Related Links

Federal Aviation Administration - Wildlife Hazard Mitigation

Education

Ph.D., George Mason University (1998)
MSc., George Mason University (1994)
BS., University of Montana (1986)
A.A.S, Lord Fairfax Community College (1983)

Research Interests

Conducts specialized research in the microscopic identification of feathers. Current research involves establishing techniques in this newly developing field within Ornithology, which applies forensic methodologies to determine species of birds from fragmentary evidence using microscopy, whole feather comparisons with museum specimens and DNA 'barcoding'. The most important application of this research is to the field of aviation safety and determining identifications of birds that are ingested into aircraft engines (birdstrikes). See FAA website. Data are used by civil and military aviation to design safer engines and windscreens, to create an Air Force data base that is used to predict bird movements and provide bird hazard warnings to pilots, and to improve habitat management schemes at airfields to discourage bird use. She is a member of Smithsonian Ornithology and collaborates with scientists in the fields of Anthropology, Ecology, Evolutionary Biology, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Law Enforcement, Federal Bureau of Investigations, U.S. Air Force (BASH), U.S. Navy, U.S. Customs, USDA Wildlife Services, Federal Aviation Administration, National Transportation Safety Board and aircraft engine manufacturers.

Selected Publications

Dove, C.J., A.M. Rijke, X. Wang, and L.S. Andrews. 2007. Infrared analysis of contour feathers: the conservation of body heat radiation in birds. Journal of Thermal Biology 32: 42-46.

Kerr, K.C.R., M.Y. Stoeckle, C.J. Dove, L.A. Weigt, C.M. Francis, and P.D.N. Herbert. 2007. Comprehensive DNA barcode coverage of North American birds. Molecular Ecology Notes. Doi:10.1111/j.1471-8286.2006.01670x, Pp 1-9.

Dove, C.J. and A. Agreda. 2007. Differences in plumulaceous feather characters of dabbling and diving ducks. The Condor 109: 192-199.

Fleischer, R. C., J. J. Kirchman, J. P. Dumbacher, L. Bevier, C. Dove, N. C. Rotzel, S. V. Edwards, M. Lammertink, K. J. Miglia, W. S. Moore. 2006. Mid-Pleistocene divergence of Cuban and North American ivory-billed woodpeckers. Biology Letters 2(3): 466-469. Published online 10.1098/rsbl.2006.0490.

Woodman, Neal, C. J. Dove, and S. C. Peurach. 2005. A curious pellet from a Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus). Northeastern Naturalist 12(2):127-132. [PDF]

Dove, C.J., P.G. Hare and M. Heacker. 2005. Identification of Ancient Feather Fragments Found in Meltring Alpine Ice Patches in Southern Yukon. Arctic 58(1):38-43. [PDF]

Dove, C. J., M. Heacker, and B. Adair. 2004. In Memoriam: Roxie Collie Laybourne, 1910-2003. Auk 121(4):1282-1285.

Dove, C. J., and S. C. Peurach. 2002. Microscopic Analysis of Feather and Hair Fragments Associated with Human Mummified Remains from Kagamil Island, Alaska. Pp 51-62 In: B. Frohlich, A. B. Harper, and R. Gilberg, editors. To the Aleutians and Beyond - The Anthropology of William S. Laughlin. Publications of the National Museum, Ethnographical Series, The National Museum of Denmark, Volume 20, Copenhagen, 382 pp.[PDF]

Rogers, J. D., C. J. Dove, M. Heacker, and G. R. Graves. 2002. Identification of Feathers in Textiles from the Craig Mound at Sprio, Oklahoma. Southwestern Archaeology 21(2):245-251.

Dove, C. J., and M. Heacker. 2002. Egyptian Nightjar (Caprimulgus aegyptius) in North America? Journal of Field Ornithology 73(1):60-61.

Dove, C. J., and S. C. Peurach [Collins]. 2001. The Use of Microscopic Hair Characters to Aid in Identification of a Bat Involved in a Damaging Aircraft Strike, Bat Research News 42(1):10-11.

Dove, C. 2000. A Descriptive and Phylogenetic Analysis of Plumulaceous Feather Characters in Charadriiformes. Ornithological Monographs, No. 51, 163 pp.