Michael Scott Husak    

Department of Biological Sciences, P.O. Drawer GY, Mississippi State University , Mississippi State, MS 39762

 Phone: (662) 325 ñ 2115, Office: Harned 20,  E-mail: msh2@msstate.edu  

Hometown: Victoria, Texas                                                                           

Advisor: Dr. Eric T. Linder  

DEGREE SOUGHT: Ph.D. in Biological Sciences, with an emphasis on avian community ecology.

Education:                                                                                                                    

Angelo State University     1994    B.S. in Biology

Angelo State University     1997    M.S. in Biology

Current Research: ìFactors Influencing Avian Community Structure in Bottomland Hardwood Forests of the Southeastern United States.î

            Bottomland hardwood forests are an ecologically important ecosystem in the southeastern United States.  However, over the past 200 years agricultural, timber, and game management practices have resulted in a dramatic reduction in available hardwood forests and an increase in habitat structural modification to remaining stands.  We are using a multi-scale approach to access avian community structure in bottomland hardwood forests of northeast Mississippi across a range of age class stands and within green tree reservoirs.  We are specifically interested in variation in species assemblages during the breeding and winter seasons and breeding productivity as they relate to site-specific and landscape level structural heterogeneity.  Additionally, green tree reservoirs are being surveyed before and during flooding to examine potential within season impacts of artificial water impoundment on avian community structure.

Pictures of Study Site at Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge:

          Green Tree Reservoir  in Summer        Green Tree Reservoir in Winter            Natural Bottomland in Summer

SELECT PUBLICATIONS: (Feature Articles, Short Communications, and Notes)  

Husak, M. S., and A. L. Husak.  2002.  Latitudinal patterns in range sizes of New World woodpeckers. Southwestern Naturalist 48(1): 61ñ69. .

Husak, M. S., and T. C. Maxwell.  2000.  A review of 20^th century range expansion and population trends of the Golden-fronted Woodpecker (Melanerpes aurifrons): historical and ecological perspectives. Texas Journal of Science 52(4):275-284.

Husak, M. S.  2000.  Seasonal variation in territorial behavior of Golden-fronted Woodpeckers in West-central Texas. Southwestern Naturalist 45(1):30-38.

Husak, M. S., and T. C. Maxwell.  1998.  The Golden-fronted Woodpecker (Melanerpes aurifrons). In The Birds of North America, No. 373 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA. 16 pp.

Husak, M. S., and J. F. Husak.  2002.  Low frequency of site fidelity by Golden-fronted Woodpeckers. Southwestern Naturalist 47(1):110-114.

Husak, M. S.  1999.  Observations of survival by a Golden-fronted Woodpecker with an injured tongue. Bulletin of the Texas Ornithological Society 32(1):42-44.

Maxwell, T. C., and M. S. Husak.  1999.  Common Black-Hawk nesting in west-central Texas. Journal of Raptor Research 33(3):270-271.

Husak, M. S.  1997.  Observation of winter interactions between a Red-headed Woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus) and Golden-fronted Woodpeckers (M. aurifrons). Texas Journal of Science 49(4):348-350.

Husak, M. S., and J. F. Husak.  1997.  Anting by a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher. Southwestern Naturalist 42(3):351-352.

Husak, M. S.  1997.  Predation of Golden-fronted Woodpecker nestlings by a Texas rat snake. Bulletin of the Texas Ornithological Society.             30(1):17-18.

Husak, M. S.  1997.  Age of first breeding in Golden-fronted Woodpeckers (Melanerpes aurifrons). Texas Journal of Sciences 49(2):168-169.

Husak, M. S.  1996.  Breeding season displays of the Golden-fronted Woodpecker. Southwestern Naturalist 41(4):441-442.

Husak, M. S.  1995.  Evidence of possible egg predation by Golden-fronted Woodpeckers. Bulletin of the Texas Ornithological Society 28(2):55-56.

BOOK CONTRIBUTIONS:

Husak, M. S.  2001.  The Acorn Woodpecker (Melanerpes formicivorous). In K. L. P. Benson and K. A. Arnold (eds.). Texas Breeding Bird Atlas. Texas A&M University System, College Station and Corpus Christi. http://tbba.cbi.tamucc.edu (soon to be in printed form).

Husak, M. S.  In Press.  The Black-throated Sparrow (Amphispiza bilineata). In K. L. P. Benson and K. A. Arnold (eds.). Texas Breeding Bird Atlas. Texas A&M University System, College Station and Corpus Christi. http://tbba.cbi.tamucc.edu.

Husak, M. S.  In Press.  The Lewis Woodpecker (Melanerpes lewis). In The Birds of Washington (T.R. Wahl, B. Tweit, S. Mlodinowed, eds.). University of Washington Press, Seattle.

Husak, M. S.  In Press.  The Acorn Woodpecker (Melanerpes formicivorous). In The Birds of Washington (T.R. Wahl, B. Tweit, S. Mlodinowed, eds.). University of Washington Press, Seattle.

Husak, M. S.  In Press.  The White-headed Woodpecker (Picoides albolarvatus). In The Birds of Washington (T.R. Wahl, B. Tweit, S. Mlodinowed, eds.). University of Washington Press, Seattle.

BOOK REVIEWS:

Husak, M. S.  2002  ìBirds of the Texas Panhandle: their status, distribution, and historyî by Kenneth D Seyffert. Quarterly Review of Biology. 77(1):77.

Husak, M. S.  2002.  ìOf Birds and Texasî by Stuart Gentling and Scott Gentling. Quarterly Review of Biology 77(4):465.

Miscellaneous Pictures:

    HY GFWO                   SY-M GFWO