Robb Diehl, Ph.D.
My research explores the behavior and ecology of migratory birds and seeks to inform on their conservation and management.
Research Interest
Migratory birds matter. They are a remarkable part of our cultural, historical, and natural heritage; they provide ecosystem services including pest control and pollination; they are a source of recreation for tens of millions of people who feed, watch, and landscape their yards for birds; and they help support a vigorous wildlife watching industry.
My work follows three broad themes: 1) understanding the behavior, ecology, and conservation of migrating birds, 2) determining how flying animals may be influenced by anthropogenic activity, especially in relation to energy development, and 3) advancing the remote sensing technologies biologists use to study birds and other wildlife.
Education and Certifications
PhD and MS, Ecology, University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, IL
BS, Wildlife Science, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
Science and Products
Bird migration patterns in the arid southwest-Final report
Analyzing bat migration
Management and research applications of long-range surveillance radar data for birds, bats, and flying insects
Seasonal passerine migratory movements over the arid Southwest
Applying radar technology to migratory bird conservation and management: Strengthening and expanding a collaborative
Advancing migratory bird conservation and management by using radar: An interagency collaboration
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
- Science
- Multimedia
- Publications
Filter Total Items: 30
Bird migration patterns in the arid southwest-Final report
To ensure full life-cycle conservation, we need to understand migrant behavior en route and how migrating species use stopover and migration aerohabitats. In the Southwest, birds traverse arid and mountainous landscapes in migration. Migrants are known to use riparian stopover habitats; we know less about how migrant density varies across the Southwest seasonally and annually, and how migrants useAuthorsJanet M. Ruth, Rodney K. Felix, Robert H. DiehAnalyzing bat migration
T HE MIGRATORY MOVEIvl.ENTS OF BATS have proven ex tremely difficult to determine. Despite extensive efforts during the past century to track the movements of bats across landscapes, efficient methods of following small- to medium-size volant animals <240 gl for extended periods (>8 weeks) over long distances (>100 km) have not been developed. Important questions about bat migration remain unanswAuthorsPaul M. Cryan, Robert H. DiehlManagement and research applications of long-range surveillance radar data for birds, bats, and flying insects
There is renewed interest in using long-range surveillance radar as a biological research tool due to substantial improvements in the network of radars within the United States. Technical improvements, the digital nature of the radar data, and the availability of computing power and geographic information systems, enable a broad range of biological applications. This publication provides a summaryAuthorsJanet M. Ruth, Jeffrey J. Buler, Robert H. Diehl, Richard S. SojdaSeasonal passerine migratory movements over the arid Southwest
Biannually, millions of Neotropical and Nearctic migratory birds traverse the arid southwestern US-Mexico borderlands, yet our knowledge of avian migration patterns and behaviors in this region is extremely limited. To describe the spatial and temporal patterns of migration, we examined echoes from weather surveillance radar sites across the American Southwest from southern Texas to southwestern AAuthorsRodney K. Felix, Robert H. Diehl, Janet M. RuthApplying radar technology to migratory bird conservation and management: Strengthening and expanding a collaborative
Executive Summary Understanding the factors affecting migratory bird and bat populations during all three phases of their life cycle—breeding, nonbreeding, and migration—is critical to species conservation planning. This includes the need for information about these species’ responses to natural challenges, as well as information about the effects of human activities and structures. Habitats and oAuthorsJanet M. Ruth, Albert Manville, Ron Larkin, Wylie C. Barrow, Lori Johnson-Randall, Deanna K. Dawson, Robert H. Diehl, Yufang Wang, Richard S. Sojda, Rafal Angryk, Robert W. Klaver, Reggie Mead, John Paxton, Patricia J. Heglund, Eileen Kirsch, Manuel J. Suarez, Larry Robinson, Sidney A. Gauthreaux, Carroll G. Belser, Steven J. Franke, Bruno Bruderer, Jeffrey J. Buler, Frank R. Moore, David S. Mizrahi, Robert Fogg, T. Adam Kelly, Paul M. Cryan, Tim Crum, Terry J. Schuur, Dave Krueper, Robb Diehl, Tom WillAdvancing migratory bird conservation and management by using radar: An interagency collaboration
Migratory birds face many changes to the landscapes they traverse and the habitats they use. Wind turbines and communications towers, which pose hazards to birds and bats in flight, are being erected or proposed across the United States and offshore. Human activities can also destroy or threaten habitats critical to birds during migratory passage, and climate change appears to be altering migratorAuthorsJanet M. Ruth, Wylie C. Barrow, Richard S. Sojda, Deanna K. Dawson, Robert H. Diehl, Albert Manville, Michael T. Green, David J. Krueper, Scott JohnstonNon-USGS Publications**
Larkin, R. P. and R. H. Diehl. 2012. Radar techniques for wildlife biology. Pp. 319–335 in N. Silvy, editor. Techniques for wildlife investigations and management, 7th edition. Wildlife Society, Bethesda, Maryland.Chilson, P. B., W. F. Frick, J. F. Kelly, K. W. Howard, R. P. Larkin, R. H. Diehl, J. K. Westbrook, T. A. Kelly, and T. H. Kunz. 2012. Partly cloudy with a chance of migration: weather, radars, and aeroecology. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society 93:669-686.Bridge, E. S., K. Thorup, M. S. Bowlin, P. B. Chilson, R. H. Diehl, R. W. Fléron, P. Hartl, R. Kays, J. F. Kelly, W. D. Robinson, and M. Wikelski. 2011. Technology on the move: Recent and forthcoming innovations for tracking migratory birds. BioScience. 61:689-698.Randall, L. A., R. H. Diehl, B. C. Wilson, W. C. Barrow, and C. W. Jeske. 2011. Use of weather radar to study movement of wintering waterfowl. Journal of Wildlife Management. 75:1324-1329.Kirsch, E. M., R. S. Sojda, R. H. Diehl, and M. Suarez. 2010. A crane movement model parameterized using portable radar for evaluating response to wind energy development. Proceedings of iEMSS 5th Biennial meeting: International Congress on Environmental Modeling and Software Society, Ottawa, Canada, July 2010.Robinson, W., M. Bowlin, I. Bisson, J. Shamoun-Baranes, K. Thorup, R. Diehl, T. Kunz, S. Mabey, and D. Winkler. 2009. Integrating concepts and technologies at the frontiers of bird migration. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment. 8: 354–361.Cryan, P. and R. Diehl. 2009. Analyzing bat migration. in Ecological and Behavioral methods for the study of bats. (T.H. Kunz and S. Parsons, eds.). pp. 476-488. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, Maryland.Buler, J. J. and R. H. Diehl. 2009. Quantifying bird density during migratory stopover using weather surveillance radar. IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing. 47:2741-2751.Diehl, R. H., and R. P. Larkin. 2005. Introduction to the WSR-88D (NEXRAD) for ornithological research. in C. J. Ralph and T. D. Rich, editors. Bird Conservation Implementation and Integration in the Americas: Proceedings of the Third International Partners in Flight Conference 2002. Pacific Southwest Research Station, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Albany, CaliforniaDiehl, R. H., R. P. Larkin, and J. E. Black. 2003. Radar observations of bird migration over the Great Lakes. Auk. 120:278-290.Wikelski, M., E. Tarlow, A. Raim, R. H. Diehl, H. Visser, and R. P. Larkin. 2003. Migration behavior and energetics of songbird migration in the wild. Nature. 423:704.Larkin, R. P., W. R. Evans, and R. H. Diehl. 2002. Nocturnal flight calls of Dickcissels and Doppler radar echoes over south Texas in spring. Journal of Field Ornithology. 73:2-8.Diehl, R. H. and R. P. Larkin. 1998. Providing resources for researchers on the world wide web: some perspectives. BioScience. 48:313-315.Diehl, R. H. and R. P. Larkin. 1998. Wing beat frequency of thrushes during nocturnal migration, measured via radio telemetry. Auk. 115:591-601.Larkin, R. P., A. Raim, and R. H. Diehl. 1996. Performance of a non-rotating direction-finder for automatic radio tracking of wildlife. Journal of Field Ornithology. 67:59-71.
**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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