Dr. Ken Otter

Otter, Dr. Ken

he/him

PhD (Queens University, 1996); MSc (Queens University, 1993): BSc (University of British Columbia, 1990)

Professor
Chair, Ecosystem Science and Management
Co-Chair, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Biology, Conservation Science and Practice, Faculty of Environment, Forest Ecology & Management, NRES Graduate Program, Outdoor Recreation Tourism Management, Wildlife & Fisheries, Ecosystem Science and Management, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Phone
250-960-5019
Email
ken.otter@unbc.ca
Office
8-341
Campus
Prince George
Website
/ken-otter

Research and Expertise

My primary interest is in how forest birds respond to anthropogenic disturbance. My students and I have studied this in a number of different contexts, such how birds respond to habitat disturbance from forest harvesting, urbanization, forest gaps created by transmission corridors and wind energy development. We primarily look at how this affects behaviour, communication, breeding and movement patterns.

Research Fields
  • Biodiversity/Ecology
  • Forestry
  • Migration
  • Wildlife
Areas of Expertise
Animal communication, reproductive strategies, behavioural ecology, avian ecology, urban & disturbance ecology
Languages Spoken
  • English
Not accepting graduate students
Supervises In
PhD NRES, MSc NRES Biology
Available to be contacted by the media as a subject matter expert

Selected Publications

Reudink, M.W., Toor, A., Tomal, J., Gill, J., Ehlert, J., Otter, K.A., Oud, M., Harera Nadeem, A. & Donkor, K. 2025. Feather trace element profiles in urban mountain chickadees differ from adjacent rural chickadees. Urban Ecosystems. in press.

Tseng, S, Hodder, D.P, & Otter, K.A. 2025. Setting BirdNET confidence thresholds: Species-specific vs. universal approaches. Journal of Ornithology.

Heales, H.E., Flood, N.J., Oud, M., Otter, K.A. & Reudink, M.W. 2024. Exploring differences in neophobia and anti-predator behaviour between urban and rural mountain chickadees. Journal of Urban Ecology. Journal of Urban Ecology, 10(1), juae014

Tseng, Y-C.S., Hodder, D.P. & Otter, K.A. 2024. Using autonomous recording units for vocal individuality: insights from Barred Owl identification. Avian Conservation and Ecology 19(1):23.

Snell, C.L., Reudink, M.W. & Otter, K.A. 2023. Hard of hearing: the effect of distance and experimental noise on mountain chickadee song transmission. Bioacoustics 32: 387-403

Grabenstein, K.C., Otter, K.A., Burg, T.M. & Taylor, S.A. 2023. Hybridization between closely related songbirds is related to human habitat disturbance. Global Change Biology. 29(4):955-968.
doi: 10.1111/gcb.16476. Epub 2022 Oct 28.

Chartier, S., Ramsay, S.M., & Otter, K.A. 2022. Within-population song evolution in white-throated sparrows (Zonotrichia albicollis). Behaviour 159: 1421-1445. DOI:10.1163/1568539X-bja10184

Wheelhouse, L.M., Hodder, D.P. & Otter, K.A. 2022. The retention of non-commercial hardwoods in mixed stands maintains higher avian biodiversity than clear-cutting. Forestry 95: 572–581,

Smith, B.L., Snell, C.L., Reudink, M.W. & Otter, K.A. 2021. Urban-nesting mountain chickadees have a reduced response to a simulated predator. Behaviour . 159:301-320 DOI:10.1163/1568539X-bja10122

Reudink, M.W., Fisher, M., Mount, N., Buckler, N., Otter, K.A, & Briskie, J.V. 2021. Evolution of song and colour in island birds. Wilson Journal of Ornithology 133: 1–10. doi.org/10.1676/19-00084

Graham, B., Gazeley, I., Otter, K.A. & Burg, T. 2021. Do phylogeny and habitat influence admixture among four North American chickadees (family: Paridae) species? Journal of Avian Biology. e02695, doi.org/10.1111/jav.02695

Stephens, C., McAmmond, B., Van Hamme, J.D., Otter, K.A., Reudink, M.W., Bottos, E.M. 2021. Analysis of Mountain Chickadee (Poecile gambeli) associated bacterial communities across urban and rural habitats. Canadian Journal of Microbiology 68: 572-583. doi.org/10.1139/cjm-2020-0320.

Otter, K.A., Mckenna, A., LaZerte, S.E., & Ramsay, S.M. 2020. Continent-wide shifts in song dialects of white-throated sparrows. Current Biology 30(16): 3231-3235.e3 DOI:10.1016/jcub.2020.05.084

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