Conor Taff

Research Associate

Expertise

Behavioral Ecology • Evolution • Endocrinology • Physiological Ecology • Sexual Selection

I use field and lab approaches to study wild birds from an integrative perspective. My research falls at the intersection of physiology, evolution, ecology, and behavior. I use techniques from endocrinology and immunology to bioacoustics and behavioral observations. I generally work on questions relating to breeding biology, life history trade-offs, and sexual selection. My main projects at Cornell Lab are conducted using wild tree swallows as a study system and address how stress affects behavior and physiology, and how social signals and social interactions affect phenotype and fitness.

Education

Ph.D., University of California Davis
B.A., Skidmore College

Recent Publications

Wolf, S. E., M. J. Woodruff, D. A. C. van Oort, E. D. Clotfelter, D. A. Cristol, E. P. Derryberry, S. M. Ferguson, M. T. Stanbak, C. C. Taff, M. N. Vitousek, D. F. Westneat, and K. A. Rosvall (2024). Among-population variation in telomere regulatory proteins and their potential role as hidden drivers of intraspecific variation in life history. Journal of Animal Ecology:1–13.
Taff, C., D. Baldan, L. Mentesana, J. Q. Ouyang, M. N. Vitousek, and M. Hau (2024). Endocrine flexibility can facilitate or constrain the ability to cope with global change. Philosophical Transactions B. https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2022.0502
van Oordt, D. A. C., C. C. Taff, M. A. Pipkin, T. A. Ryan, and M. N. Vitousek (2024). Experimentally elevated corticosterone does not affect bacteria killing ability of breeding female tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor). Hormones and Behavior. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yhbeh.2024.105500
Taff, C. C., and J. Ryan. Shipley (2023). Inconsistent shifts in warming and temperature variability are linked to reduced avian fitness. Nature Communications 14:7400.
Dunn, P. O., I. Ahmed, E. Armstrong, N. Barlow, M. A. Barnard, M. Belisle, T. J. Benson, L. L. Berzins, C. K. Boynton, T. A. Brown, M. Cady, et al. (2023). Extensive regional variation in the phenology of insects and their response to temperature across North America. Ecology. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1002/ecy.4036
Zhou, J., C. C. Taff, D. A. Chang van Oordt, M. N. Vitousek, and E. C. Kan (2023). Radio-frequency near-field sensor design for minuscule internal motion. IEEE Sensors Journal 23:2085–2092.
Taff, C. C., S. M. McNew, C. Zimmer, J. J. Uehling, J. L. Houtz, T. A. Ryan, D. Chang Van Oordt, A. S. Injaian, and M. N. Vitousek (2023). Social signal manipulation and environmental challenges have independent effects on physiology, internal microbiome, and reproductive performance in tree swallows ( Tachycineta bicolor ). Journal of Experimental Zoology Part A: Ecological and Integrative Physiology 339:723–735.
Ryan, T. A., C. C. Taff, C. Zimmer, and M. N. Vitousek (2023). Cold temperatures induce priming of the glucose stress response in tree swallows. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part A: Molecular & Integrative Physiology 280:111419.
Zimmer, C., C. C. Taff, D. R. Ardia, K. A. Rosvall, C. Kallenberg, A. B. Bentz, A. R. Taylor, L. S. Johnson, and M. N. Vitousek (2023). Gene expression in the female tree swallow brain is associated with inter- and intra-population variation in glucocorticoid levels. Hormones and Behavior 147:105280.
Chang van Oordt, D. A., C. C. Taff, T. A. Ryan, and M. N. Vitousek (2022). Timing of breeding reveals a trade-off between immune investment and life history in Tree Swallows. Integrative and Comparative Biology 62:1629–1639.
Taff, C. C. (2022). Simulating physiological flexibility in the acute glucocorticoid response to stressors reveals limitations of current empirical approaches. Peer J. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.14039
Taff, C. C., B. A. Johnson, A. T. Anker, A. M. Rodriguez, J. L. Houtz, J. J. Uehling, and M. N. Vitousek (2022). No apparent trade-off between the quality of nest-grown feathers and time spent in the nest in an aerial insectivore, the Tree Swallow. Ornithology 139:ukac017.
Houtz, J. L., C. C. Taff, and M. N. Vitousek (2022). Gut microbiome as a mediator of stress resilience: a reactive scope model framework. Integrative and Comparative Biology 62:41–57.
Vitousek, M. N., J. L. Houtz, M. A. Pipkin, D. A. Chang van Oordt, K. K. Hallinger, J. J. Uehling, C. Zimmer, and C. C. Taff (2022). Natural and experimental cold exposure in adulthood increase the sensitivity to future stressors in a free-living songbird. Functional Ecology 36:2531–2543.
Taff, C. C., C. Zimmer, T. A. Ryan, D. A. Chang van Oordt, D. A. Aborn, D. R. Ardia, L. S. Johnson, A. P. Rose, and M. N. Vitousek (2022). Individual variation in natural or manipulated corticosterone does not covary with circulating glucose in a wild bird. Journal of Experimental Biology 225:jeb243262.
Shipley, J. R., C. W. Twining, C. C. Taff, M. N. Vitousek, and D. W. Winkler (2022). Selection counteracts developmental plasticity in body-size responses to climate change. Nature Climate Change 12:863–868.
Taff, C. C., J. C. Wingfield, and M. N. Vitousek (2022). The relative speed of the glucocorticoid stress response varies independently of scope and is predicted by environmental variability and longevity across birds. Hormones and Behavior 144:105226.
Injaian, A. S., J. J. Uehling, C. C. Taff, and M. N. Vitousek (2021). Effects of artificial light at night on avian provisioning, corticosterone, and reproductive success. Integrative and Comparative Biology 61:1147–1159.
Wheeler, S. S., C. C. Taff, W. K. Reisen, and A. K. Townsend (2021). Mosquito blood-feeding patterns and nesting behavior of American Crows, an amplifying host of West Nile virus. Parasites & Vectors 14:331.
Taff, C. C., C. Zimmer, D. Scheck, T. A. Ryan, J. L. Houtz, M. R. Smee, T. A. Hendry, and M. N. Vitousek (2021). Plumage manipulation alters associations between behaviour, physiology, the internal microbiome and fitness. Animal Behaviour 178:11–36.
Taff, C. C., and C. R. Freeman-Gallant (2021). Female ornamentation, incubation behavior, and reproductive success in a wild bird. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 75:92.
Odom, K. J., M. Araya‐Salas, J. L. Morano, R. A. Ligon, G. M. Leighton, C. C. Taff, A. H. Dalziell, A. C. Billings, R. R. Germain, M. Pardo, L. G. de Andrade, et al. (2021). Comparative bioacoustics: a roadmap for quantifying and comparing animal sounds across diverse taxa. Biological Reviews. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1111/brv.12695
Shipley, J. R., C. W. Twining, C. C. Taff, M. N. Vitousek, A. Flack, and D. W. Winkler (2020). Birds advancing lay dates with warming springs face greater risk of chick mortality. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences:202009864.
Zimmer, C., C. C. Taff, D. R. Ardia, A. P. Rose, D. A. Aborn, L. S. Johnson, and M. N. Vitousek (2020). Environmental unpredictability shapes glucocorticoid regulation across populations of Tree Swallows. Scientific Reports 10:13682.
Winkler, D. W., K. K. Hallinger, T. M. Pegan, C. C. Taff, M. A. Verhoeven, D. Chang van Oordt, M. Stager, J. J. Uehling, M. N. Vitousek, M. J. Andersen, D. R. Ardia, et al. (2020). Full lifetime perspectives on the costs and benefits of lay‐date variation in tree swallows. Ecology 101.
Uehling, J. J., C. C. Taff, D. W. Winkler, and M. N. Vitousek (2020). Developmental temperature predicts the adult response to stressors in a free‐living passerine. Journal of Animal Ecology 89:842–854.
Vitousek, M. N., C. C. Taff, T. A. Ryan, and C. Zimmer (2019). Stress resilience and the dynamic regulation of glucocorticoids. Integrative and Comparative Biology 59:251–263.
Taff, C. C., C. Zimmer, and M. N. Vitousek (2019). Achromatic plumage brightness predicts stress resilience and social interactions in Tree Swallows (Tachycineta bicolor). Behavioral Ecology. https://doi.org/10.1093/beheco/arz010
Townsend, A. K., C. C. Taff, M. L. Jones, K. H. Getman, S. S. Wheeler, M. G. Hinton, and R. M. Logsdon (2019). Apparent inbreeding preference despite inbreeding depression in the American Crow. Molecular Ecology. https://doi.org/10.1111/mec.14866
Zimmer, C., C. C. Taff, D. R. Ardia, T. A. Ryan, D. W. Winkler, and M. N. Vitousek (2019). On again, off again: Acute stress response and negative feedback together predict resilience to experimental challenges. Functional Ecology. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2435.13281
Taff, C. C., L. Campagna, and M. N. Vitousek (2019). Genome‐wide variation in DNA methylation is associated with stress resilience and plumage brightness in a wild bird. Molecular Ecology 28:3722–3737.
Injaian, A. S., P. L. Gonzalez-Gomez, C. C. Taff, A. K. Bird, A. D. Ziur, G. L. Patricelli, M. F. Haussmann, and J. C. Wingfield (2019). Traffic noise exposure alters nestling physiology and telomere attrition through direct, but not maternal, effects in a free-living bird. General and Comparative Endocrinology 276:14–21.
Townsend, A. K., C. C. Taff, M. Jones, K. H. Getman, S. S. Wheeler, M. Hinton, and R. Logsdon (2019). [In press] Inbreeding tolerance despite inbreeding depression in the American Crow. Molecular Ecology.
Injaian, A. S., C. C. Taff, G. P. Patricelli, M. N. Vitousek, M. Gin, and K. Pearson (2019). [In press] Experimental traffic noise exposure alters stress physiology and reduces reproductive success in a free-living bird. Hormones & Behavior.
Del Giudice, M., C. L. Buck, L. Chaby, B. M. Gormally, C. C. Taff, C. J. Thawley, M. N. Vitousek, and H. Wada (2019). [In press] What is stress? A systems perspective. Integrative and Comparative Biology.
Townsend, A. K., C. C. Taff, S. Wheeler, A. Weis, M. Hinton, M. Jones, R. Logsdon, W. Reisen, D. Freund, R. Sehgal, M. Saberi, et al. (2019). [In press] Low heterozygosity is associated with vector-borne disease in crows. Ecosphere.
Lawton, S. J., A. M. Weis, B. A. Byrne, H. Fritz, C. C. Taff, A. K. Townsend, B. C. Weimer, A. Mete, S. Wheeler, and W. M. Boyce (2019). [In press] Comparative analysis of Campylobacter isolates from wild birds and chickens using MALDI-TOF MS, biochemical testing, and DNA sequencing. Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation.
Del Giudice, M., C. L. Buck, L. E. Chaby, B. M. Gormally, C. C. Taff, C. J. Thawley, M. N. Vitousek, and H. Wada (2018). What is stress? A systems perspective. Integrative and Comparative Biology. https://doi.org/10.1093/icb/icy114
Townsend, A., B. Frett, A. McGarvey, and C. C. Taff (2018). Where do winter crows go? Characterizing partial migration of American Crows using satellite telemetry, stable isotopes, and molecular markers. The Auk 135:964–974.
Miles, M. C., M. N. Vitousek, J. F. Husak, M. A. Johnson, L. B. Martin, C. C. Taff, C. Zimmer, M. B. Lovern, and M. J. Fuxjager (2018). Standing variation and the capacity for change: Are endocrine phenotypes more variable than other traits? Integrative and Comparative Biology:1–12.
Vitousek, M. N., C. C. Taff, D. R. Ardia, J. M. Stedman, C. Zimmer, T. C. Salzman, and D. W. Winkler (2018). The lingering impact of stress: brief acute glucocorticoid exposure has sustained, dose-dependent effects on reproduction. Proc. R. Soc. B 285.
Lawton, S. J., A. M. Weis, B. A. Byrne, H. Fritz, C. C. Taff, A. K. Townsend, B. C. Weimer, A. Mete, S. Wheeler, and W. M. Boyce (2018). Comparative analysis of Campylobacter isolates from wild birds and chickens using maldi-tof ms, biochemical testing, and DNA sequencing. Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation 30:354–361.
Freeman-Gallant, C. R., and C. C. Taff (2018). Age and infection history are revealed by different ornaments in a warbler. Oecologia 188:1025–1036.
Injaian, A. S., C. C. Taff, K. L. Pearson, M. M. Y. Gin, G. L. Patricelli, and M. N. Vitousek (2018). Effects of experimental chronic traffic noise exposure on adult and nestling corticosterone levels, and nestling body condition in a free-living bird. Hormones and Behavior 106:19–27.
Townsend, A. K., C. C. Taff, S. S. Wheeler, A. M. Weis, M. G. Hinton, M. L. Jones, R. M. Logsdon, W. K. Reisen, D. Freund, R. N. M. Sehgal, M. Saberi, et al. (2018). Low heterozygosity is associated with vector-borne disease in crows. Ecosphere 9:e02407.
man against a snowy landscape, staff member Conor Taff
Center Biodiversity Studies & Higher Education
Projects Conservation Science
Email cct63@cornell.edu
Website Website

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Golden-cheeked Warbler by Bryan Calk/Macaulay Library