Unearthing passion: Professor Nancy Seefelt's journey in avian studies
For Professor Nancy Seefelt, ornithology, the scientific study of birds, is a passion that extends beyond her professional career.
Her interest in ornithology can be traced back to her time as a student at Central Michigan University.
Growing up in Detroit, Seefelt’s fascination and passion for biology was born.
“I was always one of those kids, even suburban Detroit, outside playing in the dirt and looking at all the things I could find," she said. "Birds, things, wherever they are."
This early connection with the natural world, coupled with her love for science, set the stage for her eventual career choice. Yet her path to ornithology was not a straightforward one.
When deciding her future path, Seefelt said she knew she wanted to pursue a career in biology, however, she wasn’t exactly sure which specific branch she wanted to study.
Her choice to attend CMU was driven by the university’s broad biology department, a partial scholarship, and its proximity to her hometown.
During her time as an undergraduate student, Seefelt was exposed to numerous research opportunities, including working with former CMU professor, Jim Gillingham.
Seefelt said she used to help Gillingham with multiple programs at CMU’s biological station on Beaver Island. Gillingham had a banding permit which allowed him to capture birds for banding purposes. She said Gillingham would often ask for her help with capturing and banding birds. This experience rekindled her initial fascination with birds.
“When I was a kid, virtually like the one thing you couldn't catch–you could catch frogs and snakes and turtles, but you couldn't catch birds," Seefelt said. "And so that made it really fun.”
Before entering graduate school, Seefelt took on another project at the Biological Station, focusing on Warblers. Her role within the project was to observe and compare how quickly the birds foraged for food necessities during the spring and fall migration to their foraging habits during the summertime.
Seefelt said she followed two species, the Black-Throated Green Warbler and the American Redstart, and took note of how quickly they were eating and where they were eating in the forest.
This project marked her formal initiation into avian (bird) research.
Seefelt said many were surprised when she announced her interest in studying birds, given her previous work under a professor specializing in reptiles and amphibians.
“A lot of people thought I would be doing something with reptiles and amphibians," she said. "But I wanted to go someplace new away from the Biological Station since I spent so much of my undergrad there. I thought It’d be nice to do a project someplace else just to kind of get a new experience and ended up in the U.P.”
Soon after, Seefelt undertook a project involving cormorants for her doctoral degree, delving into their role within the ecosystem. However, her journey eventually led her to the realm of piping plovers – a small, endangered shore bird.
“There's three populations (of piping plovers), the Great Lakes one is the one that's endangered,” Seefelt said.
Her collaboration with plover researcher Francie Cuthbert and her team, who had been researching piping plovers exposed Seefelt to the world of plovers.
When these birds began nesting on Beaver Island, Cuthbert asked Seefelt to observe the birds on the archipelago.
Since then, Seefelt has spent over 20 years monitoring the plovers on an outer island–High Island.
This year, the recovery program recorded the largest number of breeding pairs since the program started. Seefelt said that throughout the years, the numbers of pairs have been similar: around 70 pairs. This year, however, the group recorded 80 breeding pairs which produced roughly 134 chicks.
“It's both a pleasure and an honor to get to do that because it's an endangered species and they are so incredibly adorable,” Seefelt said.
Seefelt began her career as a professor in CMU’s biology department in 1997. In the summer, Seefelt offers a course on Beaver Island. The course grants students hands-on experience in the research and care of birds on the island.
Seefelt says some of her most cherished moments as an educator are her excursions with her students.
In May of this year during the Beaver Island Birding Festival, Seefelt took a small group to High Island to observe the plovers.
“All the work I’ve done, especially stuff that I’ve done with different students," she said. "It’s really kind of neat to see that look on people’s faces when they first see it (the birds) for the first time."
Though her primary focus is birds, Seefelt’s research interests extend further. She has also spent time studying bats and plants.
“I pretty much like everything," she said. "I'm not really picky and I'm not even solely focused on birds. I really love all sorts of things…Everything's interesting to me, you know?”
Seefelt said she aspires to continue her long-term monitoring of birds such as the piping plover along with other water birds.
While she said she doesn’t particularly see herself as a role model, she strives to kindle students’ passion and inspire them to pursue their own fervor for birds and wildlife conservation.
