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Craig R. Ely

Title: Research Wildlife Biologist
Address: 4210 University Dr., Anchorage, AK 99508-4626
Phone: (907) 786-7182
Fax: (907) 786-7021
Email: cely@usgs.gov

Image of Craig R. Ely

Education and/or Training

Ph.D.1992University of California Davis, Davis, CAEcology
M.S.1979University of California Davis, Davis, CAEcology
B.S.1976University of California Davis, Davis, CAWildlife and Fisheries Biology

Areas of Specialization and/or Research Interests

Evolutionary and behavioral ecology, waterfowl and wetlands, reproduction and energetics.

Professional Experience

1988 - PresentResearch Wildlife Biologist, USGS, Alaska Science Center, Anchorage, Alaska
1985 - 1988Research Associate, Alaska Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, Alaska (stationed in Anchorage, AK)

Professional Activities and/or Memberships

American Association for the Advancement of Science
American Ornithologists Union
American Society of Naturalists
Animal Behavior Society
Cooper Ornithological Society
The Wildlife Society
The Wildfowl Trust
American Society of Field Ornithologists
International Society of Behavioral Ecology

Significant Recent Publications

Ely, C.R., K.S. Bollinger, R. Densmore, T.C. Rothe, M.J. Petrula, J.Y. Takekawa, and D.L. Orthmeyer. 2007. Reproductive strategies of northern geese: why wait? Auk 124: In press.

Hupp, J. W., J. A. Schmutz, C. R. Ely, E. E. Syroechkovskiy, Jr., A. V. Kondratyev, W.E. Eldridge, and E. Lappo. 2007. The moult migration of emperor geese Chen canagica between Alaska and Russia. Journal of Avian Biology: In press.

Hupp, J. W., J. A. Schmutz, C. R. Ely. 2006. The prelaying interval of emperor geese on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, Alaska. Condor 108:912-924.

Densmore, R. V., C. R. Ely, K. S. Bollinger, S. Kratzer, M. S. Udevitz, D. J. Fehringer, and T. C. Rothe. 2006. Nesting habitat of the tule greater white-fronted goose Anser albifrons elgasi. Wildfowl 56:37-51.

Ely, C. R., K. S. Bollinger, J. W. Hupp, D. V. Derksen, DV; J. Terenzi, J. Y. Takekawa, D. L. Orthmeyer, T. C. Rothe, M. J. Petrula, and D. R. Yparraguirre. 2006. Traversing a boreal forest landscape: summer movements of tule greater white-fronted geese. Waterbirds 29:43-55.

Ely, C.R., A.D. Fox, R.T. Alisauskas, A. Andreev, R.G. Bromley, A.G. Degtyarev, B. Ebbinge, E.N. Gurtovaya, R. Kerbes, A.V. Kondratyev, I. Kostin, A.V. Krechmar, K.E. Litvin, Y. Miyabayashi, J.H. Moou, R.M. Oates, D.L. Orthmeyer, Y. Sabano, S.G. Simpson, D.V. Solovieva, M.A. Spindler, Y.V. Syroechkovsky, J.Y. Takekawa, and A. Walsh. 2005. Circumpolar variation in morphological characteristics of Greater White-fronted geese Anser albifrons. Bird Study 52:104-119.

Ackerman, J. T., J. Y. Takekawa, K. L. Kruse, D. L. Orthmeyer, J. L. Yee, C. R. Ely, D.H. Ward, K. S. Bollinger, and D. M. Mulcahy. 2004. Using radiotelemetry to monitor cardiac response of free living Tule greater white-fronted geese (Anser albifrons elgasi) to human disturbance. Wilson Bull 116(2):146-151.

Fowler, A.C., J.M. Eadie, and C.R. Ely. 2004. Related and nesting dispersion within breeding populations of Greater White-fronted geese. Condor 106:600-607.

Mowbay, T., C. R. Ely, J. S. Sedinger, and R. Trost. 2002. Canada goose (Branta canadensis). in A. Poole and F. Gill (eds.), The Birds of North America, No. 682. The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and the American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D. C.

Babcock, C. A., A. C. Fowler, and C. R. Ely. 2002. Nesting ecology of tundra swans on the coastal Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, Alaska. Waterbirds 25(Special Pub. 1):236-240.

Mowbay, T., C. R. Ely, J. S. Sedinger, and R. Trost. 2002. Canada goose (Branta canadensis). in A. Poole and F. Gill (eds.), The Birds of North America, No. XXX. The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and the American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D. C.

Jorgenson, T. and C. R. Ely. 2001. Topography and flooding of coastal ecosystems on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, Alaska: implications for sea level rise. J. Coast. Res. 17:124-136.

Ely, C. R., D. H. Ward, and K. S. Bollinger. 1999. Behavioral correlates of heart rates of free-living greater white-fronted geese. Condor 101:390-395.

Schmutz, J. A., and C. R. Ely. 1999. Survival of greater white-fronted geese: seasonal and annual variation and effects of body mass. J. Wildl. Manage. 63:In press.

Ely, C. R., D. C. Douglas, A. C. Fowler, C. A. Babcock, D. V. Derksen and J. Y. Takekawa. 1997. Migration behavior of tundra swans from the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, Alaska. Wilson Bull. 109:679-692.

Ely, C. R. and J. Y. Takekawa. 1996. Geographic variation in migratory behavior of greater white-fronted geese (Anser albifrons). Auk 113:889-901.

Orthmeyer, D. L., J. Y. Takekawa, C. R. Ely, M. L. Wege, and W. E. Newton. 1995. Morphological differences in Pacific coast populations of greater white-fronted geese. Condor 97:123-132.

Ely, C., Dau, C., Babcock, C. 1994. Decline in a population of spectacled eiders nesting on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, Alaska. Northwestern Naturalist 75(3).

Babcock, C. A., and C. R. Ely. 1994. Classification of vegetation communities in which geese rear broods on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, Alaska. Can. J. Botany 72:1294-1301.

Ely, C. R., and A. X. Dzubin. 1994. Greater white-fronted goose (Anser albifrons). In The Birds of North America, No. 131 (A. Poole and F. Gill, Eds.). Acad. Nat. Sci., PA and Amer. Ornithol. Union, Washington, D.C.

Ely, C. R., and K. T. Scribner. 1994. Genetic diversity in Arctic-nesting geese: implications for management and conservation. Trans. No. Am. Wildl. & Natur. Resour. Conf. 59:91-110.

Hupp, J. W., R. A. Stehn, C. R. Ely, and D. V. Derksen. 1994. Arctic nesting geese: Alaskan populations. Pages 16-20 in G. S. Farris, Ed., Our living resources 1994. Natl. Biol. Serv., Washington, D.C.

Ely, C.R., et al. 1993. Distribution , abundance and age ratios of Wrangel Island lesser snow geese (Anser caelulescnes) during autumn migration on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, Alaska. Wildfowl 44: 24-32.

Ely, C. R. 1993. Family stability in greater white-fronted geese. Auk 110:425-435.

Ely, C. R. 1992. Behavior and energetics of greater white-fronted geese in winter. Ph.D. dissertation, University of California, Davis. 118 pp.

Ely, C. R. 1992. Time allocation by greater white-fronted geese: Influence of diet, energy reserves and predation. Condor 94:857-870.

Budeau, D. A., J. T. Ratti, and C. R. Ely. 1991. Energy dynamics, foraging ecology, and behavior of prenesting greater white-fronted geese. J. Wildl. Manage.t 55:556-563.

Ely, C. R. 1990. Effects of neck bands on the behavior of wintering greater white-fronted geese. J. Field Ornith. 61:249-253.

Ely, C. R. 1989. Extra-pair copulation in the greater white-fronted goose. Condor 91:990-991.

Ely, C. R., and D. G. Raveling. 1989. Body composition and weight dynamics of wintering greater white-fronted geese. J. Wildl. Manage. 53:80-87.

Ely, C. R. 1987. An inexpensive device for recording animal behavior. Wildl. Soc. Bull. 15:264-265.

Ely, C. R., D. A. Budeau, and U. G. Swain. 1987. Aggressive encounters between tundra swans and greater white-fronted geese during brood rearing. Condor 89:420-422.

Ely, C. R., and D. G. Raveling. 1984. Breeding biology of Pacific white-fronted geese. J. Wildl. Manage. 48:823-837.

Websites of Interest

Breeding and migration ecology of the tule white-fronted goose
Plant ecology in relation to ecological restoration, wildlife habitat, and inventory
Demography and landscape interactions of goose populations on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, Alaska

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