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National Wildlife Research Center (NWRC) |
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Dr. Brian E. Washburn Research Wildlife Biologist |
Dr. Brian E. Washburn is a Research Biologist with USDA APHIS Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center (NWRC) Sandusky, OH, Field Station. Prior to joining NWRC in 2003, Dr. Washburn was a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Missouri (MU) where he developed the Wildlife Physiology Laboratory and conducted research studies involving stress and reproductive physiology of numerous wildlife taxa.
In his current position at NWRC, Dr. Washburn works extensively with colleagues and partners from Wildlife Services research and operations, the U.S. Department of Defense, Universities, civilian airports, state wildlife agencies, nongovernment organizations, and private industry. His research involves basic and applied wildlife ecology studies that provide a better understanding of wildlife movement patterns (e.g., migration ecology), foraging ecology, habitat management, land-use practices, and ecology of wildlife within urban ecosystems. Findings from his research are used to reduce wildlife hazards within and near airport environments. In addition to his appointment with NWRC, Dr. Washburn is an adjunct professor at the University of Missouri, Michigan State University, and North Carolina State University.
Expertise Keywords
Wildlife hazards to aviation, grasslands restoration, vegetation management, stress physiology, reproductive physiology, nutrition, telemetry
Taxonomic Groups of Interest
White-tailed deer, osprey, eagles, raptors, gulls, upland game birds, waterfowl, ungulates, cottontail rabbit
Current Research
- Assessing BASH risk of breeding and migrating osprey in the Chesapeake Bay region
- Evaluating trash-transfer facilities as bird attractants
- Studying alternative vegetation types for airfields and foraging preferences of Canada Geese
- Further evaluating a Wildlife Services experimental operational program to reduce the number of aircraft strikes by laughing gulls and other gulls at JFK International Airport
- Evaluating the attractiveness of bio-solids applications on airfields
to wildlife hazardous to aviation
- Testing tall fescue variety trials for airfields
- Translocating immature bald eagles to reduce eagle-strike risk
- Assessing resident Canada goose movements using satellite telemetry
Products/Techniques Developed or Tested
- Anti-perching products
- Propane exploders
- Avian surveys
- Tall fescue
- Airfield vegetation
- Satellite telemetry
- Food habits
- Non-invasive hormone measurement
Education
- Ph.D., University of Kentucky, Animal Sciences, Ecological relationships among tall fescue, native warm-season grasses, and Eastern cottontail rabbits
- M.S., Pennsylvania State University, Wildlife and Fisheries Science, Establishment of native hardwoods on reclaimed mined lands in the bituminous coal region of Pennsylvania
- B.S., State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Environmental and Forest Biology
- A.A.S., State University of New York College of Agriculture and Technology at Cobleskill, Biological Technology
Certifications
- Adjunct Faculty, North Carolina State University, Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources
- Adjunct Faculty, Michigan State University, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife
- Adjunct Faculty, University of Missouri, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences
- Ohio Certified Pesticide Applicator
Previous Positions
- Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Missouri
- Editorial Assistant, The Wildlife Society
- Wildlife Technician, Pennsylvania Game Commission
International Experience
- South Africa (African elephant stress physiology)
Contact Information
- Address: Wildlife Services, NWRC Ohio Field Station, 6100 Columbus Avenue, Sandusky, Ohio 44870
- Telephone: 419.625.0242
- Fax: 419.625.8465
- E-mail: brian.e.washburn@aphis.usda.gov
NWRC Research Project: New Technologies to Deter Wildlife from Airports and Aircraft