Bird Lab at Department of Entomology, Rutgers University

My jobs as a technician/field researcher in the Department of Entomology are varied: birds, computers, and stats. I maintain the Entomology website along with the New Jersey Mosquito website (NJMCA). I provide help with statistical/design questions that people in the department may have. But foremost, as an ornithologist, I enjoy my research with birds.  Currently, I am in collaboration for several projects. Working with Wayne Crans in this department, two of the projects involve arboviral diseases with avian hosts. The first establishes  the extent of West Nile virus (an emerging disease in the New World) in the wild bird population in New Jersey, particularly in corvids. We have measured winter seroprevalence rates in both Fish and American Crows since 1999. We test samples using the competitive (blocking) ELISA technique of Jozan et al. with excellent results.  This is part of the State of New Jersey's program to monitor West Nile virus.  The second involves monitoring avian populations in an attempt to understand the role of juvenile birds in the amplification of Eastern Equine Encephalitis virus. I also generate weekly reports for the Statewide Surveillance Program which uses New Jersey light trap data from county agencies.  New Jersey has a wealth of mosquito population data collected by county agencies and our work will help understand these patterns in terms of geographical distributions.  And finally, I am continuing collaboration with Don Caccamise at New Mexico State University (Dept of Fishery and Wildlife), and Paul Castelli (NJ Fish, Game and Wildlife; Waterfowl Ecology) on a study looking at the effectiveness of using stable isotope analysis to identify migrant verses resident Canada Geese (Branta canadensis).

Degrees:

 Ph.D.

December 1990, Biological Sciences: Genetic and morphological variation in the black-billed Magpie (Pica pica hudsonia): Evolution of social signals. Advisor: Dr. Charles H. Trost, Idaho State University, Pocatello, Idaho

Publications:

  • Rupp, H., Bosak, P., and Reed, L.  2006 Of Breeding. Journal of the American Mosquito Association, (in print).

  • Reed, L. M., Crans, W. J., Komar, N., Panella, N., McLean, R., & Creekmore, T.  1999-2003   West Nile seroprevalence of American and Fish Crows in New Jersey.  (in prep to 2007) 

  • Reed, L. and R. Puelle 2004 West Nile Virus: Ecological Survey of New Jersey Wildlife using Blocking ELISA Proceedings of the NJMCA pp. 42-46.

  • Reed, L. M., Crans, Kent, R., and K. Bartlett.  2003  New Jersey State Surveillance Program, 2002. Proceedings of the NJMCA 90: 45-49.

  • Jozan, M., Evans, R., McLean, R., Hall, R., Tangredi, B., Reed, L., Scott, J. 2003 Detection of West Nile Virus Infection in Birds by Blocking ELISA and Immunohistochemistry. Vector-borne and Zoonotic Disease, 3(3): 99 - 110.

  • Reed, L. M., Crans, and P. J. Bosak.  2002   Seroprevalence of West Nile virus in the wild birds of New Jersey.  Proceedings of the NJMCA 89: 12-18.

  • Reed, L. 2001 Arbobytes - a listserve for West Nile virus and other arbovectoral diseases. Proceedings of the NJMCA 88: 39-43.

  • Reed, L., Crans, W., and T. Rainey.  2001  Nesting, migration cycles, and mosquitoes in an eastern Equine Encephalitis region.  Wing Beats, Fall/Winter, 10-11, 18-19. 

Image from this Bucknell site.

M.A.

May 1983, Psychology: Sub-specific differences in vocalizations of the squirrel monkey (Saimiri sciureus). Advisor: Dr. Douglas Candland, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, Pennsylvania

BA

June 1980, Psychology; California State University, Fullerton

BA

 

June 1980, Biological Sciences, California State University, Fullerton

  • Bosak, P. J., L. Reed, and W. J. Crans. 2001 Host-seeking behavior of Coquillettidia perturbans (Walker) in relation to birds and Eastern Equine Encephalomyelitis virus in New Jersey.  Journal for the Society of Vector Ecology 26: 103 - 109. (in pdf)

  • Caccamise, D. F., L. M. Reed, P. Castelli, S. Wainwright, and T Nichols. 2000 Distinguishing migratory and resident Canada Geese using stable isotope analysis.  Journal of Wildlife Management 64(4):1084-1091.

  • Reed, L. M., D. F. Caccamise, and E. M. Orrell. 1998 Aging Laughing Gull nestlings using head-bill length. Colonial Waterbirds. December(21)3. (in pdf)

  • Caccamise, D. F., L. M. Reed, J. Romanowski, and P. C. Stouffer. 1997 Roosting behavior and group territoriality in American Crows. Auk 114(4): 628-637.

  • Reed, L. M., Xaiohung, W. and C. H. Trost. 1997 Variation in the wing patches of juvenile magpies (Pica pica hudsonia). Acta Ornithologica 32: 93-97.

  • Caccamise, D. F., Reed., L. M., Delay, L. S., Bennett, K. A., and J. J. Dosch. 1996 The avian communities of a suburban grassland refugium: populations studies at an airport in Northeastern United States. Acta Ornithologica 31(1): 3-13. (in pdf)

  • Caccamise, D. F., L. M. Reed, and J. Romanowski. 1996 Bird strike hazards and waste management facilities in urban landscapes. Proceedings and Papers from the 23rd International Bird Strike Committee Europe, London. BSCE23: 247-266

  • Caccamise, D. F., J. J. Dosch, K. Bennett, L. M. Reed, and L. Delay. 1994 Management of bird strike hazards at airport: a habitat approach. Proceedings and Papers from the 22nd International Bird Strike Committee Europe, London. BSCE22: 285-266-306

  • Romanowski, J., L. Reed, D. F. Caccamise, and P. Stouffer. 1993 Color marking American Crows (Corvus brachyrynchos) for individual recognition. Notatki Ornithologiczne 34(1/2): 157-161.

  • Robinson, C. T., Reed, L. M., and G. W. Minshall. 1992 Influence of flow regime on life history, production, and genetic structure of Baetis tricaudatus (Ephemeroptera) and Hesperoperla pacifica (Plecoptera). Journal of North American Benthological Society (JNABS) 11(3): 278-289.

Return to the Rutgers Department of Entomology Website

Go to the New Jersey Mosquito Website

Go to the ASCAR Website (American Society of Crows and Ravens)

Read about corvids at Earth-Life Web

Find other bird info at this excellent links page

 

Crow Trap Dimensions - Note: You need a permit to trap Native North American bird species.

 

Four friends from the past: Kita, Ursula, and Kulta and my little bird, Brat.

Kita & Ursula

Kulta

"We need another and a wiser and perhaps a more mystical concept of animals ... We patronize them for their incompleteness, for their tragic fate of having taken form so far below ourselves. And therein we err and err greatly. For the animal shall not be measured by man. In a world older and more complete than ours, they move finished and complete, gifted with extensions of the senses we have lost or never attained, living by voices we shall never hear. They are not brethren; they are not underlings; they are other nations, caught with ourselves in the net of life and time, fellow prisoners of the splendour and travail of the earth."
- Henry Beston 1888-1968

and Kulta

Kita and Ursula

Big Bad Brat

Brat

 

The current residents: George and Martha Bickersons

 

 

A Natural Firemouth Tank

Adornment

Family links: Mom, Sugar, Honey, Marseilles Ballet

Everglades, Longwood Gardens, Trinidad Bird Trip, Florida 2003

 

"You can always tell a Finn, but you can't tell 'em much."