Jason R. Courter, Ph.D.

Education

• Ph.D. Wildlife Ecology, Clemson University
• M.S. Biology, Eastern Kentucky University
• B.S. Science Education, Taylor University

Experience

• Professor of Biology, Malone University (2024 - present)
• Associate Professor of Biology, Malone University (2018 - 2024)
• Assistant Professor of Biology, Malone University (2013 - 2018)
• Visiting Professor of Environmental Science, Taylor University (2012-2013)
• Research Assistant, Clemson University Department of Fisheries and Wildlife (2009-2012)
• Rocky Mountain Field Instructor, Taylor University Biology Department (Summer 2008)

Teaching Assignments

• Ornithology
• Wildlife Biology and Conservation
• Environmental Science
• General Biology I and II
• Research Methods in the Natural Sciences

Recent Scholarly Work

• Courter, JR, Z Liu, N Neupane, A Arab, J Siegrist. 2023. Satellite-based environmental variables complement traditional variables in spatio-temporal models of Purple Martin migration. Wildlife Research https://doi.org/10.1071/WR22119.
• Gresh, JM and JR Courter. 2022. Assessing the effects of Close-to-Nature forestry on forest birds in the eastern United States: A case study and way forward. Avian Biology Research 15:161-172
• Gresh, JM and JR Courter. 2021. In pursuit of ecological forestry: historical barriers and ecosystem implications. Frontiers in Forests and Global Change 4:571438. 
• Courter JR, RJ Perruci, KJ McGinnis, JK Rainieri. 2020. Black-capped chickadees (Poecile atricapillus) alter alarm call duration and peak frequency in response to traffic noise. PLoS ONE 15:e0241035.
• Johnson, DR and JR Courter. 2020. Assessing water literacy at a primarily undergraduate university in Ohio. Natural Sciences Education 49:e20025
• McBride W and JR Courter. 2019. Using Raspberry Pi microcomputers to remotely monitor birds and collect environmental data. Ecological Informatics 54:101016.
• Sockman J and JR Courter. 2018.  The impacts of temperature, precipitation, and growing degree-days on first egg dates of Eastern Bluebird and Tree Swallow in Ohio. The American Midland Naturalist 180:207-215.
• Courter JR.  2017. Changes in spring arrival dates of Rufous Hummingbirds in western North America in the past century. The Wilson Journal of Ornithology 129:535-544.  
• Courter JR and G Ritchison. 2017. Provisioning behavior of male and female Eastern Screech-Owls during the post-brooding period. The American Midland Naturalist 177:69-74.
• Arab A, JR Courter, J Zelt. 2016. A spatio-temporal comparison of avian migration phenology using Citizen Science data. Spatial Statistics 18:234-245.  
• Chapman M, JR Courter, PE Rothrock, J Reber. 2015. Riparian width and neotropical avian species richness in the agricultural midwest. The Proceedings of the Indiana Academy of Science 124:80-88.
• Courter JR, RJ Johnson, KG Hubbard, WC Bridges. 2013. Assessing migration of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds at broad temporal and spatial scales.  Auk 130: 1-11.
• Courter JR, RJ Johnson, CM Stuyck, BA Lang, EW Kaiser. 2013. Weekend bias in Citizen Science data reporting: implications for phenology studies. International Journal of Biometerology 57:715-720.
• Courter JR and G Ritchison. 2012. Assymetries in mobbing behavior among nuclear flockmates. The Wilson Journal of Ornithology 124:627-630.
• Zelt J, JR Courter, A Arab, RJ Johnson, S Droege. 2012 Reviving a legacy Citizen Science project to illuminate shifts in bird phenology. International Journal of Zoology 2012:1-6.
• Courter JR and G Ritchison. 2010. Alarm calls of Tufted Titmice convey information about predator size and threat. Behavioral Ecology 21:936-942.

Biography

I was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and grew up working on my family's Christmas tree farm. I enjoy spending time with my wife (Lynn) and kids, birding, traveling, and playing the guitar. My hope is that through my classes students are inspired to understand and care for the natural world and are amazed by its beauty and complexity!