Steven M Matsuoka
My research identifies 1) the terrestrial birds in Alaska that are most at-risk to environmental change and 2) the key habitats and resources these at-risk species require across their annual cycles and ranges to adapt to change.
I research the ecology and population dynamics of terrestrial birds (landbirds) in arctic and boreal ecosystems of Alaska and Canada. This large, yet poorly studied group of Federal Trust Species includes 142 breeding bird species in Alaska alone. My research produces information on status, trends, resource use, and limiting factors to identify 1) the landbird species most at risk to environmental change and 2) the key habitats and resources these species require to adapt to change. This information is used by resource managers in Alaska and Canada to prioritize limited resources for the species and habitats most in need of conservation. Many of my studies address bird populations at large spatial scales such as the state of Alaska, the western boreal forest biome, or entire species’ migratory ranges. These studies require considerable coordination among U.S. and Canadian collaborators to collect the data and often involve new approaches to analyze data compiled across multiple studies.
Professional Experience
2015 - Present Research Wildlife Biologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, Anchorage, Alaska
2012 - Present Research Associate, University of Alberta, Boreal Avian Modelling Project, Edmonton, Alberta
2010 - 2012 Quantitative Ecologist, University of Alberta, Boreal Avian Modelling Project, Edmonton, Alberta
2002 - 2015 Supervisor Wildlife Biologist, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Migratory Bird Management, Anchorage, Alaska
1996 - 2002 Research Wildlife Biologist, USGS, Alaska Science Center, Anchorage, Alaska
1993 - 1996 Cooperative Education Student, National Biological Service, Alaska Biological Science Center, Anchorage, Alaska
1992 - 1993 Biological Technician, USFWS, Alaska Fish and Wildlife Research Center, Anchorage, Alaska
1989 - 1992 Various volunteer and technical field positions in avian monitoring, fisheries management, plant ecology, and environmental impact assessment
Education and Certifications
M.S. 1996 University of Alaska, Fairbanks, Alaska Wildlife Biology
B.S. 1992 California State University, Hayward, California Biology
Affiliations and Memberships*
American Ornithological Society
International Rusty Blackbird Working Group
Partners in Flight
Science and Products
Biogeography of boreal passerine range dynamics in western North America: past, present, and future
Reviving common standards in point-count surveys for broad inference across studies
Epizootic of beak deformities among wild birds in Alaska: An emerging disease in North America?
Estimation of avian population sizes and species richness across a boreal landscape in Alaska
Prevalence of Influenza A viruses in wild migratory birds in Alaska: Patterns of variation in detection at a crossroads of intercontinental flyways
Nesting ecology of boreal forest birds following a massive outbreak of spruce beetles
Additions to the avifauna of St Matthew Island, Bering Sea
Densities of breeding birds and changes in vegetation in an alaskan boreal forest following a massive disturbance by spruce beetles
Townsend's Warbler (Setophaga townsendi)
The relative importance of nesting and foraging sites in selection of breeding territories by Townsend's Warblers
Nesting ecology of Townsend's warblers in relation to habitat characteristics in a mature boreal forest
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
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Filter Total Items: 23
Biogeography of boreal passerine range dynamics in western North America: past, present, and future
Many of the Neotropical migrant bird species that breed throughout the Canadian boreal region are not found in the Alaskan boreal region, separated by the northwestern cordilleran mountains, despite the presence of climatically suitable habitat. We asked whether biological or climatic factors constrain certain species from crossing this geographic barrier. Analyzing a comprehensive dataset for 80AuthorsDiana Stralberg, Steven M. Matsuoka, Colleen M. Handel, Fiona K.A. Schmiegelow, Andreas Hamann, Erin M. BayneReviving common standards in point-count surveys for broad inference across studies
We revisit the common standards recommended by Ralph et al. (1993, 1995a) for conducting point-count surveys to assess the relative abundance of landbirds breeding in North America. The standards originated from discussions among ornithologists in 1991 and were developed so that point-count survey data could be broadly compared and jointly analyzed by national data centers with the goals of monitoAuthorsSteven M. Matsuoka, C. Lisa Mahon, Colleen M. Handel, Peter Solymos, Erin M. Bayne, Patricia C. Fontaine, C.J. RalphEpizootic of beak deformities among wild birds in Alaska: An emerging disease in North America?
The sudden appearance of a large cluster of animals with gross abnormalities may signal a significant change in an ecosystem. We describe an unusual concentration of beak deformities that appear to have arisen rapidly within Alaska and now extend southward along the Pacific Coast. In Alaska we have documented 2,160 Black-capped Chickadees (Poecile atricapillus) and 435 individuals of 29 other specAuthorsColleen M. Handel, Lisa M. Pajot, Steven M. Matsuoka, Caroline R. Van Hemert, John Terenzi, Sandra L. Talbot, Daniel M. Mulcahy, Carol U. Meteyer, Kimberly A. TrustEstimation of avian population sizes and species richness across a boreal landscape in Alaska
We studied the distribution of birds breeding within five ecological landforms in Yukon-Charley Rivers National Preserve, a 10,194-km2 roadless conservation unit on the Alaska-Canada border in the boreal forest zone. Passerines dominated the avifauna numerically, comprising 97% of individuals surveyed but less than half of the 115 species recorded in the Preserve. We used distance-sampling and disAuthorsColleen M. Handel, S.A. Swanson, Debora A. Nigro, Steven M. MatsuokaPrevalence of Influenza A viruses in wild migratory birds in Alaska: Patterns of variation in detection at a crossroads of intercontinental flyways
Background. The global spread of the highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 virus has stimulated interest in a better understanding of the mechanisms of H5N1 dispersal, including the potential role of migratory birds as carriers. Although wild birds have been found dead during H5N1 outbreaks, evidence suggests that others have survived natural infections, and recent studies have shown several specAuthorsHon S. Ip, Paul L. Flint, J. Christian Franson, Robert J. Dusek, Dirk V. Derksen, Robert E. Gill, Craig R. Ely, John M. Pearce, Richard B. Lanctot, Steven M. Matsuoka, D.B. Irons, J.B. Fischer, R.M. Oates, Margaret R. Petersen, T.F. Fondell, D.A. Rocque, J.C. Pedersen, T.C. RotheNesting ecology of boreal forest birds following a massive outbreak of spruce beetles
We studied breeding dark-eyed juncos (Junco hyemalis), yellow-rumped warblers (Dendroica coronata), and spruce-nesting birds from 1997 to 1998 among forests with different levels of spruce (Picea spp.) mortality following an outbreak of spruce beetles (Dendroctonus rufipennis) in Alaska, USA. We identified species using live and beetle-killed spruce for nest sites and monitored nests to determineAuthorsSteven M. Matsuoka, Colleen M. HandelAdditions to the avifauna of St Matthew Island, Bering Sea
St. Matthew Island (60°24' N, 172°42' W) is located in the north-central Bering Sea and is renowned for its distinctive Beringian flora and fauna. Because of its central position between the coasts of Russia and Alaska, St. Matthew Island and its nearby satellites, Hall and Pinnacle islands, support a mixture of Palearctic and Nearctic avifaunas. Of special interest to North American ornithologistAuthorsJames A. Johnson, Steven M. Matsuoka, Daniel R. Ruthrauff, Michael A. Litzow, Maksim N. DementyevDensities of breeding birds and changes in vegetation in an alaskan boreal forest following a massive disturbance by spruce beetles
We examined bird and plant communities among forest stands with different levels of spruce mortality following a large outbreak of spruce beetles (Dendroctonus rufipennis (Kirby)) in the Copper River Basin, Alaska. Spruce beetles avoided stands with black spruce (Picea mariana) and selectively killed larger diameter white spruce (Picea glauca), thereby altering forest structure and increasing theAuthorsSteven M. Matsuoka, Colleen M. Handel, Daniel R. RuthrauffTownsend's Warbler (Setophaga townsendi)
No abstract availableAuthorsA.L. Wright, G.D. Hayward, Steven M. Matsuoka, P.H. HaywardThe relative importance of nesting and foraging sites in selection of breeding territories by Townsend's Warblers
We investigated habitat selection by the Townsend's Warbler (Dendroica townsendi), a Netropical-Nearctic migrant that breeds primarily in mature coniferous forests. From 1993 to 1994, we compared the features of habitat selected for nest sites and foraging sites with those selected for territories in mature, mixed coniferous-deciduous forests in south-central Alaska. We also tested the predictionAuthorsSteven M. Matsuoka, Colleen M. Handel, Daniel D. Roby, D.L. ThomasNesting ecology of Townsend's warblers in relation to habitat characteristics in a mature boreal forest
We investigated the nesting ecology of Townsend's Warblers (Dendroica townsendi) from 1993-1995 in an unfragmented boreal forest along the lower slopes of the Chugach Mountains in southcentral Alaska. We examined habitat characteristics of nest sites in relation to factors influencing reproductive success. Almost all territory-holding males (98%, n = 40) were successful in acquiring mates. Nest suAuthorsSteven M. Matsuoka, Colleen M. Handel, Daniel D. RobyNon-USGS Publications**
Wright, A. L., G. D. Hayward, S. M. Matsuoka, and P. H. Hayward. 2020. Townsend's Warbler (Setophaga townsendi), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (P. G. Rodewald, Editor). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.towwar.01Matsuoka, S. M., J. C. Hagelin, M. A. Smith, T. F. Paragi, A. L. Sesser, and M. A. Ingle. 2019. Pathways for avian science, conservation, and management in boreal Alaska. Avian Conservation and Ecology 14(1):15. https://doi.org/10.5751/ACE-01347-140115Stralberg, D., S. M. Matsuoka, A. Hamann, E. M. Bayne, P. Sólymos, F. K. A. Schmiegelow, X. Wang, S. G. Cumming, and S. J. Song. 2015. Projecting boreal bird responses to climate change: the signal exceeds the noise. Ecological Applications 25:52–69. http://dx.doi.org/10.1890/13-2289Mahon, C. L., E. M. Bayne, P. Sólymos, S. M. Matsuoka, M. Carlson, E. Dzus, F. K. A. Schmiegelow, S. G. Cumming, and S. J. Song. 2014. Does expected future landscape condition support proposed population objectives for boreal birds? Forest Ecology and Management 312:28–39. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2013.10.025Matsuoka, S. M., C. L. Mahon, C. M. Handel, P. Sólymos, E. M. Bayne, P. C. Fontaine, and C. J. Ralph. 2014. Reviving common standards in point-count surveys for broad inference across studies. The Condor: Ornithological Applications 116:599–608. https://doi.org/10.1650/CONDOR-14-108.1Sólymos, P., S. M. Matsuoka, E. M. Bayne, S. R. Lele, P. Fontaine, S. G. Cumming, D. Stralberg, F. K. A. Schmiegelow, and S. J. Song. 2013. Calibrating indices of avian density from non-standardized survey data: making the most of a messy situation. Methods in Ecology and Evolution 4:1047–1058. https://doi.org/10.1111/2041-210X.12106Johnson, J. A., L. H. DeCicco, S. M. Matsuoka, and A. L. Sowls. 2013. Nesting ecology of McKay’s Buntings on St. Matthew Island, Alaska. Wilson Journal of Ornithology 125:376–384. https://doi.org/10.1676/12-139.1Johnson, J. A., S. M. Matsuoka, D. F. Tessler, R. Greenberg, and J. W. Fox. 2012. Identifying migratory pathways used by Rusty Blackbirds breeding in southcentral Alaska. Wilson Journal of Ornithology 124:698–703. https://doi.org/10.1676/1559-4491-124.4.698Matsuoka, S. M., E. M. Bayne, P. Sólymos, P. C. Fontaine, S. G. Cumming, F. K. A. Schmiegelow, and S. J. Song. 2012. Using binomial distance-sampling models to estimate the effective detection radius of point-count surveys across boreal Canada. Auk 129:268–282. https://doi.org/10.1525/auk.2012.11190Matsuoka, S. M., J. A. Johnson, and D. A. DellaSala. 2012. Succession of bird communities in young-temperate rainforests following thinning. Journal of Wildlife Management 76:919–931. https://doi.org/10.1002/jwmg.363Greenberg, R., D. W. Demarest, S. M. Matsuoka, C. Mettke-Hofmann, M. L. Avery, P. J. Blancher, D. Evers, P. B. Hamel, K. A. Hobson, J. Luscier, D. K. Niven, L. L. Powell, and D. Shaw. 2011. Understanding declines in Rusty Blackbirds. Studies in Avian Biology 41:107–125Barnard, W. H., C. Mettke-Hofmann, and S. M. Matsuoka. 2010. Prevalence of hematozoa infections among breeding and wintering Rusty Blackbirds. Condor 112:849–853. https://doi.org/10.1525/cond.2010.100143Greenberg, R., and S. M. Matsuoka. 2010. Rusty Blackbird: mysteries of a species in decline. Condor 112:770–777. https://doi.org/10.1525/cond.2010.100153Matsuoka, S. M., and R. Greenberg (editors). 2010. Special section: Range-wide ecology of the declining Rusty Blackbird. Condor 112:770–861Matsuoka, S. M., D. Shaw, and J. A. Johnson. 2010. Estimating the abundance of nesting Rusty Blackbirds in relation to wetland habitats in Alaska. Condor 112:825–833. https://doi.org/10.1525/cond.2010.100148Matsuoka, S. M., D. Shaw, P. H. Sinclair, J. A. Johnson, R. M. Corcoran, N. C. Dau, P. M. Meyers, and N. A. Rojek. 2010. Nesting ecology of Rusty Blackbirds in Alaska and Canada. Condor 112:810–824. https://doi.org/10.1525/cond.2010.100149Matsuoka, S. M., and J. A. Johnson. 2008. Using a multimodel approach to estimate the population size of McKay’s Buntings. Condor 110:371–376. https://doi.org/10.1525/cond.2008.8492Berg, E. E., J. D. Henry, C. L. Fastie, A. D. De Volder, and S. M. Matsuoka. 2006. Spruce beetle outbreaks on the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska and Kluane National Park and Reserve, Yukon Territory: relationship to summer temperatures and regional differences in disturbance regimes. Forest Ecology and Management 227:219–232. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2006.02.038Handel, C. M., L. M. Pajot, S. M. Matsuoka, K. A. Trust, J. M. Stotts, J. Terenzi, and S. L. Talbot. 2006. Potential role of environmental contaminants in the pathology of beak deformities among Black-capped Chickadees in south-central Alaska. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Project ID: 1130-7F22. USGS Alaska Science Center, Anchorage, Alaska. 147 p. plus Appendices. https://ecos.fws.gov/ServCat/Reference/Profile/23314Matsuoka, S. M., E. H. Holsten, M. E. Shephard, R. A. Werner, and R. E. Burnside (editors). 2006. Spruce beetles and forest ecosystems in south-central Alaska. Forest Ecology and Management 227:193–283Matsuoka, S. M., E. H. Holsten, M. E. Shephard, R. A. Werner, and R. E. Burnside. 2006. Preface: Spruce beetles and forest ecosystems in south-central Alaska. Forest Ecology and Management 227:193–194. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2006.02.037Werner, R. A., E. H. Holsten, S. M. Matsuoka, and R. E. Burnside. 2006. Spruce beetles and forest ecosystems in south-central Alaska: a review of 30 years of research. Forest Ecology and Management 227:195–206. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2006.02.050**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