Glenn Olsen, Ph.D.
Biography
Education:
- Ph.D., University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Wildlife and Fisheries Biology,
- MS Wildlife Biology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst,
- DVM, University of Illinois, Urbana
- BS University of Illinois
Whooping Crane Research:
- Research in migration and avian behavior, primarily training whooping cranes to follow ultralight aircraft on a migration
- Research to improve methods for reintroducing whooping cranes into the wild, including parent-rearing whooping cranes, studying whooping crane behavior, studying the effects of breeding cranes for multiple generations in captivity as compared to wild cranes
- Research on the ecology and behavior of waterfowl, primarily seaducks using implanted satellite transmitters
- Research about new and emerging diseases of waterfowl, including Wellfleet Bay virus and avian influenza virus
Science and Products
Other Wildlife Diseases
Wildlife diseases are an important stressor to some wildlife species. Patuxent scientists work with birds and amphibians to understand how diseases affect their populations. Our scientists are at work on a broad range of questions to understand wildlife disease. Our research is working to answer questions like “How might differences in tick behavior influence the risk of Lyme disease for...
Migration
Bird migration remains a topic of active research through the use of new technology to provide insights relevant for the conservation of migratory birds. Satellite telemetry is used to study the movements of sea ducks and other waterbirds along the Atlantic Coast, useful data to better understand the potential impacts of offshore energy development. Radar technology is used to study the...
Whooping Crane Restoration
At more than five feet tall with brilliant white plumage, black primary feathers, a red cap, and yellow eyes, the highly endangered Whooping Crane (Grus americana) is one of the most spectacular birds native to North America. In 1942 there were fewer than 20 birds in the flock that migrates from Wood Buffalo National Park in Canada to Aransas National Wildlife Refuge in Texas. An...
A Vaccination Program to Protect Endangered Whooping Cranes from Encephalitis Virus
The Challenge: In eastern North America there is a viral disease called Eastern Equine Encephalitis, or EEE. This virus is transmitted among native bird species by the mosquito, Culiseta melanura, but does not cause disease in these passerine species. However, the virus is capable of causing severe disease or death in horses, some game bird species, humans and whooping cranes. In the fall of...
The Release of Parent-reared Whooping Crane Colts into the Eastern Migratory Population
The Challenge: Whooping cranes have been successfully introduced using costume rearing techniques in either a direct autumn release or in an ultralight led migration from Wisconsin to Florida. In Florida, we have also released parent-reared whooping cranes. Not much is known about the learning that takes place in this K-selected species over the almost one year that the young whooping crane...
Migration and Habitat Use by Seabirds in the Atlantic Flyway: Evaluation of Potential Impacts of Proposed Wind Farms
Overall, this study tracked movements of over 400 individuals of three species over the course of five years; one of the most comprehensive satellite tracking studies of marine birds ever conducted in Atlantic North America. Results provide a better understanding of how diving birds use offshore areas of the mid-Atlantic U.S. and beyond, and, in combination with results from other types of...
Effects of Dorsally Mounted Solar-powered Cellular GPS Transmitters on Diving and Foraging in Surf Scoters and Red-throated Loons
Several types of experimental attachment techniques were tested on each study species (Surf Scoters (Melanitta perspicillata), Red-throated Loon (Gavia stellata), and Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus)), including traditional Teflon-ribbon style harnesses, sutures, and harnesses made of silicone moulding. Silicone harnesses, which were deployed in 2014 and 2015,...
In-Air and Underwater Hearing Abilities of Seabirds
As diving foragers, sea ducks are vulnerable to underwater anthropogenic activities, including naval sonar activity and gillnet fisheries. Bycatch in gillnets is a principle driver of mortality for sea ducks, killing hundreds of thousands of seabirds annually. To reduce gillnet bycatch, underwater hearing tests were conducted on affected sea duck species to assist with possible development of...
Environmental factors influence lesser scaup migration chronology and population monitoring
Identifying environmental metrics specific to lesser scaup (Aythya affinis; scaup) spring migration chronology may help inform development of conservation, management and population monitoring. Our objective was to determine how environmental conditions influence spring migration of lesser scaup to assess the effectiveness of the Waterfowl...
Finger, Taylor A.; Afton, Alan D.; Schummer, Michael L.; Petrie, Scott A.; Badzinski, Shannon S.; Johnson, Michael A.; Szymanski, Michael L.; Jacobs, Kevin J.; Olsen, Glenn H.; Mitchell, Mark A comparison of auditory brainstem responses across diving bird species
There is little biological data available for diving birds because many live in hard-to-study, remote habitats. Only one species of diving bird, the black-footed penguin (Spheniscus demersus), has been studied in respect to auditory capabilities (Wever et al., Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 63:676–680, 1969). We, therefore, measured in-air auditory...
Crowell, Sara E.; Berlin, Alicia; Carr, Catherine E.; Olsen, Glenn H.; Therrien, Ronald E.; Yannuzzi, Sally E.; Ketten, Darlene R. Movement ecology of five Afrotropical waterfowl species from Malawi, Mali and Nigeria
Habitat availability for Afrotropical waterbirds is highly dynamic with unpredictable rainfall patterns and ephemeral wetlands resulting in diverse movement strategies among different species. Movement strategies among waterfowl encompass resident, regional and intercontinental migrants, but little quantitative information exists on their specific...
Takekawa, John Y.; Heath, Shane R.; Iverson, S.R.L.; Gaidet, Nicolas; Cappelle, Julien; Dodman, Tim; Hagemeijer, Ward; Eldridge, William D.; Petrie, Scott A.; Yarris, Gregory S.; Manu, Shiiwua; Olsen, Glenn H.; Prosser, Diann J.; Spragens, Kyle A.; Douglas, David C.; Newman, Scott H. Visual pigments, oil droplets, lens, and cornea characterization in the whooping crane (Grus americana)
Vision has been investigated in many species of birds, but few studies have considered the visual systems of large birds and the particular implications of large eyes and long-life spans on visual system capabilities. To address these issues we investigated the visual system of the whooping crane, Grus americana (Gruiformes: Gruidae). G. americana...
Porter, Megan L.; Kingston, Alexandra C. N.; McCready, Robert; Cameron, Evan G.; Hofmann, Christopher M.; Suarez, Lauren; Olsen, Glenn H.; Cronin, Thomas W.; Robinson, Phyllis R. Pharmacokinetics of buprenorphine hydrochloride following intramuscular and intravenous administration to American kestrels (Falco sparverius)
Objective—To determine the pharmacokinetics of buprenorphine hydrochloride after IM and IV administration to American kestrels (Falco sparverius). Animals—13 healthy 3-year-old captive-bred American kestrels. Procedures—Buprenorphine hydrochloride (0.6 mg/kg) was administered IM to all birds. Blood samples were collected at 9...
Gustavsen, Kate A.; Guzman, David Sanchez-Migallon; Knych, Heather K.; Petritz, Olivia A.; Olsen, Glenn H.; Paul-Murphy, Joanne R. Pharmacokinetics of hydromorphone hydrochloride after intravenous and intramuscular administration of a single dose to American kestrels (Falco sparverius)
OBJECTIVE: To determine the pharmacokinetics of hydromorphone hydrochloride after IV and IM administration in American kestrels (Falco sparverius). ANIMALS: 12 healthy adult American kestrels. PROCEDURES: A single dose of hydromorphone (0.6 mg/kg) was administered IM (pectoral muscles) and IV (right jugular vein); the time between IM and IV...
Guzman, David Sanchez-Migallon; KuKanich, Butch; Drazenovich, Tracy L.; Olsen, Glenn H.; Paul-Murphy, Joanne R. Emerging and reemerging diseases of avian wildlife
Of the many important avian wildlife diseases, aspergillosis, West Nile virus, avipoxvirus, Wellfleet Bay virus, avian influenza, and inclusion body disease of cranes are covered in this article. Wellfleet Bay virus, first identified in 2010, is considered an emerging disease. Avian influenza and West Nile virus have recently been in the public...
Pello, Susan J.; Olsen, Glenn H. Evaluation of thermal antinociceptive effects after intramuscular administration of hydromorphone hydrochloride to American kestrels (Falco sparverius)
Objective—To evaluate the antinociceptive and sedative effects and duration of action of hydromorphone hydrochloride after IM administration to American kestrels (Falco sparverius). Animals—11 healthy 2-year-old American kestrels. Procedures—Hydromorphone (0.1, 0.3, and 0.6 mg/kg) and an equivalent volume of saline (0.9% NaCl)...
Guzman, David Sanchez-Migallon; Drazenovich, Tracy L.; Olsen, Glenn H.; Willits, Neil H.; Paul-Murphy, Joanne R. Sorta situ, the new reality of management conditions for wildlife populations in the absence of "wild" spaces
Ostfeld, Richard S.; Daszak, Peter; Aguirre, A. Alonso; Blumer, Evan S.; Wolfe, Barbara A.; Aguilar, Roberto F.; Aguirre, A. Alonso; Olsen, Glenn H. Clinical pathology results from cranes with experimental West Nile Virus infection
Sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) were vaccinated for and then challenged with West Nile virus. Resulting titers demonstrated protection in the vaccinated-challenged cranes as compared to the unvaccinated-challenged cranes. Clinical pathology results showed challenged cranes, whether vaccinated or not, had a decrease in their hematocrits and an...
Olsen, Glenn H. Whooping crane titers in response to eastern equine encephalitis immunization
No abstract available.
Hartup, Barry K.; Urbanek, Richard P.; Olsen, Glenn H. The use of Emeraid Exotic Carnivore Diet improves postsurgical recovery and survival of long-tailed ducks
Gavage feeding is a commonly used technique in wildlife rehabilitation. While implanting satellite transmitters in long-tailed ducks (Clangula hyemalis), a need for extra postsurgical nutritional support was identified. A new product, Emeraid Exotic Carnivore Diet, has proven effective in maintaining and even increasing the birds' body weights...
Olsen, Glenn H.; Ford, Scott; Perry, Matthew C.; Wells-Berlin, Alicia M.