J. Michael Meyers

USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center
Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources
The University of Georgia
Athens, GA  30602-2152

Telephone: 706-542-1882

Fax: 706-542-1235

Email: jmeyers@usgs.gov 

Research Wildlife Biologist

Primary Responsibilities: 
Puerto Rico Field Station, 1990-1995; Athens, 1995-Present. Duties include designing, leading, and conducting research on migratory birds, amphibians, reptiles, mammals, endangered species, and their habitats.   Research involves habitat and landscape analysis that is related to species use and survival.  Emphasis is on ecotones of aquatic-terrestrial systems, e. g., bottomland forest-river systems and marsh wetlands-barrier islands, and how proper management (people and habitat) benefits the species. 

Education/Training: 

The University of Georgia: Ph.D. in Ecology, 1982.
Dissertation: Community structure and habitat associations of breeding birds in the Okefenokee Swamp.  
M.S. in Forest Resources, wildlife ecology and management major, 1978.
Thesis: Effects of selected transmission line rights of way treatments on a forest bird community. 

Oswego State University, New York, summer session in aquatic ecology and field zoology, 1970. 
Lebanon Valley College of Pennsylvania: B.S., Biology major, 1970.

Active Projects: 

Annual survival in the southeastern coastal breeding population of the painted bunting 

Conserving painted buntings in coastal Georgia through outreach and education 

Habitat and breeding densities of a Swainson's Warbler source population, Bond Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia: Effects of flooding on habitat and breeding of a Swainsons Warbler source population

Status of the breeding population of Painted Bunting in southeastern United States

Spatial ecology of the indigo snake in Georgia

Effects of disturbance on survival and nesting of American Oystercatchers

Website: "Bird without an equal: Georgia's Painted Buntings"

Publications/Products: 

Meyers, J. M., and D. A. Pike. 2006. Herpetofaunal diversity of Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge, North Carolina. Southeastern Naturalist 5: 235-252.

Sabine, J. B., S. H. Schweitzer, and J. M. Meyers. 2006. Nest fate and productivity of American Oystercatchers, Cumberland Island National Seashore, Georgia. Waterbirds 29: 308-314.

Meyers, J. Michael, Catherine A. Langtimm, Thomas J. Smith III, and Kendra Pednault-Willett. 2006. Wildlife and habitat damage assessment from Hurricane Charley: recommendations for recovery of the J. N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge Complex. USGS Open-File Report 2006-1126:95 pp.

Springborn, E. G., and J. M. Meyers. 2005. Home range and survival of breeding Painted Buntings on Sapelo Island, Georgia. Wildlife Society Bulletin 33:1432-1439.

Meyers, J. M. 2005. Birds. The New Georgia Encyclopedia, The University of Georgia Press, Athens, Georgia. Available online at: http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Article.jsp?id=h-2181

Meyers, J. M. 2005. Management, monitoring, and protection protocols for American Oystercatchers at Cape Hatteras National Seashore, North Carolina. Final Report to National Park Service. Laurel, MD, 24 pp.

Cohen, J. B., R. M. Erwin, J..L. Marion, J..M. Meyers, and J. B. French. 2005. Management and protection protocols for the threatened Piping Plover (Charadrius Melodus) on Cape Hatteras National Seashore, North Carolina. Final report to National Park Serivce. Laurel, MD. 39 pp.

Cohen, J. B., R. M. Erwin, J. B. French, J. L. Marion, and J. M. Meyers (alphabetically). 2005. Synthesis of management, monitoring, and protections protocols for the threatened and endangered species and species of special concern at Cape Hatteras National Seashore, North Carolina. Final Report to National Park Service, Laurel, MD, 12 pp.

Wright, T.F., C.A. Toft , E. Enkerlin-Hoeflich, J. Gonzalez-Elizondo, M.Albornoz, A. Rodrguez-Ferraro, F. Rojas-Surez, V. Sanz, A. Trujillo, S. Beissinger, V. Berovides A., X. Glvez A., A. T. Brice, K. Joyner, J. Gilardi, S. E. Koenig, S. Stoleson, P. Martuscelli, J. M. Meyers, K. Renton, A. M. Rodrguez, A. C. Sosa-Asanza, F. Vilella, and J. W. Wiley.  2001.  Nest poaching in Neotropical parrots. Conservation Biology 15:710-720. 

Meyers, J. M. and E. P. Odum. 2000.  Early avian research at the Savannah River Site, South Carolina: historical highlights and possibilities for the future. Studies in Avian Biology 21:18-31. 

Meyers, J. M., W. J. Arendt, and G. D. Lindsey.  1996.  Survival of radio-marked Puerto Rican parrots.  Wilson Bulletin 108:159-163. 

Meyers, J. M. and Doreen L. Miller.  1992.  Post-release activity of captive- and wild-reared bald eagles.  Journal of Wildlife Management 52:744-749.

Meyers, J. M. and E. P. Odum.  1991.  Breeding bird populations of the Okefenokee Swamp in Georgia: baseline for assessing future avifaunal changes.  Journal of Field Ornithology 62:53-68. 

Meyers, J. M. and A. S. Johnson. 1978. Bird communities associated with succession and management of loblolly-shortleaf pine forests. Pages 50-65 in R. M. DeGraaf, technical coordinator. Proceedings of the workshop management of southern forests for nongame birds. United States Forest Service, General Technical Report SE-14, Washington, D. C., USA.