Michael N. Kochert
I am a Scientist Emeritus at the USGS Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center.
My entire career has focused on the Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area (NCA), located south of Boise. I’m most proud of my work in designing and directing the research that provided the biological basis to the Secretary of the Interior for establishing the NCA and its boundary. I am currently engaged in two major areas of work: 1) I still work on the long-term ecological assessments of the golden eagle nesting population in southwestern Idaho as a partner with Julie Heath’s lab at BSU. I have five decades of knowledge of the eagles and the area. 2) I am working on a project with Todd Katzner (USGS, FRESC), Jim Belthoff (BSU), and Karen Steenhof on the long-term monitoring of the nesting prairie falcon population in the NCA.
Affiliations and Memberships*
Adjunct faculty member at Boise State University, Boise, ID
Science and Products
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Diet and trophic characteristics of great horned owls in southwestern Idaho
Influence of radio transmitters on prairie falcons (Falco mexicanus)
Are red-tailed hawks and great horned owls diurnal-nocturnal dietary counterparts?
Effects of livestock grazing on raptors with emphasis on the southwestern U.S.
Non-USGS Publications**
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
Science and Products
- Publications
If you are unable to access or download a product, email fresc_outreach@usgs.gov a request, including the full citation, or call (541) 750-1030.
Filter Total Items: 40Diet and trophic characteristics of great horned owls in southwestern Idaho
We studied the diet of Great Horned Owls (Bubo virginianus) in the Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area in southwestern Idaho for 14 breeding seasons. The diet included 89.2% mammals by number and 91.2% by mass. Kangaroo rats (Dipodomys spp.) were the most common prey overall, but montane voles (Microtus montanus), Peromyscus spp., Great Basin pocket mice (Perognathus parvus) and TAuthorsC.D. Marti, Michael N. KochertInfluence of radio transmitters on prairie falcons (Falco mexicanus)
We examined the effects of backpack radio transmitters on Prairie Falcon (Falco mexicanus) reproduction (percentage of occupied territories producing young and number of nestlings produced) over four years. In addition, we observed falcon aeries during brood-rearing to determine attendance at the nest and in the territory, prey delivery rates, and prey composition. We found no effect of radio taggAuthorsM.S. Vekasy, J.M. Marzluff, Michael N. Kochert, Robert N. Lehman, Karen SteenhofAre red-tailed hawks and great horned owls diurnal-nocturnal dietary counterparts?
Red-tailed Hawks (Buteo jamaicensis) and Great Homed Owls (Bubo virginianus)are common in North America where they occupy a wide range of habitats, often sympatrically. The two species are similar in size and have been portrayed as ecological counterparts, eating the same prey by day and night. We tested the trophic similarity of the two species by comparing published dietary data from across theAuthorsC.D. Marti, Michael N. KochertEffects of livestock grazing on raptors with emphasis on the southwestern U.S.
No abstract availableAuthorsMichael N. Kochert, B.A. Millsap, K. SteenhofNon-USGS Publications**
Marti, C.D., Kochert, M.N., 1996, Diet and trophic characteristics of great horned owls in southwestern Idaho: Journal of Field Ornithology, v. 67, no. 4, p. 499-506.Tigner, J.R., Call, M.W., Kochert, M.N., 1996, Effectiveness of artificial nesting structures for ferruginous hawks in Wyoming In: Bird, D.M., Varland, D.E., Negro, J.J., eds., Raptors in Human Landscapes: London, UK, Academic Press Ltd., p. 137-144.Vekasy, M.S., Marzluff, J.M., Kochert, M.N., Lehman, R.N., Steenhof, K., 1996, Influence of radio transmitters on prairie falcons (Falco mexicanus): Journal of Field Ornithology, v. 67, no. 4, p. 680-690.Marti, C.D., Kochert, M.N., 1995, Are red-tailed hawks and great horned owls diurnal-nocturnal dietary counterparts?: Wilson Bulletin, v. 107, no. 4, p. 615-628.Marti, C.D., Steenhof, K., Kochert, M.N., Marks, J.S., 1993, Community trophic structure- the roles of diet, body size, and activity time in vertebrate predators: Oikos, v. 67, no. 1, p. 6-18.Steenhof, K., Kochert, M.N., Roppe, J.A., 1993, Nesting by raptors and common ravens on electrical transmission line towers: Journal of Wildlife Management, v. 57, no. 2, p. 271-281.Engel, K.A., Young, L.S., Roppe, J.A., Kochert, M.N., 1992, Communal roosting of common ravens in southwestern Idaho: Wilson Bulletin, v. 104, no. 1, p. 105-121.Olendorff, R.R., Kochert, M.N., 1992, Raptor habitat management on public lands- A strategy for the future: US Bureau of Land Management BLM/SC/PT-92/009+6635, p. 46.Holthuijzen, A.M., Eastland, W.G., Ansell, A.R., Kochert, M.N., Williams, R.D., Young, L.S., 1990, Effects of blasting on behavior and productivity of nesting prairie falcons: Wildlife Society Bulletin, v. 18, p. 270-281.Olendorff, R.R., Bibles, D., Dean, M., Haugh, J.R., Kochert, M.N., 1989, Raptor Habitat Management Under the U.S. Bureau of Land Management Multiple-use Mandate: Boise, ID, The Raptor Research Foundation, p. 1-80.Kochert, M.N., 1989, Responses of raptors to livestock grazing in the western United States Ineds., B.G. Pendleton [ed] Proceedings of the western raptor management symposium and workshop: Washington, DC, National Wildlife Federation, p. 194-203.Steenhof, K., Kochert, M.N., 1988, Dietary responses of three raptor species to changing prey densities in a natural environment: Journal of Animal Ecology, v. 57, p. 37-48.Edwards, T.C., Collopy, M.W., Steenhof, K., Kochert, M.N., 1988, Sex ratios of fledgling Golden Eagles: Auk, v. 105, no. 4, p. 793-796.Kochert, M.N., Pellant, M., 1986, Multiple Use in the Snake River Birds of Prey Area: Bureau of Land Management, v. 8, no. 5, p. 217-220.Kochert, M.N., 1986, Raptors InBoyd, R., Stuart, H.R., eds., Inventory and Monitoring of Wildlife Habitat: Denver, CO, USDOI, BLM Service Center, p. 313-349.Steenhof, K., Kochert, M.N., 1985, Dietary shifts of sympatric buteos during a prey decline: Oecologia, v. 66, p. 6-16.Steenhof, K., Kochert, M.N., Moritsch, M.Q., 1984, Dispersal and migration of southwestern Idaho raptors: Journal of Field Ornithology, v. 55, no. 3, p. 357-368.Kochert, M.N., Steenhof, K., Moritsch, M.Q., 1983, Evaluation of patagial markers for raptors and ravens: Wildlife Society Bulletin, v. 11, no. 3, p. 271-281.Steenhof, K., Kochert, M.N., Doremus, J.H., 1983, Nesting of subadult Golden Eagles in Southwestern Idaho: Auk, v. 100, no. 3, p. 743-747.Steenhof, K., Kochert, M.N., 1982, An evaluation of methods used to estimate raptor nesting success: Journal of Wildlife Management, v. 46, no. 4, p. 885-893.Kochert, M.N., 1980, Workshop on Raptors and Energy Developments: Boise, ID, The Idaho Chapter of the Wildlife Society, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bonneville Power Administration and the Idaho Power Company, p. 1-125.**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
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*Disclaimer: Listing outside positions with professional scientific organizations on this Staff Profile are for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement of those professional scientific organizations or their activities by the USGS, Department of the Interior, or U.S. Government