- Professor of Wildlife Ecology & Physiology
- Department of Natural Resources Science
- Phone: 401.874.7531
- Email: srmcwilliams@uri.edu
- Website
Scott McWilliams is a professor of wildlife ecology and physiology at URI. He received his Ph.D. in wildlife ecology from University of California at Davis, USA, and his M.Sc. in animal ecology from Iowa State University. He conducted his postdoctoral training in wildlife ecology at University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA. He studies the ecology and behavior and physiology of wild vertebrates, mostly waterfowl, upland gamebirds, and neotropical migrating songbirds. Current research topics include habitat use, diet, and nutrition of arctic-nesting geese, sea ducks, and migratory songbirds; forest management to support healthy bird populations; exercise physiology of migratory birds; effects of climate change on migratory birds; how offshore wind farms affect migratory sea ducks and seabirds. He has authored over 120 peer-reviewed journal articles on these topics. He is a Certified Wildlife Biologist, a Fellow of the American Ornithological Society and has provided technical consultant support for both the quantitative assessment of offshore renewable energy facility impacts on migratory birds as well as the avian injury assessment for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
Research
- Assessing Impacts of Offshore Development and Habitat Alteration on Distribution and Abundance of Birds - Assess impacts of such disturbances or alterations on bird distribution and abundance.
- Habitat Use and Selection of Black Scoters in Southern New England and Siting of Offshore Wind Energy Facilities - Regional black scoter study using satellite telemetry and spatial modeling techniques over 2 winters.
- Marine bird distribution, University of St. Andrews, UK - Researchers partnered with the Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling at the University of St. Andrews, Fife, UK to estimate the density of marine birds in relation to offshore wind energy siting.
- Marine bird study with Aarhus University, Denmark - URI collaborated with National Environmental Research Institute, Aarhus University on the assessment of the effect of offshore wind energy development on marine birds.
- Resource selection and wintering phenology of White-winged Scoters in southern New England: Implications for offshore wind energy development - Researchers used satellite telemetry to document the winter phenology and site fidelity, as well as fine-scale resource selection and habitat use, of 40 White-winged Scoters along the southern New England continental shelf.
- The Spatial Distribution, Abundance, and Flight Ecology of Birds in Nearshore and Offshore Waters of Rhode Island - This interim report for the Rhode Island Special Area Management Plan (SAMP) summarizes research from January 2009 through mid-February 2010.