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Avian Malaria | December 2023

Dr. Cali Crampton: Protector of our Feathered Friends

Image of Dr. Cali Crampton

As the Project Leader for the Kaua’i Forest Bird Recovery Project since 2010, Dr. Lisa “Cali” Crampton is no stranger to the intricacies of avian ecosystems.

Image of Dr. Cali Crampton
Dr. Cali Crampton

Her doctoral research explored the ecology and conservation of Silky-flycatchers (Phainopepla nitens), shedding light on the plight of these threatened passerines in southern Nevada. Not content with theoretical contributions, she led a dynamic team in designing an adaptive management plan as part of the regional Habitat Conservation Plan, a planning document that is recognized by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as part of the enforcement of the Endangered Species Act, ensuring the preservation of threatened desert woodlands crucial to the survival of Phainopeplas and other sensitive species in Nevada.

Dr. Crampton’s wingspan extends beyond the arid landscapes of Nevada. During her tenure at the USGS Kilauea Field Station on Hawai‘i Island, she applied her expertise in multivariate statistical and spatial analysis (tools that assist researchers or analysts in making sense of complex information and identifying patterns or trends that might not be apparent when looking at individual pieces of data to unravel the mysteries of the endangered Laysan teal. Her work not only enhanced our understanding of the population and behavioral ecology of this endangered species but also contributed to more effective monitoring and management strategies.

Image of Dr. Cali Crampton
Dr. Crampton in Kaua’i

The impact of Dr. Crampton’s endeavors expand across diverse ecosystems. For the US Forest Service, she meticulously analyzed the repercussions of recreation on Sierra Nevada forest birds, small mammals, and carnivores. Throughout her varied projects, she has been a beacon of collaboration, seamlessly bridging the gap between scientific and non-scientific communities.

Dr. Cali Crampton’s passion, expertise and her ability to communicate complex scientific concepts to a broader audience make her not just a scientist but a true advocate bringing the wonders of bird conservation to the hearts and minds of the general public.

*All images and information courtesy of the Hawaii Dept. of Land and Natural Resources.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this interview are those of the interviewees and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Public Health Landscape or Valent BioSciences, LLC.

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Hardly anyone visits the desolate outpost of Coldfoot, one of Alaska’s few communities outside the Arctic Circle accessible by road. Its 34 residents live in rustic accommodations along the Dalton Highway. The town’s highlights include an inn, a café, a gas station and a basic airport with a gravel landing strip. All day long, 18-wheeler fuel trucks thunder by on supply runs between Fairbanks and the oil fields of Prudhoe Bay further north. Some will stop to eat and tank up at Coldfoot because the next human habitation is 234 miles away, a town grimly named Deadhorse.

They say Coldfoot got its name from the days of the 1900 Gold Rush when miners would come as far as this remote settlement before getting “cold feet” and turning back. It’s still a lonely place, but one unexpected visitor showed up recently inside an infected Swainson’s thrush (Catharus ustulatus): the avian malaria parasite, Plasmodium circumflexum.

In 2011, scientists tested 676 birds representing 32 resident and migratory bird species captured from three northern locations in Alaska: Anchorage (61°N), Fairbanks (64°N) and Coldfoot (67°N). In Anchorage and Fairbanks, they found 49 birds infected by Plasmodium parasites. In Anchorage, even resident birds and hatchlings of species such as the boreal chickadee (Poecile hudsonicus), the varied thrush (Zoothera naevia) and the fox sparrow  (Passerella iliaca) were found infected. The parasite was also detected in black-capped chickadees (Poecile atricapillus) and a myrtle warbler (Dendroica coronata coronata) in Fairbanks, indicating that transmission had occurred locally.

Vanishing Birds

If you were alive in the year 1970, more than one in four birds in the U.S. and Canada has disappeared within your lifetime.

According to research published online in September by the journal Science, wild bird populations in the continental U.S. and Canada have declined by almost 30% since 1970.