G. Nuechterlein's Background



• Ph.D. 1980, Ecology and Behavior. Univ. of Minnesota, Minneapolis. Dissertation: Courtship Behavior of Western Grebes. Advisor: Dr. Frank McKinney.

• M.S., 1975, Wildlife Biology, Colorado State University. Thesis: Nesting Ecology of Western Grebes on the Delta Marsh, Manitoba. Advisor: Dr. Ronald A. Ryder.

• B.S., 1972. Fisheries and Wildlife. University of Minnesota, St. Paul.

  D. Buitron's Background 
  

• Ph.D. 1982, Ecology and Behavior, Univ. of Minnesota, Minneapolis. Dissertation: Behavior of black-billed magpies during the breeding season. Advisor: Dr. Frank McKinney.

• M.S., 1977, Ecology and Behavior, Univ. of Minnesota, Minneapolis. Social behavior of wild dogs in captivity. Advisor: Dr. Frank McKinney.

• B.S., 1972, Biology. Mount Holyoke College. South Hadley, Massachusettes.

• Teaching Responsibilities: We co-teach most classes, including Wildlife Ecology, Ornithology and Evolutionary Ecology.
• Multimedia Instruction: We are very much interested in integrating recent multimedia technology into the classroom and have developed a SuperCard-based instructional program to help students identify animals and plants.

  

• Evolution of Avian Coloniality: We are investigating the development of coloniality in a semi-colonial population of red-necked grebes breeding on Lake Osakis, MN. This work includes collecting blood samples for DNA analysis of kinship with microsatellites, and is being done in collaboration with researchers at UND.
• Avian Bioacoustics: Another major research interest has focused on conducting playback experiments on parent-young communication and the functions of the Advertising calls in grebes and other birds.
• Nongame Wildlife Ecology: We also are involved with wildlife conservation issues, and have conducted several behavioral and ecological studies on endangered grebes in Argentina and Guatemala. Our recent graduate students have conducted research relating to the behavioral ecology and management of local nongame species.
• Grebe Behavior: Yes, we do like grebes, wherever they are! Our research has included work in Argentina (Hooded Grebes), Guatmala (the Giant Grebe of Lake Atitlan), Oregon and California (Clark's and Western Grebes) and Manitoba (Eared and Western Grebes).

Some of Our Publications

• Brua, B., G. L. Nuechterlein and D. Buitron. 1996. Vocal response of Eared Grebe embryos to egg cooling and egg turning. Auk 113:525-533.
• Buitron, D. 1983. Extra-pair courtship in black-billed magpies. Animal Behavior 31:211-220.
• Buitron, D. 1983. Variability in the responses of black-billed magpies to natural predators.  Behaviour 87:209-236.
• Buitron, D. 1988. Male and female specialization in parental care and its consequences in black-billed magpies.  Condor 90:29-39.
• Buitron, D. and G. L. Nuechterlein. 1985. Olfactory detection of food caches by black-billed magpies. Condor 87:92-95.
• Nuechterlein, G. L. and D. Buitron. 1989. Diving differences between western and Clark's grebes.  Auk 106:467-470.
• Buitron, D. and G. L. Nuechterlein. 1993. Parent-young vocal communication in eared grebes, Behaviour 127:1-20.
• Nuechterlein, G. L. 1981. Variations and multiple functions of the Advertising display of western grebes.  Behaviour 76:289-317.
• Nuechterlein, G. L. 1981. Courtship behavior and reproductive isolation of dark- and light-phase western grebes. Auk 98:335-349.
• Nuechterlein, G. L. 1981. "Information parasitism" in mixed colonies of western grebes and Forster's terns. Animal Behavior 29:985-989.
• Nuechterlein, G. L. 1988. Parent-young communication in western grebes. Condor 90: 632-636.
• Nuechterlein, G. L. and R. W. Storer. 1989. Reverse mounting in grebes. Condor 91: 341-346.
• Storer, R. W. and G. L. Nuechterlein. 1992. Western and Clark's Grebe. In The Birds of North America, No. 26 (A. Poole, P. Stettenhem, and F. Gill, Eds.) Philadelphia: Acad. Nat. Sciences; AOU.

Nonacademic Interests

In Minnesota, we spend our summers camping on the shores of Lake Osakis, watching grebes and other wildlife. We enjoy canoeing, riding horses, cross-country skiing, and bird-watching with our daughter and dog ... and photographing or video-taping whatever we see. Our international travels have taken us to the national parks of Kenya, Tanzania, New Zealand, Guatemala, Argentina, and the Great Barrier Reef of Australia.

How to Contact Us:

North Dakota State University
Department of Zoology
Stevens Hall
Fargo, ND, 58105
(701) 231-8436

Home: (218) 937-5788

E-mail:  Gary.Nuechterlein@ndsu.nodak.edu

Graduate Student Research:

• Diane Larson (MS): Song rate and repertoires in Red-eyed Vireos.
• Bob Brua (MS): Embryo vocalizations in Eared Grebes.
• Lindy Garner (MS): Interspecific territoriality in Red-necked Grebes.
• Bonnie Stout (MS): Migration ecology of Red-necked Grebes.
• Gail Fraser (MS): Nesting ecology of Forster's Terns.
• Pam Freeman (MS): Duetting and individual identification in Barred Owls.
• Jeffrey Bell (MS): Drumming and vocalizations of Hairy and Downy Woodpeckers.
• Casey Millard (MS): Male quality and parental care in House Sparrows.
• Paul Klatt (PhD): Territoriality in dispersed versus clumped Red-necked Grebes.
• Janet Boe (PhD): Colony and nest site selection in Eared Grebes
• Mah Jeng (PostDoc): Red-winged blackbird feeding behavior on sunflowers.