Eben H Paxton
Specialty: Avian ecology and conservation, demographic modeling, conservation genetics
Research Interests: My research focuses on understanding factors that affect population dynamics – why populations increase or decline over time – and through an understanding of the “why” populations change in size provide natural resource managers information on “how” to maintain healthy populations. My research has focused mainly on birds, mostly endangered species, using field research, modeling, and genetic research to understand population dynamics and identify possible conservation actions to help imperiled populations. My work in Hawai‘i is focused on the native Hawaiian forest birds.
Personal Interests: Hunting, fishing, and lounging at the beach
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. 2008 Biology, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ
M.S. 2000 Biology, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ
B.S. 1991 Evergreen State College, Olympia, WA
Science and Products
Linking occupancy surveys with habitat characteristics to estimate abundance and distribution in an endangered cryptic bird
Influence of restored koa in supporting bird communities
Collapsing avian community on a Hawaiian island
First record of the common sandpiper for the Hawaiian Islands
Aging and sexing guide to the forest birds of Hawai‘i Island
Comparative demographics of a Hawaiian forest bird community
Fat, weather, and date affect migratory songbirds’ departure decisions, routes, and time it takes to cross the Gulf of Mexico
Large-scale range collapse of Hawaiian forest birds under climate change and the need 21st century conservation options
Evaluating abundance and trends in a Hawaiian avian community using state-space analysis
Spring resource phenology and timing of songbird migration across the Gulf of Mexico
Migratory songbirds are advancing their arrival to breeding areas in response to climatic warming at temperate latitudes. Less is understood about the impacts of climate changes outside the breeding period. Every spring, millions of migrating songbirds that overwinter in the Caribbean and Central and South America stop to rest and refuel in the first available habitats after crossing the Gulf of M
Dynamics and ecological consequences of the 2013−2014 koa moth outbreak at Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge.
Productivity of forest birds at Hakalau Forest NWR
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Linking occupancy surveys with habitat characteristics to estimate abundance and distribution in an endangered cryptic bird
Accurate estimates of the distribution and abundance of endangered species are crucial to determine their status and plan recovery options, but such estimates are often difficult to obtain for species with low detection probabilities or that occur in inaccessible habitats. The Puaiohi (Myadestes palmeri) is a cryptic species endemic to Kauaʻi, Hawai‘i, and restricted to high elevation ravines thatAuthorsLisa H. Crampton, Kevin W. Brinck, Kyle E. Pias, Barbara A. P. Heindl, Thomas Savre, Julia S. Diegmann, Eben H. PaxtonInfluence of restored koa in supporting bird communities
Deforestation of Hawaiian forests has adversely impacted native wildlife, including forest birds, bats and arthropods. Restoration activities have included reforestation with the native koa (Acacia koa), a dominant canopy tree species that is easy to propagate, has high survivorship, and has fast growth rates. We review recent research describing the ecological benefits of koa restoration on wildlAuthorsRichard J. Camp, Eben H. Paxton, Stephanie G. YelenikCollapsing avian community on a Hawaiian island
The viability of many species has been jeopardized by numerous negative factors over the centuries, but climate change is predicted to accelerate and increase the pressure of many of these threats, leading to extinctions. The Hawaiian honeycreepers, famous for their spectacular adaptive radiation, are predicted to experience negative responses to climate change, given their susceptibility to introAuthorsEben H. Paxton, Richard J. Camp, P. Marcos Gorresen, Lisa H. Crampton, David L. Leonard, Eric VanderWerfFirst record of the common sandpiper for the Hawaiian Islands
With a breeding range spanning Eurasia and a winter range extending from Africa to Australasia, the Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos) is indeed the common and familiar sandpiper of the Old World. It is the Old World counterpart of the Spotted Sandpiper (A. macularius) of the Americas and its only congener. The Spotted Sandpiper is a vagrant to the Hawaiian Islands (David 1991, Pyle and Pyle 20AuthorsThane K. PrattAging and sexing guide to the forest birds of Hawai‘i Island
We banded birds in Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge from 2012 to 2016, collecting photographs of birds and making detailed observations on coloration, morphology, and molting patterns. While we believe the criteria in this guide are applicable to forest birds across Hawai’i Island, as well as on other Hawaiian islands for ‘Apapane, ‘I‘iwi, and Hawai‘i ‘Amakihi, certain characteristics suchAuthorsEben H. Paxton, Rachelle McLaughlin, Stephanie Levins, Eric VanderWerf, Nolan LancasterComparative demographics of a Hawaiian forest bird community
Estimates of demographic parameters such as survival and reproductive success are critical for guiding management efforts focused on species of conservation concern. Unfortunately, reliable demographic parameters are difficult to obtain for any species, but especially for rare or endangered species. Here we derived estimates of adult survival and recruitment in a community of Hawaiian forest birdsAuthorsAlban Guillaumet, Bethany L. Woodworth, Richard J. Camp, Eben H. PaxtonFat, weather, and date affect migratory songbirds’ departure decisions, routes, and time it takes to cross the Gulf of Mexico
Approximately two thirds of migratory songbirds in eastern North America negotiate the Gulf of Mexico (GOM), where inclement weather coupled with no refueling or resting opportunities can be lethal. However, decisions made when navigating such features and their consequences remain largely unknown due to technological limitations of tracking small animals over large areas. We used automated radioAuthorsJill L. Deppe, Michael P. Ward, Rachel T. Bolus, Robert H. Diehl, A. Celis-Murillo, Theodore J. Zenzal, Frank R. Moore, Thomas J. Benson, Jaclyn A. Smolinsky, Lynn N. Schofield, David A. Enstrom, Eben H. Paxton, Gil Bohrer, Tara A. Beveroth, Arlo Raim, Renee L. Obringer, David Delaney, William W. CochranLarge-scale range collapse of Hawaiian forest birds under climate change and the need 21st century conservation options
Hawaiian forest birds serve as an ideal group to explore the extent of climate change impacts on at-risk species. Avian malaria constrains many remaining Hawaiian forest bird species to high elevations where temperatures are too cool for malaria's life cycle and its principal mosquito vector. The impact of climate change on Hawaiian forest birds has been a recent focus of Hawaiian conservation bioAuthorsLucas B. Fortini, Adam E. Vorsino, Fred A. Amidon, Eben H. Paxton, James D. JacobiEvaluating abundance and trends in a Hawaiian avian community using state-space analysis
Estimating population abundances and patterns of change over time are important in both ecology and conservation. Trend assessment typically entails fitting a regression to a time series of abundances to estimate population trajectory. However, changes in abundance estimates from year-to-year across time are due to both true variation in population size (process variation) and variation due to impAuthorsRichard J. Camp, Kevin W. Brinck, P. M. Gorresen, Eben H. PaxtonSpring resource phenology and timing of songbird migration across the Gulf of Mexico
Migratory songbirds are advancing their arrival to breeding areas in response to climatic warming at temperate latitudes. Less is understood about the impacts of climate changes outside the breeding period. Every spring, millions of migrating songbirds that overwinter in the Caribbean and Central and South America stop to rest and refuel in the first available habitats after crossing the Gulf of M
AuthorsEben H. Paxton, Emily B. Cohen, Zoltan Németh, Theodore J. Zenzal, Kristina L. Paxton, Robert H. Diehl, Frank R. MooreDynamics and ecological consequences of the 2013−2014 koa moth outbreak at Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge.
A massive outbreak of the koa moth (Geometridea: Scotorythra paludicola) defoliated more than a third of the koa (Acacia koa) forest on Hawai‘i Island during 2013−2014. This was the largest koa moth outbreak ever recorded and the first on the island since 1953. The outbreak spread to sites distributed widely around the island between 800−2,000 m elevation and in wet rainforest to dry woodland habiAuthorsPaul C. Banko, Robert W. Peck, Stephanie G. Yelenik, Eben H. Paxton, Frank J. Bonaccorso, Kristina Montoya-Aiona, David FooteProductivity of forest birds at Hakalau Forest NWR
Hawai‘i has some of the most endangered avian species in the world, which face numerous threats from habitat loss, disease, climate change, and introduced species. This report details the results of a two-year productivity study of all forest bird species at Hakalau National Wildlife Refuge, Hawai‘i Island. We found and monitored nests from seven native species and three common non-native speciesAuthorsEben H. Paxton, George C Cummins, Steven J. Kendall - News