Western Illinois University: Macomb Campus

Postdoctoral Fellow, University of California & Smithsonian Institution. Ph.D., University of Manitoba, 1998
M.S. Eastern Illinois University, 1993
B.A. Illinois Wesleyan University

Courses Taught:

• Advanced Topics in Animal Ecology (ZOOL 451)
• Animal Behavior (ZOOL 553)
• Biosystematics & Evolution (BIOL 503)
• Ornithology (ZOOL 410)
• Field Ornithology (ZOOL 408)

Research Interests:
Coevolution between avian brood parasites and their hosts, Avian Ecology, Behavioral Ecology, Molecular Ecology, Avian Conservation

Recent Publications:

Peer, B.D., M. J. Kuehn, S. I. Rothstein, and R. C. Fleischer. 2011. Persistence of host defence

behaviour in the absence of brood parasitism.  Biology Letters. doi: 10.1098/rsbl.2011.0268

Peer, B. D., C. E. McIntosh, M. J. Kuehn, S. I. Rothstein, and R. C. Fleischer.  2011. 

Complex biogeographic history of shrikes and its implications for the evolution

of defenses against avian brood parasitism.  Condor 113:385-394. 

Peer, B. D., and S. I. Rothstein.  2010.  Phenotypic plasticity in Common Grackles

in response to repeated brood parasitism. Auk 127:293-299.

Peer, B. D., S. I. Rothstein, and R. A. McCleery.  2010.  Intraclutch variation in egg

appearance constrains rejection of Brown-headed Cowbird eggs in Common Grackles.  Auk 127:759-764.

Atterberry-Jones, M.* and B. D. Peer. 2010.  Cooperative breeding by Red-headed

Woodpeckers.  Wilson Journal of Ornithology 122:160-162.

 Peer, B.D. 2010. Conspecific brood parasitism by the Dickcissel.  Wilson Journal of

Ornithology 122:186-188.

Sealy, S. G., B. D. Peer, and D. Strickland.  2009.  Gray Jays accept Brown-headed

Cowbird eggs.  Wilson Journal of Ornithology 121:174-177.

Peer, B. D., S. I. Rothstein, K. S. Delaney, and R. C. Fleischer.  2007.  Defence behavior against brood parasitism is deeply rooted in mainland and island scrub- jays.  Animal Behaviour 73:55-63.

Peer, B. D., L. R. Hawkins, E. P. Steinke, P. B. Bollinger, and E. K. Bollinger.  2006.  Eastern bluebirds reject Brown-headed Cowbird eggs. Condor 108:741-745 .

Peer, B. D.  2006.  American Coot parasitism on Least Bitterns.  Wilson Journal of Ornithology 118:415-418. 

Peer, B. D.  2006.  Egg destruction and egg removal by avian brood parasites: Adaptiveness and consequences.  Auk 123:16-22.  

Rothstein, S. I., and B. D. Peer.  2005.  Conservation solutions for threatened and endangered cowbird hosts: Separating fact and fiction.  Ornithological Monographs 57:98-114.  American Ornithologists’ Union, Washington, D.C.

Peer, B. D., S. I. Rothstein, M. J. Kuehn, and R. C. Fleischer.  2005.  Host defenses against cowbird parasitism: Implications for cowbird management. Ornithological Monographs 57:84-97. American Ornithologists’ Union, Washington, D.C.

Ortega, C. P., J. F. Chace, and B. D. Peer.  2005.  Research directions and cowbird management.  Ornithological Monographs 57:1-5.

Ortega, C. P., J. F. Chace, and B. D. Peer, editors.  2005.  Management of cowbirds and their hosts: Balancing science, ethics, and mandates.  Ornithological Monographs 57. American Ornithologists’ Union, Washington, D.C.

Peer, B. D., S. I. Rothstein, and J. W. Rivers.  2005.  First record of Bronzed Cowbird parasitism on the Great-tailed Grackle.  Wilson Bulletin 117:194-196.

Peer, B. D., and S. G. Sealy.  2004.  Fate of grackle defenses in the absence of brood parasitism: Implications for long-term brood parasite-host coevolution.  Auk 121:
1172-1186.

Peer, B. D., and S. G. Sealy.  2004.  Correlates of egg rejection in hosts of the Brown-headed Cowbird.  Condor 106:580-599.

Peer, B. D., H. J. Homan, and G. M. Linz.  2003.  Impact of blackbird damage to sunflower:

Bioenergetic and economic models.  Ecological Applications 13:248-256.

Graduate Student Research: 

Virginia Abernathy - Mechanisms of avian egg recognition

Megan Wright - Adaptive significance of tail-flagging by White-tailed Deer

Laura Hubbard – Roadside nesting ecology of grassland birds

Allison Treadway – Roadside ecology of small mammals

Brooke Bryant – Avian brood parasitism

Rebecca Arns – Avian brood parasitism