Avian Conservation and Ecology Lab at the Wisconsin Center for Wildlife

Yellow winged warbler being held in someones hands.

Advancing Bird Conservation Through Research and Education

At the Wisconsin Center for Wildlife, we are passionate about understanding and conserving Wisconsin’s songbirds and upland game birds, including greater prairie-chickens, wild turkeys, ruffed grouse and bobwhite quail. Led by Dr. Jason Riddle, the Douglas R. Stephens Chair in Wildlife, our team of students and researchers studies habitat use, population trends and innovative conservation strategies. Through hands-on field research, banding programs and collaborations with state and federal partners, we aim to protect and strengthen upland bird populations across the state.

Current Projects

Avian conservation and ecology efforts at UW–Stevens Point, guided by Dr. Jason Riddle, encompass a dynamic array of student-led research and conservation initiatives. Graduate projects such as the Secretive Marsh Bird Occupancy Study aim to refine habitat monitoring using advanced acoustic methods. Meanwhile, undergraduates gain immersive experience through supervised bird banding, advancing both hands-on training and avian research leadership. This multifaceted program combines innovative methodologies, mentorship and fieldwork to deepen understanding of upland and secretive marsh bird ecology.

UW-Stevens Point students preparing to band birds.

Master Naturalist Program and Wildlife

This project involves working with the Master Naturalist Program to identify programming and educational needs related to wildlife. It is a collaboration with the Natural Resources Institute, UW-Extension, Kris Tiles, Becky Sapper and graduate student Maggie Handfelt.

Forest Management for Birds

Demonstrating forest management techniques that benefit bird species in the state of Wisconsin. This project is in collaboration with the United States Department of Agriculture, Mike Demchik and the Wisconsin Forestry Center.

Bird Banding

This project advances understanding of bird species diversity, population demographics, migration routes and survival rates. Jason Riddle received his Master Bander Permit in 2025, allowing him to teach students about avian research and provide opportunities for student leaders of bird-focused projects to gain handling experience and permits.

For example, the UW–Stevens Point Student Chapter of The Wildlife Society has several student-led research projects that require banding authorization, including the Woodpecker Project, Saw-Whet Owl Project and Ruffed Grouse Project. This work is conducted in partnership with the U.S. Geological Survey’s Bird Banding Laboratory and Dick Thiel.

Showing off the primary feathers of two birds.

Bird Surveys for the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON)

Monitoring bird communities in the Great Lakes area since 2016. This project is in collaboration with Bird Conservancy of the Rockies, NEON, and The National Science Foundation.

Let’s Connect!

Jason Riddle, Ph.D., is the Douglas R. Stephens Chair in Wildlife, director of the Wisconsin Center for Wildlife, professor of wildlife and Extension specialist in the College of Natural Resources at UW–Stevens Point. Riddle’s primary research and conservation interests focus on songbirds and upland game birds. Riddle has played a key role in supporting student research and fostering professional development beyond the classroom. Since 2010, he has served as faculty advisor for the UW-Stevens Point Student Chapter of The Wildlife Society (TWS) and continues in this role as Director of the Wisconsin Center for Wildlife. The chapter has earned the TWS Student Chapter of the Year award at least nine times, most recently in 2024. In addition, Riddle mentors several of the chapter’s student-led research projects, which evolve to reflect the interests and goals of the students leading them.

Jason Riddle

Douglas R. Stephens Chair in Wildlife and Extension Wildlife Specialist
Wisconsin Center for Wildlife

College of Natural Resources, Outreach and Extension, Wildlife, Wisconsin Center for Wildlife

jason.riddle@uwsp.edu

715-346-3224

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Meet Our Outstanding Students

Students in the Wisconsin Center for Wildlife bring diverse experiences and passions to the study of wildlife ecology and conservation. Their work spans topics from sea turtle conservation in Mexico and spotted owl monitoring in Oregon to avian research projects on campus and across North America. Many hold leadership roles within the UW–Stevens Point Student Chapter of The Wildlife Society, lead undergraduate research projects and serve in regional or national positions advancing student involvement in conservation. Collectively, they contribute to projects on secretive marsh birds, waterfowl, deer, small mammals and primate behavior, while engaging in outreach and communications that strengthen connections between people and wildlife.

Ava Cross-Weisbeck

Ava Cross-Weisbeck is a wildlife graduate student co-advised by Jason Riddle and Associate Professor Marie Perkins. She studies secretive marsh birds, or SMBs, on the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge, using autonomous recording units and call-back surveys. Her work aims to map historical and current SMB occupancy, identify critical habitats and develop a scalable monitoring approach for federal, state and private lands. Cross-Weisbeck’s experience includes GIS, acoustic monitoring and ruffed grouse research. As an undergraduate, she was a Doug Stephens Boone & Crockett Undergraduate Research Fellow.

Elizabeth Grove

Elizabeth is an undergraduate student at the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point with a strong passion for wildlife conservation and research. She serves as secretary for the UW–Stevens Point Student Chapter of The Wildlife Society and co-leads the Bat and Woodpecker projects. Through her involvement in the bird banding research project, Elizabeth gains hands-on experience in fieldwork, data collection and species identification while contributing directly to bird research and conservation efforts. Her work reflects a dedication to developing her skills and advancing the protection of wildlife.

Maggie Handfelt

Maggie Handfelt graduated from the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point in December 2024 with a degree in wildlife ecology and management and minors in biology and conservation biology. They gained hands-on sea turtle conservation experience at Campamento Tortuguero Mayto in Mexico and most recently worked in Reedsport, Oregon, as a northern spotted owl technician. Handfelt’s past experiences also include research at the University of Notre Dame, education at the Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium, and shark and ray research in Florida. Passionate about travel and connecting with people, they are returning to UW–Stevens Point to pursue a master’s degree in human dimensions of wildlife.

A student posing with a pair of binoculars

Kyp Meyers

Kyp Meyers is an undergraduate student at the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point, majoring in wildlife ecology and management with a minor in biology. They serve as the 2025–26 president of the UW–Stevens Point Student Chapter of The Wildlife Society and are actively involved across campus. Meyers’s research focuses on the behavior of Old World monkeys in captivity while also working with southern flying squirrels and North American river otters. Since January 2025, they have served as communications assistant at the Wisconsin Center for Wildlife, contributing to the center’s growth and outreach initiatives.

Madelyn Slaven

Madelyn Slaven is an undergraduate student passionate about wildlife research and management. She has banded northern saw-whet owls at Linwood Springs Research Station, co-leads the UW–Stevens Point Student Chapter of The Wildlife Society’s deer and waterfowl projects, and has contributed to research on Alaskan waterfowl and Upper Mississippi River aquatic species. Slaven is a Doug Stephens Boone & Crockett Undergraduate Research Fellow studying fall migration of secretive marsh birds and serves as undergraduate representative to the North Central Section of The Wildlife Society. Outside of research, she enjoys hiking, thrifting, painting and ceramics.

Ruby Valadez

Ruby Valadez is a senior at the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point, majoring in wildlife ecology and management with a minor in conservation biology. She serves as conference coordinator for the student chapter of The Wildlife Society and co-leads the Northern Saw-whet Owl (NSWO) Project. Valadez has participated in the NSWO project for three years and has two years of songbird banding experience, which she considers a highlight of her undergraduate career. After graduation, she plans to pursue bird-focused field positions before continuing on to a master’s degree in wildlife.

A Special Thanks

The Douglas R. Stephens Endowment provides direct support for the Chair’s activities including research, professional travel, graduate student initiatives, faculty-mentored projects, outreach efforts, and it is the primary funding source for the WCW. This endowment, established by Gerald and Helen Stephens, embodies their commitment to honoring their son’s memory and continues to play a vital role in shaping the university community’s wildlife program.