Edward H. Burtt, Jr.

Edward "Jed" Howland Burtt, Jr.
Born (1948-04-22)April 22, 1948
Weston, Massachusetts
Died April 27, 2016(2016-04-27)
Occupation ornithologist, author
Nationality American
Subject Birds
Notable works Alexander Wilson: The Scot Who Founded American Ornithology

Edward “Jed” Howland Burtt, Jr. (April 22, 1948 – April 27, 2016) was an American ornithologist, writer, and educator, and was responsible for many discoveries in ornithology.

Background

Burtt was born in Weston, Massachusetts to Edward H., an insurance salesman, and Barbara Burtt (née Pride), a schoolteacher. He began watching birds at the early age of six, which inspired him to pursue a career in ornithology. As a child, he enjoyed observing the behavior of birds, and visited various birdwatching hotspots around Massachusetts such as Parker River National Wildlife Refuge.

Career

Jed Burtt obtained a bachelor's degree from Bowdoin College in 1970, and shortly thereafter attended graduate school. In 1977, he obtained his Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin with Jack P. Hailman, where he studied the evolution of color in wood-warblers (Parulidae). During his final year of graduate school he had a one-year term at University of Tennessee as a visiting instructor. Following this, in 1977, he joined the zoology department at Ohio Wesleyan University, and remained there until 2014.[1]

Burtt is known among ornithologists worldwide as a leader in the study of evolution of avian color. He has published extensively on the coloration of wood-warblers, the evolutionary pressure of bacteria on the coloration of feathers, sunlight as a selection pressure on the coloration of bills, among many other works.[2][3][4]

Burtt has been president of multiple ornithological organizations, including the American Ornithologists' Union and the Wilson Ornithological Society.[5][6]

Honors

Throughout his successful career, Burtt has involved undergraduates heavily in his research. To recognize this rare accomplishment, in 2015 the Wilson Ornithological Society established the Jed Burtt Mentoring Grants, which funds research and travel to meetings for professor and undergraduate teams.[7] In addition, the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Education and the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education named Burtt as Ohio Professor of the Year in 2011.[8]

In 2013, the Wilson Ornithological Society recognized Burtt’s dedication to ornithology with the society’s most prestigious award, the Margaret Morse Nice Medal.[9]

Publications

Burtt, E. H., Jr. 1986. An analysis of physical, physiological and optical aspects of avian coloration with emphasis on Wood Warblers. Ornithol. Monogr. 38: x + 126 p.

Burtt, E. H., Jr., M. R. Schroeder*, L. M. Smith*, J. E. Sroka*, K. J. McGraw. 2011. Colourful parrot feathers resist bacterial degradation. Biol. Letters 7: 214-216 (doi: 10.1098/rsbl.2010.0716).

Burtt, E.H., Jr. and J.M. Ichida. 1999. Occurrence of feather-degrading bacilli in the plumage of birds. Auk 116: 364-372.

Burtt, E.H., Jr. and J.M. Ichida. 2004. Gloger’s Rule, feather-degrading bacteria, and color variation among Song Sparrows. Condor 106: 681-686.

Goldstein, G., K. Flory*, B.A. Browne*, S. Majid*, J.M. Ichida, and E.H. Burtt, Jr. 2004. Bacterial degradation of black and white feathers. Auk 121: 656-659.

Muza*, M.M., E.H. Burtt, Jr., and J.M. Ichida. 2000. Distribution of bacteria on the feathers of eastern North American birds. Wilson Bull. 112: 432-435.

Reneerkins, J., M.A. Versteegh†, A.M. Schneider*, T. Piersma, and E.H. Burtt, Jr. 2008. Seasonally changing preen wax composition: Red Knots flexible defense against feather-degrading bacteria. Auk 125: 285-290.

Ruiz-de-Castañeda†, R., E.H. Burtt, Jr., S. González-Braojos and J. Moreno. 2012. Bacterial degradability of an intrafeather unmelanized ornament: a role for feather-degrading bacteria in sexual selection? Biol. J. Linn. Soc. 105: 409-419.

Saranathan*, V. and E.H. Burtt, Jr. 2007. Sunlight on feathers inhibits feather-degrading bacteria. Wilson J. Ornithol. 119: 239-245.

Schreiber, R. W., E. A. Schreiber, A. M. Peele*, and E. H. Burtt, Jr. 2006. Pattern of damage to albino Great Frigatebird flight feathers supports hypothesis of abrasion by airborne particles. Condor 108: 736-741.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "''Flocking Together''(Connect2OWU)". owu.edu. 2014-04-24. Retrieved 2015-08-13.
  2. ↑ Burtt, E. H., Jr. (1986). "An analysis of physical, physiological, and optical aspects of avian coloration with empashis on wood-warblers" (PDF). Ornithological Monographs. 38: 1–126. doi:10.2307/40166782.
  3. ↑ Burtt, E. H., Jr. (1999). "Occurrence of feather-degrading bacilli in the plumage of birds" (PDF). Auk. 116: 364–372. doi:10.2307/4089371.
  4. ↑ Burtt, E. H., Jr. (1984). "Color of the upper mandible - an adaptation to reduce reflectance". Animal Behavior. 32: 652–658. doi:10.1016/s0003-3472(84)80140-2.
  5. ↑ "''Officers, elective councilors, and editors of the AOU'" (PDF). americanornithology.org. Retrieved 2015-08-13.
  6. ↑ "''Presidents of the WOS''". wilsonsociety.org. Retrieved 2015-08-13.
  7. ↑ "''Jed Burtt Mentoring Grants''". wilsonsociety.org. Retrieved 2015-08-13.
  8. ↑ "''U.S. Professors of the Year''" (PDF). usprofessorsoftheyear.org. Retrieved 2015-08-13.
  9. ↑ "''Recipients of the Margaret Morse Nice Medal''". wilsonsociety.org. Retrieved 2015-08-13.
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