Dr. Julie A. Heath joined the faculty of the Department of Biological Sciences at Boise State University in 2007. This was a return to Boise State where she had earned her master’s degree in Raptor Biology in 1996. Dr. Heath also holds a Ph.D. in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation from the University of Florida, Gainesville, and a B.S. in Zoology from the University of California, Davis. Dr. Heath is interested in how wildlife populations respond to anthropogenic ecosystem change. Human activity can alter habitats so that resources necessary for wildlife survival and reproduction become mediocre, scarce, unpredictable, or unusable. Much of her research has focused on avian reproduction, specifically the effects of human activities on avian parental care, and how birds select nesting sites in human-dominated areas. These studies help inform wildlife management and aid in the conservation of declining species.
Articles
Shorter Migration Distances Associated with Higher Winter Temperatures Suggest a Mechanism for Advancing Nesting Phenology of American Kestrels Falco sparverius (with Karen Steenhof and Mark A. Foster), Journal of Avian Biology (2012)
Global climate change has affected avian migration patterns and nesting phenology. Changes in one phase...
Challenges in Creating an American Kestrel Body Condition Index Based on Size-Adjusted Mass (with Erin H. Strasser, Mark A. Foster, Lina Bardo, and David M. Bird), Journal of Raptor Research (2011)
Size-adjusted mass is a common body condition index (BCI) used to indicate nonstructural energy reserves...
Effects of Developmental Conditions on Nestling American Kestrel (Falco Sparverius) Corticosterone Concentrations (with Erin H. Strasser), General and Comparative Endocrinology (2011)
How nestling birds respond to stressful situations may constitute an important survival component that has...
Evaluating the Effects of Foraging Habitat Restoration on Shorebird Reproduction: The Importance of Performance Criteria and Comparative Design (with Annie F. McIntyre), Journal of Coastal Conservation (2011)
Coastal development and engineering projects preclude ecosystem processes that provide habitat for beach nesting...
Factors Affecting Piping Plover Hatching Success on Long Island, New York (with Paul J. Doherty), Journal of Wildlife Management (2011)
Low hatching success may limit progress towards reaching productivity goals for Atlantic Coast piping plover...
Presentations
Seasonal Carotenoid Variation in American Kestrels (with Christeena H. Sevy), IDeA Network for Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE) (2010)
Carotenoids are micronutrient pigments produced by plants that may convey immunological benefits to consumers. Animals...
Recruitment of Local, Second Year American Kestrels into the Breeding Population: Who Comes Back and Why?, Raptor Research Foundation, Annual Meeting (2010)
Breeding populations typically consist of a mix of locally-produced and immigrant birds. Recruitment of locally-produced...
Student Mentored Work
Reproductive Failure and the Stress Response in American Kestrels Nesting Along a Human Disturbance Gradient (Thesis) (2010)
Human disturbance may be an influential environmental stressor that affects birds across life stages. I...
Heat-Shock Proteins as a Tool for Measuring Stress in American Kestrels (Falco Sparverius) Nesting Along a Human Disturbance Gradient (Undergraduate Research Conference) (with Christine Hayes and Erin Strasser) (2009)
Heat-shock proteins (HSPs, also known as stress proteins) are intracellular proteins that prevent cell and...