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Contact Information:

photo of Jennifer Holmes
Name:
Holmes, Jennifer
Title:
Wildlife Biologist/Avian Ecology
Discipline(s):
Biology
Research Station:
CPRS
Work Address:
Northern Arizona University, P.O. Box 5614, Flagstaff, AZ 86011
Telephone Number:
(928)523-7076
Email Address:
Jennifer.Holmes@nau.edu

Biographical Sketch:

Jennifer A. Holmes is a Wildlife Biologist at the Colorado Plateau Research Station, Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff Arizona. She has over 20 years experience working as an avian ecologist and has participated in and conducted numerous research projects studying aspects of avian ecology throughout the West, Argentina, Mexico, and Uganda, East Africa. Her primary interests include studying the effects of habitat alteration, loss, and fragmentation on avian ecology, nest success, and productivity, and the design of ecological monitoring programs. Recently, her work has focused on the avifauna of southwest riparian areas in the Grand Canyon, the National Parks of the Southern Colorado Plateau Network, along the San Juan River, Utah, and the Roosevelt Lake area. Currently, she is Co-Principle Investigator of several inter-related projects examining Yellow-billed Cuckoo ecology and distribution in the southwest. Jennifer received a B.S. in Biology from the University of Oregon in 1982 and is working towards an M.S. in Wildlife Biology, University of Montana.

Project List

  • Yellow-billed Cuckoo distribution and abundance, habitat requirements, and breeding ecology in the Verde River watershed of Arizona. Funded by a grant from the Arizona Game and Fish Department Heritage Program.
  • Assessing Yellow-billed Cuckoo habitat requirements through the use of radiotelemetry. Funded by the Western National Parks Association. We are identifying Yellow-billed Cuckoo habitat use, including characterizing the vegetation composition and structure, habitat patch size, and food/prey selected for breeding and foraging. This project aims to provide essential information for making informed decisions regarding the conservation of Yellow-billed Cuckoos and the riparian habitats on which they depend.
  • Yellow-billed Cuckoo habitat requirements and riparian habitat inventory of the Salt River Valley and the lower San Pedro River, Arizona, USA. Funded by the Sonoran Joint Venture grant program. The objectives of this project include identifying Yellow-billed Cuckoo habitat requirements, including the vegetation composition and structure, habitat patch size, and food/prey selected for breeding and foraging. We will also inventory and characterize riparian habitat and identify known and potential Yellow-billed Cuckoo habitat. Thus, this project will provide essential information for making informed decisions regarding the prioritization of areas for protection and restoration.
  • Yellow-billed Cuckoo distribution and abundance, habitat requirements, and breeding ecology in the Salt River valley. Funded by the Salt River Project. This project, initiated in 2003, involves determining the distribution, abundance, and habitat use of Yellow-billed Cuckoos in the riparian vegetation associated with Roosevelt Lake and areas along the lower San Pedro River, Arizona. In 2004, we will also attempt to verify breeding by cuckoos in the area, and test survey methodologies.
  • Yellow-billed Cuckoo winter range and habitat use in Central and South America through museum and literature documentation. Funded by T&E, Inc. grant program. Yellow-billed Cuckoo populations have severely declined; in 2002 the Western Yellow-billed Cuckoo became a Candidate for protection under the ESA. Yet little is known about its conservation needs. Key information such as its winter distribution, habitat use, migratory routes and winter life history traits remains unclear. By compiling museum records collected from Central and South America into a database containing locations, dates, habitat, and creating a distributional map, we will provide a clearer picture of winter distribution and habitat use. It is hoped that this information will enable the identification of factors affecting cuckoos on their wintering grounds, and the formulation of effective conservation plans for the species.
  • Evaluation of the Breeding Riparian Birds Monitoring Program for the Colorado River Ecosystem. Funded by the USGS Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center. This project consists of a critical evaluation of the avian monitoring projects within the Colorado River Ecosystem (CRE) initiated by the BOR Glen Canyon Environmental Studies Program, and continued by the Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center. The final report (in prep.) summarizes the strengths and weaknesses, included the final products, of the avian monitoring projects, and includes the identification, refinement, and development of the key components of monitoring, including the development of a conceptual model linking the effects of differing Glen Canyon Dam operations to impacts on the CRE riparian vegetation and avifauna. It also recommends further steps that will be required for designing an effective avian monitoring program.
  • Avian inventory of National Parks in the Southern Colorado Plateau Network. I am co-principle investigator overseeing the avian inventory of National Parks within the Southern Colorado Plateau Network. This project's objectives are to inventory birds in historically under-sampled parks to document the species using the park habitats and establish baseline data for long-term monitoring.

Publications, Maps, and other Products

  1. Holmes, J. A., M. J. Johnson, & C. van Riper III. 2005. Evaluation of the breeding riparian birds monitoring program for the Colorado River Ecosystem, through 2000 - Final Report. USGS. [Technical Report]
  2. Johnson M., J. Holmes, D. Mattson, L. Thomas, N. Tancreto. 2004. Summary of faunal populations and communities workshop April 6-7, 2004, Northern Arizona University , Flagstaff , Arizona NPS, Southern Colorado Plateau I&M Network. U.S. National Park Service, Southern Colorado Plateau I&M Network, Flagstaff , Arizona . 10pp. [Technical Report]
  3. Johnson M. J ., J. A. Holmes, R. Weber, M. A. Stuart. 2003. 2003 Final Report: Yellow-billed Cuckoo distribution and abundance, habitat requirements, and breeding ecology in the Salt River valley. Annual Report to the Salt River Project, Phoenix , AZ. Southwest Biological Science Center/Colorado Plateau Field Station/Northern Arizona University 23 pp. [Technical Report]
  4. Johnson M. J., J. Holmes, M. Stuart. 2003. Annual Report: Yellow-billed Cuckoo distribution and abundance, habitat requirements, and breeding ecology in the Salt River valley and Verde Valley watershed. 25 pp. [Technical Report]
  5. Holmes J. A., M. J. Johnson, C. van Riper III. 2003. Designing an effective avian monitoring program to meet the needs of the Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center's Adaptive Management Program. A poster presented at the Colorado River Science Symposium, USGS Southwest Biological Science Center, Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center, Tucson, AZ, October 28-30, 2003. [Poster]
  6. Johnson M.J., M. A. Stuart, J. A. Holmes, M. Barr. 2003. 2001-02 Avian inventory final report for the Northern Colorado Plateau National Parks. Final report to the National Park Service, Northern Colorado Plateau Network, Moab, UT. Southwest Biological Science Center/Colorado Plateau Field Station/Northern Arizona University . March 2003. 103 pp. [Technical Report]
  7. Johnson M.J., J. Holmes, M. Stuart. 2003. Final Report: Northern Colorado Plateau Avian Inventory. Southwest Biological Science Center/Colorado Plateau Field Station/Northern Arizona University. 65 pp. [Technical Report]
  8. Johnson M.J., J. Holmes. 2002. Final Report: Pipe Spring National Monument Park Avian Inventory. Southwest Biological Science Center/Colorado Plateau Field Station/Northern Arizona University. 52 pp. [Technical Report]
  9. Johnson M. J ., and J. A. Holmes. 2002. Yearly Report, 2002: Population status and habitat requirements of the Yellow-billed Cuckoo in the San Juan River watershed, from Montezuma Creek to Mexican Hat, Utah. Report to the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, Salt Lake City , UT , and U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, Salt Lake City UT. 12 April 2002. [Technical Report]
  10. Hejl S.J., J.A. Holmes. 2002. Winter Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes). In The Birds of North America, (A. Poole and F. Gill, Eds.). Philadelphia: The Academy of Natural Sciences; Washington, D.C. : The American ornithologist's Union. [Publication]
  11. Johnson M. J ., M. A. Stuart, and J. A. Holmes. 2002. Initial Results: 2002 Avian Inventory Report for the Southern Colorado Plateau National Parks. Annual report to the National Park Service, Southern Colorado Plateau Network. Southwest Biological Science Center/Colorado Plateau Field Station/Northern Arizona University . September 5, 2002. 13pp. [Technical Report]
  12. Richie D., J. Holmes, M.J. Packer. 1998. State Wildlife Diversity Program Funding: a 1998 Survey. International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies , Washington , D.C. [Publication]
  13. Hejl S.J., J.A. Holmes. 1998. Using BBIRD methodology in a logistically constrained study. In Building a consensus for action: developing a strategy for the National Conservation Plan. Proceedings from the International Partners in Flight conference, Cape May , NJ , Oct 1-5, 1995. [Proceedings]
  14. Hejl S.J., J.A. Holmes. 1996. Effects of forest fragmentation on the Winter Wren in a western forest. A poster presented at the Joint meeting of the American Ornithologists' Union and Raptor Research Foundation, Boise, ID, August 13-17, 1996. [Poster]
  15. Hejl S.J., J.A. Holmes. 1995. The effects of forest fragmentation on enclosed-nesting birds in the Rocky Mountains, USA. Invited paper presented at the Joint meeting of the Cooper Ornithological Society and CIPAMEX, and Bird Life International, La Paz, Mexico, 1995. [Proceedings]
  16. Holmes J.A. 1992. Habitat distribution and relative abundance patterns of neotropical migrants in western Mexico. Poster presented at the Neotropical Migratory Bird Workshop, Estes Park, CO and the Conservation of Neotropical Migratory Birds Symposium and Workshop, Vera Cruz, Mexico. [Poster]
  17. Dobkin D.S., J.A. Holmes, B.A. Wilcox. 1986. Traditional nest site use by White-throated Swifts. Condor 88:252-253. [Publication]
  18. Holmes J.A., D.S. Dobkin, B.A. Wilcox. 1985. Second nesting record and northward advance of the Great-tailed Grackle (Quiscalus mexicanus) in Nevada. Great Basin Naturalist 45:483-484. [Publication]