Assistant Professor
- BSc. (University of Guelph)
- MSc. (York University)
- Ph.D. (Tulane University)
Office: LHS D235
Phone: 1-705-748-1011 ext 7361
Email: maggiemacpherson@trentu.ca
Research Interests
- Ornithology
- Avian Ecology & Evolution
- Migration Ecology & Evolution
I study spatial dynamics in birds. My research tests hypotheses explaining range dynamics at short (seasonal), medium (last century), and long (macroevolutionary) time scales. I integrate data from natural history collections and field work to test hypotheses explaining (1) differences in migratory compared to sedentary life histories (seasonal), (2) how the mechanisms of global change impact range dynamics (last century), and (3) the evolution of migratory versus sedentary lineages (macroevolution). I study how various mechanisms affect animal distributions using phylogenetic tools for comparative biology and spatial modelling tools for predicting distributions under global change.
Teaching List
- Ornithology
- Conservation Biology
Selected Publications
MacPherson et al. 2025. An introduction to predictive distribution modelling for conservation to encourage novel perspectives. Animal Biodiversity and Conservation.
MacPherson et al., 2024. A modified co-production framework for improved cross-border collaboration in sustainable forest management and conservation of forest bird populations. The Forestry Chronicle.
MacPherson et al., 2022. Morphology of migration: associations between wing shape, bill morphology and migration in kingbirds (Tyrannus). Biological Journal of the Linnean Society.
MacPherson et al. 2021. A trophic niche shift in a South American migrant: Stable nitrogen isotope signatures in feathers of Fork-tailed Flycatchers (Tyrannus savana). The Wilson Journal of Ornithology.
MacPherson et al. 2018. A review of Bayesian believe network models as decision-support tools for wetland conservation: Are water birds potential umbrella taxa? Biological Conservation.
MacPherson et al. 2018. Follow the rain? Environmental drivers of Tyrannus migration across the New World. The Auk: Ornithological Advances.
Stanley*, MacPherson* et al. 2012. Repeat tracking of individual songbirds reveals consistent migration timing but flexibility in route. PLOS One. *These authors contributed equally to the work.
Information for Prospective Students
Students with a keen interest in ornithology and/or animal migration are encouraged to reach out! I train students to master data collection skills (finding birds, audio recording, trapping, tagging, blood sampling, monitoring etc.), data collection, data organization and data analysis. I specialize in training students how to organize their thoughts to write for a scientific audience, and present their research to layperson and professional audiences. I also train students how to use R and develop code to run analyses requiring high computational demands (i.e., on institutional clusters or Compute Canada). My forte for training students is in both temperate and tropical terrestrial field ornithology, museum ornithology, predictive distribution modeling, and Bayesian network analyses.
