The purpose of this page is to frame the work we do here in the O’Connell Lab. My position at OSU is primarily devoted to undergraduate instruction; much of the research we do is highly collaborative, especially with the Loss Lab. I see four big categories of that work (plus a wild card category #5, because you’ve gotta have a wild card).
- Distribution, habitat use, and interspecific relationships of wildlife.
- Anthropogenic mortality of birds and other wildlife.
- Broad-scale population-level responses of birds to climatic change and weather extremes.
- Ecological Indicators – the Bird Community Index.
- Wild Card!
Publications from these categories are listed below, but you can also check them out from various citation index websites:
- https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8215-2670
- Google Scholar Citation Report
- ResearchGate
- Web of Science ResearcherID: A-2908-2011
- Scopus: 7102366925
Quick links to recent research (2022–2024) * = grad student lead author; ** = undergrad student lead author:
Robertson, E. P., F. A. La Sorte, J. D. Mays, P. J. Taillie, O. J. Robinson, R. J. Ansley, T. J. O’Connell, C. A. Davis, and S. R. Loss. 2024. Decoupling of bird migration from the changing phenology of spring green-up. PNAS. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2308433121.
**Skurnack, A.M.E., S.M. Cady, S.R. Loss, and T.J. O’Connell. 2023. Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) has increased in abundance at a western range margin. Wilson Journal of Ornithology. https://doi.org/10.1676/23-00008.
*Harris, J. P. and T. J. O’Connell. 2023. Mesopredator predation risk limits Northern Bobwhite nesting habitat. Ecosphere. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.4516.
*Riggs, G. J., C. M. Barton, C. S. Riding, T. J. O’Connell, and S. R. Loss. 2022. Field‐testing effectiveness of window markers in reducing bird‐window collisions. Urban Ecosystems. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11252-022-01304-w.
Scimeca, R. C., A. Carpenter, M. Caron, C. Matt, J. Brandao, T. J. O’Connell, and M. V. Reichard. 2022. Prevalence and genetic characterization of Toxoplasma gondii strains isolated from 31 wild Passeriformes collected in North-Central Oklahoma. Journal of Parasitic Diseases. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12639-022-01548-5.
Loss, S., B. Boughton, S. Cady, D. Londe, C. McKinney, T. O’Connell, G. Riggs, and E. Robertson. 2022. Review and synthesis of the global literature on domestic cat impacts on wildlife. Journal of Animal Ecology. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2656.13745.
*Matt C.L., N. Di Girolamo, M. Hallman, K. Bailey, T. O’Connell, and J. Brandão. 2022. Diagnostic accuracy of seven radiographic views and their combinations for the diagnosis of pectoral girdle fractures in wild passerines after window collisions. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association. https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.20.11.0642
PUBLICATIONS BY CATEGORY
I. Distribution, habitat use, and interspecific relationships of wildlife.
Varied projects here that address distribution and abundance of birds and mammals with respect to land cover; interspecific interactions with predators, competitors, and invasives/encroachers.
A. Spatial distributions and habitat use of raptors.
*Atuo, F. and T. O’Connell. 2018. Scale-dependent resource selection and space use by Mississippi Kite (Ictinia mississippiensis) in a heterogenous mixed-shrub ecosystem. Journal of Ornithology. DOI:10.1007/s10336-018-1567-7
*Atuo, F. A. and T. J. O’Connell. 2018. Superpredator proximity and landscape characteristics alters nest site selection and breeding success of a subordinate predator. Oecologia. DOI:10.1007/s00442-018-4071-0.
*Atuo, F. A., and T. J. O’Connell. 2017c. Structural heterogeneity affects raptor assemblages and niche characteristics in mixed-grass ecosystems. Ecosphere. DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.1907.
*Atuo, F. A. and T. J. O’Connell. 2017b. Spatial heterogeneity and scale-dependent habitat selection for two sympatric raptors in mixed-grass prairie. Ecology and Evolution. DOI: 10.1002/ece3.3182.
*Atuo, F. A. and T. J. O’Connell. 2017a. The landscape of fear as an emergent property of heterogeneity: contrasting patterns of predation risk in grassland ecosystems. Ecology and Evolution. DOI: 10.1002/ece3.3021.
*Pinkerman, C. W., T. J. O’Connell, and A. S. Arena. 2017. Uncertainty analysis of avian approach to remote thermal updraft detection for unmanned aerial vehicles. AIAA Atmospheric Flight Mechanics Conference, AIAA SciTech Forum, (AIAA 2017-1190) https://dx.doi.org/10.2514/6.2017-1190.
*Pinkerman, C. W., T. J. O’Connell, and A. S. Arena. 2016. Comparisons between avian and unmanned aerial vehicle approach to thermal updraft detection. AIAA Atmospheric Flight Mechanics Conference, AIAA SciTech Forum, (AIAA 2016-1288) https://dx.doi.org/10.2514/6.2016-1288.
*Steele, M. and T. J. O’Connell. 2010. Effects cold front passage on migrant raptors at Shirakaba Pass, Nagano Prefecture, Japan, Autumn 2000–2009. Published abstract in the 6th International Conference on Asian Raptors, Asian Raptor Research and Conservation Network, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
*George, A. D. and T. J. O’Connell. 2009. Breeding Burrowing Owls in North Central Oklahoma. Bulletin of the Oklahoma Ornithological Society 42: 1–3.
*McConnell, S., T. J. O’Connell, and D. M. Leslie, Jr. 2008. Land cover associations of breeding habitat for three sympatric Buteos in shortgrass prairie. The Wilson Journal of Ornithology 120: 708–716.
B. Distribution and habitat use of other birds and mammals (i.e., raptor food)
*Harris, J. P. and T. J. O’Connell. 2023. Mesopredator predation risk limits Northern Bobwhite nesting habitat. Ecosphere. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.4516.
*Jaffe, N., T. O’Connell, and J. Giocomo, 2017. Utility of fine resolution land cover data for modeling Northern Bobwhite abundance in the Oaks and Prairies of Oklahoma. National Quail Symposium Proceedings: Vol. 8, Article 41: https://trace.tennessee.edu/nqsp/vol8/iss1/41
*Atuo, F. A., T. Ivande, J. W. Zingfa, S. Manu, and T. J. O’Connell. 2016. Current distribution, breeding population and habitat use of the globally threatened Grey-necked Picathartes Picathartes oreas in south-east Nigeria: a call for conservation action. Ostrich: Journal of African Ornithology: DOI: 10.2989/00306525.2016.1179229
*Atuo, F. A., N. Hillis, and T. O’Connell. 2014. Photographic confirmation of Scaled Quail in Ellis County. Bulletin of the Oklahoma Ornithological Society 47: 1–4.
*Monroe, A. P., and T. J. O’Connell. 2014. Winter bird habitat use in a heterogeneous tallgrass prairie. American Midland Naturalist 171: 97–115.
*Cavalieri, V. S., T. J. O’Connell, and D. M. Leslie, Jr. 2011. Cerulean Warbler occurrence and habitat use in Oklahoma. Southeastern Naturalist 10: 167–177.
*Cavalieri, V. S., T. J. O’Connell, and D. M. Leslie, Jr. 2009. A bird community on the edge: Habitat use of forest songbirds in eastern Oklahoma. Proceedings of the Fourth International Partners in Flight Conference: Tundra to Tropics: 118–127.
*McConnell, S., T. J. O’Connell, D. M. Leslie, Jr., and J. S. Shackford. 2009. Mountain Plovers in Oklahoma: distribution, abundance, and habitat use. Journal of Field Ornithology 80: 27–34.
*Van Els, P., C. Walker, and T. O’Connell. 2009. Capture of a pure Gray-headed Junco (Junco hyemalis caniceps) in Payne County. Bulletin of the Oklahoma Ornithological Society.
*McConnell, S., J. Shackford, T. O’Connell, and D. Leslie, Jr. 2006. Unusual Oklahoma breeding records from Cimarron County, 2004–2005. Bulletin of the Oklahoma Ornithological Society.
*Mahan, C. G. and T. J. O’Connell. 2005. Small mammal assemblages along a gradient of disturbance in suburban parks. Northeast Naturalist 12: 307–314.
*McConnell, S., J. Shackford, T. O’Connell, and D. Leslie, Jr. 2005. First confirmed breeding for Mountain Plover (Charadrius montanus) in Texas County, Oklahoma. Bulletin of the Oklahoma Ornithological Society 38: 12–14.
*O’Connell, T. J. and R. A. Beck. 2003. Gull predation limits nest success of terns and skimmers on the Virginia barrier islands. Journal of Field Ornithology 74: 66–73.
C. Avian responses to invasive and encroaching species
Loss, S., B. Boughton, S. Cady, D. Londe, C. McKinney, T. O’Connell, G. Riggs, and E. Robertson. 2022. Review and synthesis of the global literature on domestic cat impacts on wildlife. Journal of Animal Ecology. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2656.13745.
*George, A. D., T. J. O’Connell, K. R. Hickman, and D. M. Leslie, Jr. 2013a. Food availability in exotic grasslands: A potential mechanism for depauperate breeding assemblages. Wilson Journal of Ornithology 125: 526–533.
*George, A. D., T. J. O’Connell, K. R. Hickman, and D. M. Leslie, Jr. 2013b. Use of seeded exotic grasslands by wintering birds. The Prairie Naturalist 45: 77–83.
*George, A. D., T. J. O’Connell, K. R. Hickman, and D. M. Leslie, Jr. 2009. Influence of old world bluestem (Bothriochloa ischaemum) monocultures on breeding density of three grassland songbirds in Oklahoma. Proceedings of the Fourth International Partners in Flight Conference: Tundra to Tropics: 691–697.
*Heinen, J. R. and T. J. O’Connell. 2009. The influence of invasive eastern redcedar on densities of breeding warblers in cross timbers forest. Proceedings of the Fourth International Partners in Flight Conference: Tundra to Tropics: 698–704.
II. Anthropogenic mortality of native birds and mammals.
Collisions with human infrastructure, human attitudes toward wildlife harvest, and other unintended consequences of human activity. This work includes my long-term study of window collision mortality in birds, for which daily updates can be found at Avian Window Kills. Marty Piorkowski’s work on bird and bat mortality from wind turbines is here as well. The last big section is Fidel’s work in Nigeria to address cultural attitudes and social pressures involved in poaching of birds from tropical forests in Cross River National Park.
A. Window collisions of birds.
*Riggs, G. J., C. M. Barton, C. S. Riding, T. J. O’Connell, and S. R. Loss. 2022. Field‐testing effectiveness of window markers in reducing bird‐window collisions. Urban Ecosystems. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11252-022-01304-w.
Scimeca, R. C., A. Carpenter, M. Caron, C. Matt, J. Brandao, T. J. O’Connell, and M. V. Reichard. 2022. Prevalence and genetic characterization of Toxoplasma gondii strains isolated from 31 wild Passeriformes collected in North-Central Oklahoma. Journal of Parasitic Diseases. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12639-022-01548-5.
*Matt C.L., N. Di Girolamo, M. Hallman, K. Bailey, T. O’Connell, and J. Brandão. 2022. Diagnostic accuracy of seven radiographic views and their combinations for the diagnosis of pectoral girdle fractures in wild passerines after window collisions. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association. https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.20.11.0642
*Riding, C. S., T. O’Connell, and S. R. Loss. 2021. Multi-scale temporal variation in bird-window collisions in the central United States. Scientific Reports. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-89875-0.
*Elmore, J.A., C.S. Riding, K.G. Horton, T. O’Connell, A. Farnsworth, and S.R. Loss. 2021. Predicting bird-window collisions with weather radar. Journal of Applied Ecology. DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13832.
*Elmore, J.A., S.B. Hager, B.J. Cosentino, T.J. O’Connell, C.S. Riding, M.L. Anderson, M.H. Bakermans, T.J. Boves, D. Brandes, E.M. Butler, M.W. Butler, N.L. Cagle, R. Calderón-Parra, A.P. Capparella, A. Chen, A.A.T. Conkey, T.A. Contreras, R.I. Cooper, C.E. Corbin, R.L. Curry, J.J. Dosch, K.L. Dyson, E.E. Fraser, R.A. Furbush, N.D.G. Hagemeyer, K.N. Hopfensperger, D. Klem, Jr., E.A. Lago, A.S. Lahey, C.S. Machtans, J.M. Madosky, T.J. Maness, K.J. McKay, S.B. Menke, N. Ocampo-Peñuela, R. Ortega-Álvarez, A.L. Pitt, A. Puga-Caballero, J.E. Quinn, A.M. Roth, R.T. Schmitz, J.L. Schnurr, M.E. Simmons, A.D. Smith, C.W. Varian-Ramos, E.L. Walters, L.A. Walters, J.T. Weir, K. Winnett-Murray, I. Zuria, J. Vigliotti, and S.R. Loss. 2020. Correlates of bird collisions with buildings across three North American countries. Conservation Biology. DOI:10.1111/cobi.13569
*Elmore JA, Riding CS, O’Connell TJ, Loss SL. 2020. Data from: Predicting bird-window collisions with weather radar, Dryad, Dataset, DOI:10.5061/dryad.b2rbnzsd2.
*Riding, C. S., T. J. O’Connell, and S. R. Loss. 2020. Building façade-level correlates of bird–window collisions in a small urban area. The Condor: Ornithological Applications. DOI: 10.1093/condor/duz065.
*Loss, S. and T. O’Connell. 2018. In Harm’s Way in Morrison, M.L., A.D. Rodewald, G. Voelker, M.R. Colón, and J.F. Prather. Ornithology: Foundation, Analysis, and Application. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, Maryland.
Hager, S. B., B. J. Cosentino, M. A. Aguilar-Gómez, M. L. Anderson, M. Bakermans, T. J. Boves, D. Brandes, M. W. Butler, E.M. Butler, N. L. Cagle, R. Calderón-Parra, A. P. Capparella, A. Chen, K. Cipollini, A. A. T. Conkey, T. A. Contreras, R. I. Cooper, C. E. Corbin, R. L. Curry, J. J. Dosch, M. G. Drew, K. Dyson, C. Foster, C. D. Francis, E. Fraser, R. Furbush, N. Hagemeyer, K. N. Hopfensperger, D. Klem, Jr., A. Lahey, K. Lamp, G. Lewis, S. R. Loss, C. S. Machtans, J. Madosky, T. J. Maness, K. J. McKay, S. B. Menke, K. E. Muma, N. Ocampo-Peñuela, T. J. O’Connell, R. Ortega-Álvarez, A. L. Pitt, A. L. Puga-Caballero, J. E. Quinn, C. W. Varian-Ramos, C. S. Riding, A. M. Roth, P. G. Saenger, R. T. Schmitz, J. Schnurr, M. Simmons, A. D. Smith, De. R. Sokoloski, J. Vigliotti, E. L. Walters, L. A. Walters, J. Weir, K. Winnett-Murray, J. C. Withey, and I. Zuria. 2017. Continent-wide analysis of how urbanization affects bird-window collision mortality in North America. Biological Conservation 212: 209–215.
*O’Connell, T. J. 2001. Avian window strike mortality at a suburban office park. Raven 72: 141–149.
B. Wildlife mortality and displacement associated with power generation.
Atuo, F. A., P. Saud, C. Wyatt, B. Determan, J. A. Crose, and T. J. O’Connell. 2018. Are oil and natural gas development sites ecological traps for nesting killdeer? Wildlife Biology: https://doi.org/10.2981/wlb.00476.
*Piorkowski, M. D. and T. J. O’Connell. 2010. Estimates of bat and bird mortality from collisions with wind turbines in mixed-grass prairie. American Midland Naturalist 164: 260–269.
Arnett, E. B., W. K. Brown, W. P. Erickson, J. K. Fiedler, B. L. Hamilton, T. H. Henry, A. Jain, G. D. Johnson, J. Kerns, R. R. Koford, C. P. Nicholson, T. J. O’Connell, M. D. Piorkowski, and R. D. Tankersley, Jr. 2008. Patterns of bat fatalities at wind energy facilities in North America. Journal of Wildlife Management 72: 61–78.
C. Factors influencing hunting of birds in Cross River National Park, Nigeria.
Atuo, F. A., J. Fu, J. O’Connell, J. A. Agida, and J. A. Agaldo. 2020. Coupling law enforcement and community-based regulations in support of compliance with biodiversity conservation regulations. Environmental Conservation. DOI: 10.1017/S0376892920000107.
*Atuo, F., T. J. O’Connell, and P.U. Abanyan. 2015. An assessment of socioeconomic drivers of avian body parts trade in West African rainforests. Biological Conservation 191: 614–622.
*Atuo, F., S. Ivande, Z. Wala, and T. J. O’Connell. 2014. Effects of hunting camps on breeding grey-necked picathartes Picathartes oreas in south-east Nigeria. Oryx. doi: 10.1017/S0030605313000719.
D. Conditions favoring aflatoxin development during wildlife feeding.
*Dale, L., T. O’Connell, and R. D. Elmore. 2015. Aflatoxins in wildlife feed: Know how to protect wildlife. Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service, fact sheet NREM 9021.
III. Broad-scale population-level responses of birds to climatic change and weather extremes.
Robertson, E. P., F. A. La Sorte, J. D. Mays, P. J. Taillie, O. J. Robinson, R. J. Ansley, T. J. O’Connell, C. A. Davis, and S. R. Loss. 2024. Decoupling of bird migration from the changing phenology of spring green-up. PNAS. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2308433121.
**Skurnack, A.M.E., S.M. Cady, S.R. Loss, and T.J. O’Connell. 2023. Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) has increased in abundance at a western range margin. Wilson Journal of Ornithology. https://doi.org/10.1676/23-00008.
*Sinnott, E., M. Papeş, and T. O’Connell. 2021. Variable precipitation leads to dynamic range limits of forest songbirds at a forest-grassland ecotone. Ecology and Evolution. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.7899.
*Cady, S., T. O’Connell, S. Loss, N. Jaffe, and C. Davis. 2019. Species-specific and temporal scale-dependent responses of birds to drought. Global Change Biology. DOI: 10.1111/gcb.14668.
IV. Ecological Indicators – the Bird Community Index.
Assessment of biological integrity at broad scales, primarily through development and application of the Bird Community Index (BCI). The BCI distills life history traits of species assemblages into numerical scores and ranks designed to indicate degree to which native species sensitive to anthropogenic influences are represented.
An in-depth description of the BCI and other ecological indicators can be found here. Relevant papers (including some gray-literature publications) below:
O’Connell, T. J., R. P. Brooks, D. J. Prosser, M. T. Gaudette, J. P. Gyekis, K. C. Farrell, and M. J. Casalena. 2013. Wetland-riparian birds of the Mid-Atlantic Region in R. P. Brooks and D. H. Wardrop (Eds.) Mid-Atlantic Freshwater Wetlands: Advances in Wetlands Science, Management, Policy, and Practice. Springer Ecological Studies Series.
Jackson, L. E., T. J. O’Connell, and R. P. Brooks. 2002. A Visual Assessment for the Birds: Using Songbirds as Indicators for Ecological Health. River Voices 12: 22–24.
*Johnson, G. D., W. L. Myers, G. P. Patil, T. J. O’Connell, and R. P. Brooks. 2002. Predictability of Bird Community-Based Ecological Integrity using Landscape Measurements in Managing for Healthy Ecosystems, D. J. Rapport, B. L. Lasley, D. E. Rolston, N. O. Nielsen, C. O. Qualset, and A. B. Damania (Eds.). CRC Press LLC, Boca Raton, FL. 1552 pp.
*Johnson, G. D., W. L. Myers, G. P. Patil, T. J. O’Connell, and R. P. Brooks. 2001. “Predictability of bird community-based ecological integrity using landscape.” Pages 79-104 in Cartografia Multiscalare della Natura, O. Rossi (Ed.). IX Congresso Nazionale della Societa` Italiana di Ecologia, Parma, Italy, September 1999.
Jackson, L. E., T. J. O’Connell, and R. P. Brooks. 2000. MAIA Project Summary: Birds indicate ecological condition of the Mid-Atlantic highlands. EPA/620/R-00/003. USEPA – Office of Research and Development, Washington, DC 20460.
Brooks, R., T. O’Connell, D. Wardrop, and L. Jackson. 1998. Towards a regional index of biotic integrity: The example of forested riparian ecosystems. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 51: 131–143.
V. Wild Card!
Here are a few other things we get involved with here. Some of this is just straight ornithology for ornithology’s sake or it might not involve birds at all.
Wild Card publications:
O’Connell, T. 2021. Winter birds of Payne, Pawnee, and Noble counties, Oklahoma. Payne County Audubon Society.
**Stevens, M., and T. O’Connell. 2019. Quantifying the shifted baseline in breeding bird communities for Native American tribes relocated to Oklahoma. Published abstract from poster presented to the Oklahoma State University McNair Scholars Summer Research Institute Symposium, Stillwater, OK.
O’Connell, T. 2016. Checklist of Payne County Birds. Payne County Audubon Society.
O’Connell, T. J. 2009. Book Review: Wildlife-Habitat Relationships: Concepts and Applications (3rd Ed.), by M. L. Morrison, B. G. Marcot, and R. W. Mannan. Journal of Wildlife Management 73: 169–171.
O’Connell, T. J. 2006. Book Review: The Virginia Breeding Bird Atlas Project 1985–1989, by J. B. Trollinger and K. K. Reay. Banisteria 26.
O’Connell, T. J. 2005. Book Review: Oklahoma Breeding Bird Atlas, Dan Reinking (Ed.). Prairie Naturalist 37: 56.
Mulvihill, R. S., A. Cunkelman, L. Quattrini, J. O’Connell, and T. L. Master. 2002. Opportunistic polygyny in the Louisiana Waterthrush. Wilson Bulletin 114: 106–113.
*O’Connell, T. J. and N. Z. Reagle. 2002. Is the chemical defense of Eurycotis floridana a deterrent to small mammal predators? Florida Scientist 65: 245–249.
O’Connell, T. J. 2001. Book Review: The Birds of Pennsylvania, by D. Brauning and J. McWilliams. Wilson Bulletin 113: 121–123.
There is ultimately no shortage of things that can capture my attention: paleontology, renewable energy, evolution, behavior, paleoecology, futurism, steady-state economies, science communication, politics, skepticism and science, cryptozoology. All of these and more are explored on The Waterthrush Blog.
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