Faculty Profiles

Daniel Klem

Professor, Ornithology and Conservation Biology
Biology
484-664-3259

[email protected]

Education

  • B.A., biology, Wilkes University
  • M.A., biology, Hofstra University
  • Ph.D., zoology, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale

Teaching Interests

My interests include birds, biological statistics, conservation biology, ecology, ethology (biological study of behavior), evolution, field and laboratory research methods, avian museum curation, natural history of animals, ornithology, wildlife research and management.

 

Research, Scholarship or Creative/Artistic Interests

My research is in animal behavior, conservation, ecology, evolution, ornithology and the natural history of animals. My work focuses special attention on birds and wildlife mortality resulting from the actions of humans, specifically, the results of my research have been identified as the leading authority on the threat that sheet glass and plastic in the form of windows pose for birds in human structures worldwide.

  • Biology Independent Study/Research: Bird Habits at Feeders
  • Concepts of Biology: Biology of Birds
  • Ornithology

I have received more than 30 honors and awards for teaching and scholarship. Among them are: 

  • The Lindback Foundation Award for Teaching Excellence
  • Research grants from government agencies, not-for-profit conservation organizations and private industry 
  • Pennsylvania Ornithological Society Conservation Award 
  • Rosalie Edge Conservation Award
  • Doctor of Science (D.Sc.), Honoris Causa from Wilkes University

More than 100 students have conducted research under my guidance and the majority of these accompanied me to professional scientific meetings, primarily those of the Animal Behavior Society, the four principal U.S. and Canada ornithological societies and the Pennsylvania Academy of Science. The specific areas of study from 1979 to present are: (1) on campus, the gross anatomy and histology of the avian digestive tract that addresses structure, function and evolution and various aspects of museum research in our Acopian Center for Ornithology, (2) on- and off-campus field studies that address the behavior of birds, primarily those associated with bird-human interactions.     

More than 70 peer-reviewed scientific publications report the results of my research; among them are the following considered significant (with the exception of the Armenian books, co-authors of multi-authored works are Muhlenberg College students). The final three are recent invited keynote addresses. 

  • Klem, D., Jr., C.R. Brancato, J. F. Catalano, and F. Kuzmin. 1882. Gross Morphology and General Histology of the Esophagus, Ingluvies and Proventriculus of the House Sparrow (Passer domesticus). Proceedings of Pennsylvania Academy of Science 56:141-146.
  • Klem, D., Jr. and B. S. Hillegass, and D. A. Peters. Raptors Killing Raptors, Wilson Bulletin 97:230-231. (1985).
  • Klem, D., Jr. Bird-window Collisions, Wilson Bulletin 101:606-620. (1989).
  • Klem, D., Jr. Collisions between Birds and Windows: Mortality and Prevention, Journal of Field Ornithology 61:120-128. (1990).
  • Adamian, M. S. and D. Klem, Jr. A Field Guide to Birds of Armenia, American University of Armenia, xxiii+223 pp. (1997).
  • Adamian, M. S. and D. Klem, Jr., Handbook of the Birds of Armenia, American University of Armenia, 649 pp. (2000).
  • Klem, D., Jr., D. C. Keck, K. L. Marty, A. J. Miller Ball, E. E. Niciu, and C. T. Platt. Effects of Window Angling, Feeder Placement and Scavengers on Avian Mortality at Plate Glass, Wilson Bulletin 116:69-73. (2004).
  • Veltri, C. J. and D. Klem, Jr. Comparison of Fatal Bird Injuries from Collisions with Towers and Windows, Journal of Field Ornithology 76:127-133. (2005).
  • Klem, D., Jr. Preventing Bird-Window Collisions. Wilson Journal of Ornithology 121:314-321. (2009).
  • Klem, D., Jr. Bird-Window Collisions: A Critical Animal Welfare and Conservation Issue, Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science 18:S11-S17; doi:10.1080/10888705.2015.1075832. (2015).
  • Klem, D., Jr. Bird Strike Injury and Death at Sheet Glass Worldwide: A Critical Animal Welfare and Compassionate Conservation Issue, Compassionate Conservation International Conference, University of British Columbia, BC, Canada, (July 2015).
  • Klem, D., Jr. How Big a Deal are Bird-Window Strikes and What Can Be Done?, 4th Urban Wildlife Workshop, Life in the City, 81st North American Wildlife and Natural Resource Conference, Grand Wyndam Hotel, Pittsburgh, PA, (March 2016).
  • Klem, D., Jr. History, Fundamentals and Contemporary Needs of Bird-Window Collision Study, Powdermill Nature Reserve, Carnegie Museum of Art and Natural History, Rector, PA (April 2017).

Professional Website

More information: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Klem


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