird populations. Habitat loss and fragmentation are considered to be two of the major factors contributing to the decreasing populations of birds in North America. Since 1994, Dr. Horn has been studying the effects of fragmentation on both woodland and grassland birds. Beginning in the fall of 2005, Dr. Horn will serve as Project Coordinator for PROJECT WILDBIRD, a landmark study of seed and feeder preferences of wild birds in the United States and Canada.

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