Gary Ritchison

Department of Biological Sciences
Eastern Kentucky University

My Background | Teaching Interests | Research Interests | Graduate Students | Favorite Links

Background I grew up in a small town in southern Minnesota (Elysian) and graduated from Waterville-Elysian High School. I received my Bachelor's degree (with a major in Biology and minor in Chemistry) from Minnesota State University (in Mankato, MN) and, during my undergraduate years, developed an interest in birds. I also received my Master's degree in biology from Minnesota State and my thesis focused on the vocal behavior of White-breasted Nuthatches. I went west (to Utah State University in Logan, UT) for my Ph.D. My dissertation topic was the singing behavior of Black-headed Grosbeaks (with an emphasis on the singing behavior of females). After completing my Ph.D., I obtained a faculty position at Eastern Kentucky University in Richmond, KY, and, of course, am still at EKU. I'm married to Tameria Dawn and we have two great kids: Brandon Tyler and Brianna Carol.

Teaching Interests

Ornithology
(BIO 554/754)
Behavioral Ecology 
(BIO 555/755)
Scientific Literature and 
Writing in Biology (BIO 801)
Environmental Science
(BIO 599/799
)
Comparative Vertebrate 
Anatomy (BIO 342)
Human Physiology
(BIO 301)
Conservation of Wildlife
Resources (BIO 317)
Human Physiology
Lab (BIO 378)

Research Interests One of my long-term interests has been avian mating strategies, specifically examining factors that influence mate choice (and choice of extra-pair partners) by female songbirds (specifically female Indigo Buntings, Eastern Bluebirds). I'm also very interested in avian vocal behavior (particularly the functions of song), the ecology and behavior of grassland birds (like Henslow's and Grasshopper sparrows),  raptor behavior and ecology (such as Cooper's and Sharp-shinned hawks) and, recently, factors influencing the provisioning behavior of male and female Eastern Phoebes. These are some of my personal research interests, but I enjoy working with students on just about any aspect of avian biology. To get an idea of what I and my students have been & are working on, take a look at the titles of some recent publications, theses completed by previous advisees, & the titles of projects currently underway (listed below).

Current Graduate Students and their Research Topics:

Jackie Bennett - Individual quality and the provisioning behavior of male and female Barn Swallows

Michael Bennett - Effect of clutch size and individual quality on the characteristics of Chimney Swift nests

Brad McLeod - Effect of food supplementation on the time budgets and reproductive success of Indigo Buntings

Louise Peppe - Vocal behavior of Chimney Swifts

Tyler Rankin - Habitat and nest-site selection by Cooper's and Sharp-shinned Hawks

Alyssa Underwood - Effect of nestling quality on the provisioning behavior of male and female Eastern Phoebes
 

     If you would like more information about Eastern Kentucky University, our graduate program, my research, working on a Master's degree in my lab, courses I teach, or anything else, please feel free to contact me at
859-622-1541 
or
Gary.Ritchison@eku.edu

Some Favorite Links:

Back to Dept. of Biological Sciences homepage

Back to Dept. of Biological Sciences Graduate Program homepage

Back to KOS homepage