Professor
Department of Biology

Boise State University

Academic Degrees

B.S., Colorado State University, 1982

M.S., Eastern Kentucky University, 1987

Ph.D., Clemson University, 1992

Recent Teaching      

BIOL 100 Concepts of Biology

BIOL 433/533 Behavioral Ecology

BIOL 434/534 Animal Behavior

BIOL 503 Advanced Biometry

BIOL 497/597 Basic and Applied Statistics

BIOL 505 Applied Raptor Biology

BIOL 562 Advanced Topics in Animal Behavior

BIOL 598 Graduate Seminar

Current Research Interests

Much of my research focuses on understanding factors that drive natal dispersal in birds. These factors may be external (e.g., population density, food availability, parental and sibling aggression) or internal (e.g., maturation, hormones, body condition). Dr. Al Dufty and I have investigated a model that predicts dispersal in young screech-owls is mediated by increases in the adrenocorticoid hormone, corticosterone, which is stimulated by either internal or external factors.  I also have current projects related to the population biology, behavioral ecology, and conservation of burrowing owls, movement biology and physiology of house finches, and effects of habitat changes on shrub-steppe passerines.

Recent Publications

Herting, B.L. and J.R. Belthoff. Exogenous testosterone and season affect song characteristics of male western screech-owls.  Hormones and Behavior: in review.

Hering, B.L, J.R. Belthoff, and A.M. Dufty, Jr. Seasonal variation in testosterone-induced territorial aggression in male western screech-owls.  Animal Behaviour: in review.

Belthoff, J.R. and B.W. Smith.  Patterns of artificial burrow occupancy and reuse by burrowing owls in Idaho.  Wildlife Society Bulletin: in review.

Belthoff, J.R. and R.A. King.  2002. Nest-site characteristics of burrowing owls in the Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area, Idaho.  Western North American Naturalist: in press.  

Herting, B.L. and J.R. Belthoff.  2001. The bounce and double trill songs of male and female western screech-owls: characterization and usefulness for classification of sex.  Auk 118:1095-1101.

Smith, B.W. and J.R. Belthoff. 2001. Identification of ectoparasites on burrowing owls in southwestern Idaho. Journal of Raptor Research 35:159-161.

Smith. B.W. and J.R. Belthoff. 2001. Burrowing owls and development: results of short-distance nest relocations to avoid construction impacts. Journal of Raptor Research 35:385-391.

Smith, B.W. and J.R. Belthoff. 2001. Effects of chamber size and tunnel diameter on nest-site selection in burrowing owls: results of experiments using artificial burrows. Journal of Wildlife Management: 65:318-326.

King, R.A. and J.R. Belthoff. 2001. Post-fledging dispersal of burrowing owls in southwestern Idaho: characterization of movements and use of satellite burrows. Condor 103:118-126.

Dufty, A.M., Jr. and J.R. Belthoff. 2000. Proximate mechanisms of dispersal: the role of hormones and body condition.  Pages 217-229 in “Dispersal,” J. Clobert, E. Danchin, A. Dhondt, and J.D. Nichols [eds.]. Oxford Univ. Press, London

Ferriere, R., J.R. Belthoff, I. Olivieri, and S. Krackow. 2000. Evolving dispersal: where to go next? Trends in Ecology and Evolution 15:5-7.

Ellsworth, E.A. and J.R. Belthoff. 1999. Effects of social status on the dispersal behaviour of juvenile western screech-owls. Animal Behaviour 57:883-892.

Able, K.P. and J.R. Belthoff. 1998. Rapid “evolution” of migratory behaviour in the introduced house finch of eastern North America. Proceedings of the Royal Society, London, Series B 265:2063-2071.

Belthoff, J.R., L.R. Powers, and T.D. Reynolds. 1998. Breeding birds at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory, 1985 - 1991. Great Basin Naturalist 58:167-183.

Belthoff, J.R. and A.M. Dufty, Jr. 1998. Corticosterone, body condition, and locomotor activity: a model for dispersal in screech-owls. Animal Behaviour 55:405-415.

Click HERE for a list of Current and Former Graduate Students

Potential Student Projects

I interact both with graduate and undergraduate students in a research capacity.  I serve as major professor for students pursuing M.S. degrees in our Raptor Biology Program and in our General Biology M.S. program.  My students in the raptor biology program typically study the biology of small owls, while students in the general biology program study the biology of various species other birds.  I am interested in projects that examine the ecology, evolution, and physiology of dispersal and migration in birds, conservation and biology of owls and other birds, and the relationship between hormones and behavior.