Luke K. Butler

My students and I are interested in physiological, morphological, and behavioral adaptations of animals. In particular, we focus three “lenses” on phenomena that are central to the lives of all birds: 1) drivers and consequences of plumage wear and plumage renewal, 2) functional variation in feather morphology, and 3) short- and long-term responses to environmental change and disturbance. These lines of research overlap with each other and encourage us to think about how birds function as organisms within a context of evolutionary history and a changing planet. We have established a field site in the New Jersey Pine Barrens, and we also use research specimens borrowed from ornithology collections across North America (support your local museum!).

I teach and coordinate our department’s introductory course, and I teach upper-level courses in avian biology and animal behavior. I also mentor students seeking degrees in secondary biology education.

My interest in organismal biology started during childhood fishing trips to the forest preserves and cemeteries scattered around southwestern Chicago. I was fortunate to attend a Chicago public high school with classes that took place at the Shedd Aquarium and the Lincoln Park Zoo, where I first saw professional biologists at work. As an undergraduate I was fortunate to work with Dr. Ken Yasukawa on his red-winged blackbird marsh in Beloit, Wisconsin. Ken taught me to love research. My graduate advisor, Dr. Sievert Rohwer, taught me that meaningful biology research starts by making meaningful observations. My post-doctoral advisor, Dr. L. Michael Romero, taught me how to run a lab and help students succeed in their research goals.