Dr. Walter Piper

Dr. Walter Piper

Professor
Schmid College of Science and Technology; Biological Sciences
Expertise: Territorial Behavior; Habitat Selection; Aggression; Common Loon; Conservation; Ecology;
Office Location: Keck Center for Science and Engineering 259
Phone: (714) 997-6907
Website: http://loonproject.org/
Scholarly Works:
Digital Commons
Education:
Harvard University, Bachelor of Arts
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Ph.D.

Biography

Education

  • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Ph.D. in Biology
  • Harvard University, B.A. in Biology

Research Interests

  • Impact of site-familiarity on use of space
  • Territory defense and acquisition
  • Impact of old age on behavior
  • Natal habitat imprinting
  • Longitudinal study of the common loon

Funding

  • National Science Foundation
  • National Geographic Society
  • Disney Conservation Fund

Featured Publications

Piper, W. H., M. Glines, and K. C. Rose. 2024. Climate change-associated declines in water clarity impair feeding by common loons. Ecology 105: e4291. https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ecy.4291
Piper, W. H. 2024 Climate-Related Loss of Water Clarity Threatens a Northern Icon. Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America 105: e02146. https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/bes2.2146?af=R

Recent Creative, Scholarly Work and Publications

Piper, W. H., K. Dahl, M. Kebeh, and A. J. Piper. 2023. Site familiarity makes an enduring impact on breeding success. 2023. Animal Behaviour 205: 79-87.
Hoover, B. and W. H. Piper. In press. Honest signalling of age in a territorial breeder. Animal Behaviour. Due in March 2024 issue.
Piper, W. H., K. R. Lee, and B. Hoover. 2022. Territory holders are more aggressive towards older, more dangerous floaters. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 76: 1-11
Paruk, J. D., D. C. Evers, J. McIntyre, J. F. Barr, J. Mager, and W. Piper. 2021. Common Loon (Gavia immer), version 2.0. In Birds of the World ((P. G. Rodewald and B. K. Keeney, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY.
Piper, W. H. and L. M. Grenzer. 2020. Reckless parenting with a purpose. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 19:418. (Ecopic; not a full article.)
Saunders, S.P., W. Piper, M.T. Farr, B.L. Bateman, N.L. Michel, H. Westerkam, and C. Wilsey. Interrelated impacts of climate and land-use change on a widespread waterbird. Journal of Animal Ecology 90:1165-1176.
Hoover, B.A., Brunk, K., Jukkala, G., Banfield, N., Rypel, A.L., and Piper, W. Early evidence of natal-habitat preference: Juvenile loons feed on natal-like lakes after fledging. Ecology and Evolution. 11:1310-1319.
Piper, W. H., Grear, J., Hoover, B., Lomery, E.,Grenzer, L. M. 2020. Plunging floater survival causes cryptic population decline in the Common Loon. Condor 122(4). In Nov. issue.
Piper, W.H., Brunk, K.B. Jukkala, G. L., Andrews, E.A., Yund, S.R., and Gould, N.G. 2018. Aging male loons make a terminal investment in territory defense. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 72: 95-106.
Piper, W.H., Tischler, K.B., and Reinke, A. 2018. Common Loons respond adaptively to a black fly that reduces nesting success. Auk 135:788-797.
Piper, W. H., Brunk, K. M., Flory, J. A. and Meyer, M. W. (2017), The long shadow of senescence: age impacts survival and territory defense in loons. J Avian Biol, 48: 1062–1070. doi:10.1111/jav.01393
Spool, J. A., Riters, L. V. and Piper, W. H. (2017), Investment in territorial defence relates to recent reproductive success in common loons (Gavia immer). J Avian Biol. Accepted Author Manuscript. doi:10.1111/jav.01389
Jukkula, G. and Piper, W. H. 2015. Common loon parents defend chicks according to both value and vulnerability. Journal of Avian Biology.
Piper, W. H., Mager, J. N., Walcott, C., Furey, L. Banfield, N, Reinke, A., Spilker, F. & J. A. Flory. 2015. Territory settlement in common loons: no footholds but age and assessment are important. Animal Behavior.
Piper, W. 2011. Making habitat selection more “familiar”: a review. Behavioral Ecol. Sociobiol. 65:1329-1351.
Piper, W., Mager, J. and Walcott, C. 2013 Marking loons. In: Exploring Animal Behavior, 6th edition. Sherman, P. W. and Alcock, J., eds. Sinauer Associates, Inc. Sunderland, Massachusetts. USA.
Piper, W. H., Palmer, M. W., Banfield, N., Meyer, M. W. 2013. Can settlement in natal-like habitat explain maladaptive habitat selection? Proc. Royal Soc. B.
Piper, W. H. Grear, J. S. and Meyer, M. W. 2012. Juvenile survival in common loons: Effects of natal lake size and pH. J. Avian Biol. 43: 280-288.
Piper, W. H., J. N. Mager, & C. Walcott. 2011. Marking loons, making progress. American Scientist 99: 220-227.
Mager, J. N., Walcott, C. and Piper, W. H. 2010. Common loons (Gavia immer) can differentiate between yodels of territorial neighbors and non-neighbors. J. Field Ornithol., 81: 392-401.
Piper, W. H. 2010/2011. Troubled Waters: Loons’ territorial fights are no laughing matter. Natural History, 119: 22-26.
Grear, J. S., Meyer, M. W., Cooley Jr., J. H., Kuhn, A., Piper, W. H., Mitro, M. G., Vogel, H. S., Taylor, K. M., Kenow, K. P., Craig, S. M., Nacci, D. E. 2009. Population Growth and Demography of Common Loons in the Northern United States. Journal of Wildlife Management 73: 1108-1115.

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