Our conservation team has been conducting crucial research on New York City's birds, their habitats, and the environmental threats they face in our city, stretching back the past 35 years. Research papers authored by NYC Audubon staff are listed below in reverse chronological order. Learn more about members of our conservation team on our staff page. 

Curley, S.R., Ramírez-Garofalo, J.R., Winston, T.L., Feller, M., Perron-Feller, B., Chi, D., Carter, J., and Partridge, D.R. First nesting record of Great Blue Heron in densely urbanized New York County. The Kingbird (2022): 72 (4) (link)

Partridge, D.R. and J.A. Clark. Small urban green roofs may not provide new habitat for birds. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution (2022) 10:779005. DOI:10.3389/fevo.2022.779005.

View and download the annual Nesting Survey Reports of NYC Audubon's Harbor Herons Project.

Botton, M.L., C.P. Colon, M. Sclafani, R.E. Loveland, S.B. Elbin, and K.L. Parkins. "The relationships between spawning horseshoe crabs and egg densities: Recommendations for the assessment of populations and habitat suitability." Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems (2021). https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.3559

Loring, P. H., A. K. Lenske, J. D. McLaren, M. Aikens, A. M. Anderson, Y. Aubrey, E. Dalton, A. Dey, C. Friis, D. Hamilton, R. Holberton, D. Kriensky, D. Mizrahi, L. Nikes, K.L. Parkins, et al. "Tracking Movements of Migratory Shorebirds in the US Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf Region." Sterling (VA): US Department of the Interior, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. OCS Study BOEM 8 (2021): 104 (link)

Partridge, D.R., K.L. Parkins, S.B. Elbin, and J.A. Clark. "Bat activity correlates with moth abundance on an urban green roof." Northeastern Naturalist (2020). 27: 77-89. https://doi.org/10.1656/045.027.0107 

Elbin, S.B., E. Tobón, 2019. “Glossy Ibis (Plegadis facinellus) nesting in New York City, New York.” SIS Conservation (2019). 1: 122-126.

Partridge, D.R. and J.A. Clark. “Urban green roofs provide habitat for migrating and breeding birds and their arthropod prey.” PLoS One (2018). 13(8):e0202298. DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0202298.

Parkins, K.L., M. Michelle, C. McCann, and J.A. Clark. "Bats in the Bronx: Acoustic monitoring of bats in New York City." Urban Naturalist (2017). 10: 1-16. (link)

Van Doren, B.M., K.G. Horton, A.M. Dokter, H. Klinck, S.B. Elbin, and A. Farnsworth. "High-intensity urban light installation dramatically alters nocturnal bird migration." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2017). 114: 11175-11180. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1708574114

Washburn, B.E., S.B. Elbin, and C. Davis. "Historical and current population trends of herring gulls (Larus argentatus) and great black-backed gulls (Larus marinus) in the New York bight, USA." Waterbirds (2016). 39:74-86. https://doi.org/10.1675/063.039.sp114

Parkins, K.L., S.B. Elbin, and E. Barnes. "Light, glass, and bird—building collisions in an urban park." Northeastern Naturalist (2015): 22: 84-94. https://doi.org/10.1656/045.022.0113

Parkins, K.L., and J. A. Clark. "Green roofs provide habitat for urban bats." Global Ecology and Conservation (2015). 4: 349-357. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2015.07.011

 

Craig, E.C., S.B. Elbin, J.P. Sparks, and P.D. Curtis. "Identifying important foraging habitat for colonial waterbirds in an urban estuary: A stable isotope approach." Waterbirds (2015): 38: 330-338. https://doi.org/10.1675/063.038.0410

Klem Jr, D., K. L. DeGroot, E. A. Krebs, K. T. Fort, S.B. Elbin, and A. Prince. "A second critique of Arnold and Zink 2011." PLoS One (2012). 

Craig, Elizabeth C., S.B. Elbin, James A. Danoff-Burg, and Matthew I. Palmer. "Impacts of Double-crested Cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) and other colonial waterbirds on plant and arthropod communities on islands in an urban estuary." Waterbirds (2012). 35:4-12. https://doi.org/10.1675/063.035.sp102

Elbin, S.B., and N. K. Tsipoura. "The Harbor Herons Conservation Plan." New York/New Jersey Harbor Region: NY-NJ Harbor Estuary Program (2010).

K. Prasad, X. Zhang, E. Tobón, B.A. Ambrose. “The Arabidopsis B-sister MADS-box protein, GORDITA, represses fruit growth and contributes to integument development.” Plant Journal (2010). 62: 203-214.  https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-313X.2010.04139.x

Tobón, E. and José Luis Osorno. “Chick growth variability and parental provisioning in the Magnificent Frigatebird.” The Condor (2006). 108: 612-622.  https://doi.org/10.1093/condor/108.3.612

Tobón, E. “Population survey of the North Island Fernbird in the Manawatu Estuary.” Technical report presented to The Friends of Mana Island Inc. (2005).

Drummond, Hugh, Cristina Rodriguez, Alejandra Vallarino, C. Valderrábano, Gabriela Rogel, E. Tobón. “Desperado siblings: uncontrollably aggressive junior chicks.” Behav. Ecol. Sociobiol. (2003). 23: 287-296. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00265-002-0571-2

Elbin, S. B., and F. W. Koontz. "Status of grassland birds breeding on restored grasslands at Floyd Bennett Field, Gateway National Recreation Area." Final Report. Wildlife Conservation Society. (1998).

Elbin, S.B., and J. Burger. "In my experience: implantable microchips for individual identification in wild and captive populations." Wildlife Society Bulletin (1994): 677-683. (link)

Elbin, S.B., and J. Burger. "Methods of individual identification for captive colonial waterbirds: lessons from the field." International Zoo Yearbook (1994). 33:148-156. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1748-1090.1994.tb03569.x

Elbin, S.B., and A.M. Lyles. "Managing colonial waterbirds: the Scarlet ibis (Eudocimus ruber): as a model species." International Zoo Yearbook (1994). 33:85-94. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1748-1090.1994.tb03560.x

Tobón, E. Chapter 10: “Aves Negras, Aves de Colores.” In El Libro De Las Aves De México, edited by P. Robles Gil, F. Eccardi and J Robles Gil, (1989). México: Centro de Arte Vitro.

Elbin, S.B., T. M. Crowe, and H. B. Graves. "Reproductive behavior of Helmeted Guinea Fowl (Numida meleagris): Mating system and parental care." Applied Animal Behaviour Science (1986). 16: 179-197. https://doi.org/10.1016/0168-1591(86)90110-3