Ken Rosenberg

Applied Conservation Scientist Emeritus

Expertise

Bird Habitat • Conservation • Sustainability

I work at the interface between research, conservation planning, and environmental policy, in a joint position at the Cornell Lab and American Bird Conservancy. My primary role is to synthesize and interpret research on the status and distribution of bird populations, and to engage with wildlife managers and policy-makers to ensure that conservation decisions are based on the best available science.

I also represent the Cornell Lab on the North American Bird Conservation Initiative (NABCI) U.S. Committee and I’m the lead scientist on NABCI’s annual State of the Birds Reports. In addition, I study the critical role that stopover sites and habitats play for migratory birds after they travel south of the U.S. to Central and South America.

I am a lifelong birder and attended Cornell University and then conducted research on desert riparian birds for my Masters degree at Arizona State University, and on foraging specialization in Amazonian birds for my Ph.D. at Louisiana State University. I came full circle back to Cornell, where I’ve been applying my bird knowledge to conserve species and habitats for the past 25 years.

Education

Ph.D., Zoology, Louisiana State University
M.S., Zoology, Arizona State University
B.S., Wildlife Science, Cornell University

Beyond the Lab

I am an avid gardener, for both my family and the birds!

Recent Publications

Stevens, H. C., A. C. Smith, E. R. Buechley, Ç. H. Şekercioğlu, V. Shirey, K. V. Rosenberg, F. A. La Sorte, D. Tallamy, and P. P. Marra (2024). Species-specific ecological traits, phylogeny, and geography underpin vulnerability to population declines for North American birds. Ornithological Applications 126:duad046.
Hightower, J. N., D. L. Crawford, W. E. Thogmartin, K. R. Aldinger, S. B. Swarthout, D. A. Buehler, J. Confer, C. Friis, J. L. Larkin, J. D. Lowe, M. Piorkowski, et al. (2023). Change in climatically suitable breeding distributions reduces hybridization potential between Vermivora warblers. Diversity and Distributions 29:254–271.
Lello-Smith, A., A. D. Rodewald, V. H. Ramos, K. V. Rosenberg, and V. Ruiz Gutierrez (2022). Repeated burning undermines the value of regenerating cattle pastures for tropical forest birds. Biological Conservation 271:109593.
Lees, A. C., L. Haskell, T. Allinson, S. B. Bezeng, I. J. Burfield, L. M. Renjifo, K. V. Rosenberg, A. Viswanathan, and S. H. M. Butchart (2022). State of the world's birds. Annual Review of Environment and Resources 47.
Bayly, N. J., K. V. Rosenberg, D. R. Norris, P. D. Taylor, and K. A. Hobson (2021). Rapid recovery by fat- and muscle-depleted Blackpoll Warblers following trans-oceanic migration is driven by time-minimization. Ornithology 138:ukab055.
Gómez, C., K. A. Hobson, N. J. Bayly, K. V. Rosenberg, A. Morales-Rozo, P. Cardozo, and C. D. Cadena (2021). Migratory connectivity then and now: a northward shift in breeding origins of a long-distance migratory bird wintering in the tropics. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 288:20210188.
Lees, A. C., K. V. Rosenberg, V. Ruiz Gutierrez, S. Marsden, T. S. Schulenberg, and A. D. Rodewald (2020). A roadmap to identifying and filling shortfalls in Neotropical ornithology. The Auk 137:ukaa048.
Krabbe, N. K., T. S. Schulenberg, P. A. Hosner, K. V. Rosenberg, T. J. Davis, G. H. Rosenberg, D. F. Lane, M. J. Andersen, M. B. Robbins, C. D. Cadena, T. Valqui, et al. (2020). Untangling cryptic diversity in the High Andes: Revision of the Scytalopus [magellanicus] complex (Rhinocryptidae) in Peru reveals three new species. The Auk 137:ukaa003.
McNeil, D. J., A. D. Rodewald, O. J. Robinson, C. J. Fiss, K. V. Rosenberg, V. Ruiz Gutierrez, K. R. Aldinger, A. A. Dhondt, S. Petzinger, and J. L. Larkin (2020). Regional abundance and local breeding productivity explain occupancy of restored habitats in a migratory songbird. Biological Conservation 245:108463.
Johnston, A., T. Auer, D. Fink, M. Strimas‐Mackey, M. Iliff, K. V. Rosenberg, S. Brown, R. Lanctot, A. D. Rodewald, and S. Kelling (2020). Comparing abundance distributions and range maps in spatial conservation planning for migratory species. Ecological Applications 30:e02058.
Bennett, R. E., A. D. Rodewald, K. V. Rosenberg, R. Chandler, L. Chavarria-Duriaux, J. A. Gerwin, D. I. King, and J. L. Larkin (2019). Drivers of variation in migration behavior for a linked population of long-distance migratory passerine. The Auk 136:ukz051.
Rosenberg, K. V., A. M. Dokter, P. J. Blancher, J. R. Sauer, A. C. Smith, P. A. Smith, J. C. Stanton, A. Panjabi, L. Helft, M. Parr, and P. P. Marra (2019). Decline of the North American avifauna. Science:eaaw1313.
Bayly, N. J., K. V. Rosenberg, C. Gómez, and K. A. Hobson (2019). Habitat choice shapes the spring stopover behaviour of a Nearctic-Neotropical migratory songbird. Journal of Ornithology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10336-019-01624-3
Bennett, R. E., A. D. Rodewald, and K. V. Rosenberg (2019). Overlooked sexual segregation of habitats exposes female migratory landbirds to threats. Biological Conservation 240:108266.
Johnston, A., T. Auer, D. Ardia, M. E. Strimas-Mackey, M. J. Iliff, K. V. Rosenberg, S. Brown, R. Lanctot, A. D. Rodewald, and S. Kelling (2019). [In Press] Performance of abundance distributions and range maps in spatial conservation planning for migratory species. Ecological Applications.
Bennett, R. E., A. D. Rodewald, K. V. Rosenberg, R. Chandler, L. Chaviarra-Dureaux, J. Gerwin, D. King, and J. Larkin (2019). [In Press] Migration strategy and movement behaviors vary around a geographic barrier for a long-distance migratory songbird. The Auk: Ornithological Advances.
Bennett, R. E., A. D. Rodewald, and K. V. Rosenberg (2019). [In press] Overlooked sexual segregation of habitats exposes female migratory landbirds to threats. Biological Conservation.
Stanton, J. C., P. Blancher, K. V. Rosenberg, A. O. Panjabi, and W. E. Thogmartin (2019). Estimating uncertainty of North American landbird population sizes. Avian Conservation and Ecology 14:art4.
Dokter, A. M., A. Farnsworth, D. Fink, V. Ruiz Gutierrez, W. M. Hochachka, F. A. La Sorte, O. J. Robinson, K. V. Rosenberg, and S. Kelling (2018). Seasonal abundance and survival of North America's migratory avifauna determined by weather radar. Nature Ecology & Evolution 2:1603–1609.
Bayly, N. J., K. V. Rosenberg, W. E. Easton, C. Gómez, J. Carlisle, D. N. Ewert, A. Drake, and L. Goodrich (2018). Major stopover regions and migratory bottlenecks for Nearctic-Neotropical landbirds within the Neotropics: a review. Bird Conservation International 28:1–26.
Rodewald, A. D., and K. . Rosenberg (2018). An Amazing Race: Spring Migration in the Americas. Living Bird 37:39.
La Sorte, F. A., D. Fink, P. J. Blancher, A. D. Rodewald, V. Ruiz Gutierrez, K. V. Rosenberg, W. M. Hochachka, P. H. Verburg, and S. Kelling (2017). Global change and the distributional dynamics of migratory bird populations wintering in Central America. Global Change Biology 23:5284–5296.
Bennett, R. E., S. Barker Swarthout, J. S. Bolsinger, A. D. Rodewald, K. V. Rosenberg, and R. W. Rohrbaugh (2017). Extreme genetic similarity does not predict non-breeding distribution in two closely related warblers. Journal of Field Ornithology 88:156–168.
Sullivan, B. L., T. Phillips, A. A. Dayer, C. L. Wood, A. Farnsworth, M. J. Iliff, I. J. Davies, A. Wiggins, D. Fink, W. M. Hochachka, A. D. Rodewald, et al. (2017). Using open access observational data for conservation action: A case study for birds. Biological Conservation 208:5–14.
Wood, E. M., S. Barker Swarthout, W. M. Hochachka, R. W. Rohrbaugh, K. V. Rosenberg, and A. D. Rodewald (2017). An improved survey method for monitoring population trends of Golden-winged Warblers and other patchily distributed birds. Journal of Field Ornithology 88:387–398.
Gómez, C., N. J. Bayly, D. R. Norris, S. A. Mackenzie, K. V. Rosenberg, P. D. Taylor, K. A. Hobson, and C. Daniel Cadena (2017). Fuel loads acquired at a stopover site influence the pace of intercontinental migration in a boreal songbird. Scientific Reports 7.
Rosenberg, K. V., P. J. Blancher, J. C. Stanton, and A. O. Panjabi (2017). Use of North American Breeding Bird Survey data in avian conservation assessments. The Condor 119:594–606.
Rosenberg, K. V., N. Bayly, and C. Gómez (2017). Stopping over: Learning what birds need on migration. Bird Conservation International Spring 2017:22–26.
Aycrigg, J. L., C. Groves, J. A. Hilty, J. M. Scott, P. Beier, D. A. Boyce, D. Figg, H. Hamilton, G. Machlis, K. Muller, K. V. Rosenberg, et al. (2016). Completing the system: opportunities and challenges for a national habitat conservation system. BioScience 66:774–784.
Wood, E. M., S. E. Barker Swarthout, W. M. Hochachka, J. L. Larkin, R. W. Rohrbaugh, K. V. Rosenberg, and A. D. Rodewald (2016). Intermediate habitat associations by hybrids may facilitate genetic introgression in a songbird. Journal of Avian Biology 47:508–520.
Dayer, A. A., R. C. Stedman, S. B. Allred, K. V. Rosenberg, and A. K. Fuller (2016). Understanding landowner intentions to create early successional forest habitat in the northeastern United States: Understanding Landowner Intentions. Wildlife Society Bulletin 40:59–68.
Rosenberg, K. V., J. A. Kennedy, R. Dettmers, R. P. Ford, D. Reynolds, C. J. Beardmore, P. J. Blancher, R. Bogart, G. S. Butcher, A. Camfield, D. W. Demarest, et al. (2016). Partners in Flight Landbird Conservation Plan: 2016 Revision for Canada and Continental United States. [Online.] Available at
Crawford, D. L., R. W. Rohrbaugh, A. M. Roth, J. D. Lowe, S. Barker Swarthout, and K. V. Rosenberg (2016). Landscape-scale habitat and climate correlates of breeding Golden-winged and Blue-winged warblers. In Golden-winged Warbler Ecology, Conservation, and Habitat Management (H. M. Streby, D. E. Anderson and D. A. Buehler, Editors). Apple Academic Press, Inc.
Rohrbaugh, R. W., S. Barker Swarthout, D. King, J. L. Larkin, K. V. Rosenberg, A. M. Roth, T. Will, and R. Vallender (2016). Conservation perspectives: A review of new science and primary threats with an emphasis on improving strategic Golden-winged Warbler conservation. In Golden-winged Warbler Ecology, Conservation, and Habitat Management (D. A. Buehler, H. M. Streby and D. E. Anderson, Editors). Apple Academic Press, inc.
Rosenberg, K. V., T. Will, S. Barker Swarthout, W. E. Thogmartin, R. Chandler, and R. E. Bennett (2016). Dynamic distribution and population declines of Golden-winged Warbler. In Golden-winged Warbler Ecology, Conservation, and Habitat Management (D. A. Buehler, H. M. Streby and D. E. Andersen, Editors). Apple Academic Press, Inc.
Bayly, N. J., C. Gómez, K. A. Hobson, and K. V. Rosenberg (2016). Prioritizing tropical habitats for long-distance migratory songbirds: an assessment of habitat quality at a stopover site in Colombia. Avian Conservation and Ecology 11.
La Sorte, F. A., D. Fink, W. M. Hochachka, J. L. Aycrigg, K. V. Rosenberg, A. D. Rodewald, N. E. Bruns, A. Farnsworth, B. L. Sullivan, C. Wood, and S. Kelling (2015). Documenting stewardship responsibilities across the annual cycle for birds on U.S. public lands. Ecological Applications 25:39–51.
Bennett, R. E., A. Rothman, and K. V. Rosenberg (2015). Wintering grounds conservation plan for Golden-winged Warbler. Final Report to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Region3 Grant Award Number: F13AP00572.
La Sorte, F. A., D. Fink, W. M. Hochachka, A. Farnsworth, A. D. Rodewald, K. V. Rosenberg, B. L. Sullivan, D. W. Winkler, C. Wood, and S. Kelling (2014). The role of atmospheric conditions in the seasonal dynamics of North American migration flyways. Journal of Biogeography 41:1685–1696.
Socolar, J. B., G. Batbayar, A. Johnston, F. A. La Sorte, O. J. Robinson, K. V. Rosenberg, and A. M. Dokter (no date). [in press] Seasonal macro-demography of North American bird populations revealed through citizen science monitoring. Ecography.
Ken Rosenberg
Center Avian Population Studies
Projects Conservation Science
Work607-254-2412
Email kvr2@cornell.edu

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Golden-cheeked Warbler by Bryan Calk/Macaulay Library