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Media

Episode 1 - Into the Brush
06:43
Episode 2 - Flight of the Prairie Falcons
05:50
Episode 3 - The Search for Golden Eagles
05:57

A crew of undergraduate videographers joined the Quantitative Conservation Lab and the Heath Lab in the field to create the following documentary series showcasing some of the current research on raptors and their prey

Publications

See Google Scholar Page 

Students shown with *​

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  1. Ravecca, Eden S.*, Todd E. Katzner, Trevor Caughlin, Steve Alsup, Kevin S. Warner, Matthew J. Stuber, John D.J. Clare, Jennyffer Cruz. In Review. State-space Modeling of High-Resolution GPS Data Reveals Conserved Movement-State Dynamics but Flexible Activity Budgets of Breeding Prairie Falcons (Falco mexicanus). Journal of Raptor Research.

  2. Bontrager, David Roman*, Jennifer D. McCabe, Paul W. Juergens, Brian D. Mutch, Catherine Isaak*, and Jennyffer Cruz. In Review. Assessing impacts of two generalist owl species on endangered Aplomado Falcons in encroached grasslands. Ecology and Evolution

  3. Corsini, Michela, Chiara Paniccia, Jose Hernandez, Jennyffer Cruz. In Review. Fox squirrels alert and flight initiation distances shift across urban green areas. Journal of Urban Ecology.

  4. Perrig, Paula Leticia, John Clare, Zoe Amelia Bonerbo*, Leticia Camacho*, Jennyffer Cruz. In Press. Black-tailed jackrabbit abundance is closely linked to shrub cover in degraded sagebrush ecosystems. Journal of Mammalogy.

  5. Fuller, Kirsten*, Gavin Jones, Miranda Terwilliger, Dana Reid, Jennyffer Cruz. In Press. Integrating callback and acoustic surveys to determine drivers of canyon use by Mexican Spotted Owls at Grand Canyon National Park. Journal of Raptor Research.

  6. Baker, Andrew*, Zoe Amelia Bonerbo*, Jennyffer Cruz. In Press. Photographic evidence of American Barn Owl agonistic behavior causing a Prairie Falcon nest failure. Journal of Raptor Research. https://doi.org/10.3356/jrr26005

  7. Taylor, Jessica M.*, Julie A. Heath, Jennyffer Cruz, Jesse L. Watson, and M. David Oleyar. 2026. Nesting in urban areas affects Falco sparverius (American Kestrel) home range size and adult female health. Ornithological Applications 128(2):1-10. https://doi.org/10.1093/ornithapp/duag025

  8. Santiago, Ashley*, Jennyffer Cruz, Donna M. Delparte; Michael N. Kochert; Karen Steenhof; Joseph M. Weldon; Julie A. Heath. 2026. Landscape Changes and Declines in Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) Territory Occupancy in Southwestern Idaho. Ornithological Applications 128(1):1-10. https://doi.org/10.1093/ornithapp/duaf054

  9. Barber, Cristina*, Jennyffer Cruz, Sarah J. Graves, Stephanie A. Bohlman, Pieter A. Zuidema, Gregory P. Asner, Aaron Carignan, Vicente Vasquez, Jodi Brandt, T. Trevor Caughlin 2025. Large, isolated trees have higher mortality than smaller trees in forest fragments across a tropical pastoral landscape Ecological Applications 35(4):e70046. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/eap.70046

  10. Gustafson, Michaela*, Jennifer D. McCabe, Brian W. Rolek, Travis L. Booms, Michael T. Henderson*, Leah Dunn, David L. Anderson, and Jennyffer Cruz. 2025. “Gyrfalcon Prey Abundance and Their Habitat Associations in a Changing Arctic.” Ecology and Evolution 15 (1): e70763. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.70763

  11. Zaiats, Andrii*, T. Trevor Caughlin, Jennyffer Cruz, David S. Pilliod, Megan E. Cattau, Rongsong Liu, Richard Rachman*, Maisha Maliha*, Donna Delparte, and John D. J. Clare. 2024. “Propagating Observation Errors to Enable Scalable and Rigorous Enumeration of Plant Population Abundance with Aerial Imagery.” Methods in Ecology and Evolution 15 (11): 2074-2086. https://doi.org/10.1111/2041-210X.14421

  12. Bontrager, David Roman*, Jennifer D. McCabe, Paul W. Juergens, Brian D. Mutch, and Jennyffer Cruz. 2023. “Using Camera Traps to Inform Reintroduction Success and Recovery of the Northern Aplomado Falcon (Falco Femoralis Septentrionalis).” Food Webs 37: e00314. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fooweb.2023.e00314

  13. Cruz, Jennyffer, Steve Windels, Wayne Thogmartin, Shawn Crimmins, and Benjamin Zuckerberg. 2023. “Survival of Common Loon Chicks Appears Unaffected by Bald Eagle Recovery in Northern Minnesota.” Avian Conservation and Ecology 18 (1): 7. https://doi.org/10.5751/ACE-02395-180107

  14. Orrock, John L., Lars A. Brudvig, Ellen I. Damschen, W. Brett Mattingly, Jennyffer Cruz, Joseph W. Veldman, Philip G. Hahn, and Angela L. Larsen-Gray. 2023. “Long-Term, Large-Scale Experiment Reveals the Effects of Seed Limitation, Climate, and Anthropogenic Disturbance on Restoration of Plant Communities in a Biodiversity Hotspot.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 120 (7): e2201943119. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2201943119

  15. Sauer, Erin L., Jennyffer Cruz, Erin Crone, Catherine Lewis, Ethan Plumier, Blake Cwynar, David Drake, Bradley M. Herrick, and Daniel L. Preston. 2022. “Multiscale Drivers of Amphibian Community Occupancy in Urban Ponds.” Urban Ecosystems 25 (5): 1469–79. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11252-022-01239-2

  16. Brown, Peter R., Steve Henry, Roger P. Pech, Jennyffer Cruz, Lyn A. Hinds, Nikki Van De Weyer, Peter Caley, and Wendy A. Ruscoe. 2022. “It’s a Trap: Effective Methods for Monitoring House Mouse Populations in Grain-Growing Regions of South-Eastern Australia.” Wildlife Research 49 (4): 347–59. https://doi.org/10.1071/WR21076

  17. Perrig, Paula L.*, Sergio A. Lambertucci, Jennyffer Cruz, Pablo A.E. Alarcón, Pablo I. Plaza, Arthur D. Middleton, Guillermo Blanco, José A. Sánchez-Zapata, José A. Donázar, and Jonathan N. Pauli. 2020. “Identifying Conservation Priority Areas for the Andean Condor in Southern South America.” Biological Conservation 243:108494. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2020.108494

  18. Shipley, Amy A. *, Jennyffer Cruz, and Benjamin Zuckerberg. 2020. “Personality Differences in the Selection of Dynamic Refugia Have Demographic Consequences for a Winter-Adapted Bird.” Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 287 (1934): 20200609. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2020.0609

  19. Cruz, Jennyffer, Steve K. Windels, Wayne E. Thogmartin, Shawn M. Crimmins, Leland H. Grim, James H. Larson, and Benjamin Zuckerberg. 2019. “Top‐down Effects of Repatriating Bald Eagles Hinder Jointly Recovering Competitors.” Edited by Dave Koons. Journal of Animal Ecology 88 (7): 1054–65. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2656.12990

  20. Cruz, Jennyffer, Steve K. Windels, Wayne E. Thogmartin, Shawn M. Crimmins, Leland H. Grim, and Benjamin Zuckerberg. 2018. “Managing Individual Nests Promotes Population Recovery of a Top Predator.” Edited by Richard Fuller. Journal of Applied Ecology 55 (3): 1418–29. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.13062

  21. McCabe, Jennifer D., He Yin, Jennyffer Cruz, Volker Radeloff, Anna Pidgeon, David N. Bonter, and Benjamin Zuckerberg. 2018. “Prey Abundance and Urbanization Influence the Establishment of Avian Predators in a Metropolitan Landscape.” Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 285 (1890): 20182120. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2018.2120

  22. Latham, A. David M., M. Cecilia Latham, Dan Herries, Mandy Barron, Jennyffer Cruz, Dean P. Anderson 2018. “Assessing the efficacy of aerial culling of introduced wild deer in New Zealand with analytical decomposition of predation risk.” Biological Invasions 20 (1): 251–266. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-017-1531-0

  23. Cruz, Jennyffer, Caroline Thomson, John P. Parkes, Ingrid Gruner, and David M. Forsyth. 2017. “Long-Term Impacts of an Introduced Ungulate in Native Grasslands: Himalayan Tahr (Hemitragus Jemlahicus) in New Zealand’s Southern Alps.” Biological Invasions 19 (1): 339–349. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-016-1283-2

  24. Allen, W., Jennyffer Cruz, Bruce Warburton 2017. “How decision support systems can benefit from a theory of change approach.” Environmental Management 59 (5):956-965. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-017-0839-y

  25. Latham, A. David M., M. Cecilia Latham, Dean P. Anderson, Jennyffer Cruz, Dan Herries, and Mark Hebblewhite. 2015. “The GPS Craze: Six Questions to Address before Deciding to Deploy GPS Technology on Wildlife.” New Zealand Journal of Ecology 39 (1): 143–52.

  26. Cruz, Jennyffer, Chris Woolmore, M. Cecilia Latham, A. David M. Latham, Roger P. Pech, and Dean P. Anderson. 2014. “Seasonal and Individual Variation in Selection by Feral Cats for Areas with Widespread Primary Prey and Localised Alternative Prey.” Wildlife Research 41 (8): 650. https://doi.org/10.1071/WR14234

  27. Glen, Alistair, Bruce Warburton, Jennyffer Cruz, and M. Coleman. 2014. “Comparison of Camera Traps and Kill Traps for Detecting Mammalian Predators: A Field Trial.” New Zealand Journal of Zoology 41 (3): 155–60. https://doi.org/10.1080/03014223.2014.898667

  28. Cruz, Jennyffer, Roger P. Pech, Philip J. Seddon, Simone Cleland, Dean Nelson, Mark D. Sanders, and Richard F. Maloney. 2013. “Species-Specific Responses by Ground-Nesting Charadriiformes to Invasive Predators and River Flows in the Braided Tasman River of New Zealand.” Biological Conservation 167:363–70. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2013.09.005

  29. Cruz, Jennyffer, Duncan R. Sutherland, Dean P. Anderson, Alistair S. Glen, Paul J. de Tores, and Luke K.-P. Leung. 2013. “Antipredator Responses of Koomal (Trichosurus Vulpecula Hypoleucus) against Introduced and Native Predators.” Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 67 (8): 1329–38. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00265-013-1561-2

  30. Cruz, Jennyffer, Alistair S. Glen, Roger P. Pech. 2013. “Modelling landscape-level numerical responses of predators to prey: the case of cats and rabbits.” PLoS ONE 8: e73544. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0073544

  31. Cruz, Jennyffer, Duncan R. Sutherland, and Luke K.-P. Leung. 2012. “Den Use, Home Range and Territoriality of the Koomal (Trichosurus Vulpecula Hypoleucus) with Implications for Current Forest Management Strategies.” Australian Journal of Zoology 60 (3): 141. https://doi.org/10.1071/ZO12051

  32. Cruz, Jennyffer, Duncan R. Sutherland, Gary R. Martin, and Luke K.-P. Leung. 2012. “Are Smaller Subspecies of Common Brushtail Possums More Omnivorous than Larger Ones?” Austral Ecology 37 (8): 893–902. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1442-9993.2011.02346.x

  33. Glen, Alistair S., Andrea E. Byrom, Roger P. Pech, Jennyffer Cruz, Astrid Schwab, Peter J Sweetapple, Ivor Yockney, Graham Nugent, Morgan Coleman, and Jackie Whitford. 2012. “Ecology of Brushtail Possums in a New Zealand Dryland Ecosystem.” New Zealand Journal of Ecology 36 (1): 9.

  34. de Tores, Paul J., Duncan R. Sutherland, Judy R. Clarke, Robert F. Hill, Sean W. Garretson, Lenny Bloomfield, Lauren Strümpher, Alistair S. Glen, Jennyffer Cruz. 2011. “Assessment of risks to non-target species from an encapsulated toxin in a bait proposed for control of feral cats.” Wildlife Research 38 (1): 39-50. https://doi.org/10.1071/WR10105

  35. Alistair S. Glen, A. Wayne, M. Maxwell, and Jennyffer Cruz. 2010. “Comparative Diets of the Chuditch, a Threatened Marsupial Carnivore, in the Northern and Southern Jarrah Forests, Western Australia: Comparative Diets of Chuditch.” Journal of Zoology 282 (4): 276–83. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7998.2010.00738.x

  36. Alistair S. Glen, Duncan R. Sutherland, Jennyffer Cruz. 2009. “An improved method of microhabitat assessment relevant to predation risk.” Ecological Research 25: 311-314. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11284-009-0653-y

  37. Cruz, Jennyffer, Luke K.-P. Leung, Allan Lisle, Dario F. Rivera, Linton Staples, and Michelle Smith. 2008. “Grain, Pellet and Wax Block Bait Take by the House Mouse (Mus Musculus) and Non-Target Species: Implications for Mouse Eradications on Coral Cay Islands.” Integrative Zoology 3 (3): 227–34. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1749-4877.2008.00087.x

Posters

Baker, Andrew, Zoe Bonerbo, Eden Ravecca, Kevin Myers, Kevin Warner, Zoe Duran, Megan Yrazabal, Charles Baun, and Jennyffer Cruz. 2024. "Prairie Falcon Predation Continues on Dwindling Prey Populations." Undergraduate Research Showcase 19 April 2024, Boise State University, Boise, ID, USA.

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Fuller, Kirsten, Miranda Terwilliger, and Jennyffer Cruz. 2022. "Mexican Spotted Owl Long-Term Occupancy in a Highly Visited National Park". Raptor Research Foundation Conference 4-9 Oct 2022, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA.

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Bontrager, David R., Jennifer D. McCabe, Paul W. Juergens, Brian D. Mutch, Trevor Caughlin, Clint Boal, and Jennyffer Cruz. 2022. "Determining Limitations to Northern Aplomado Falcon Nest Occupancy and Productivity in Coastal Texas." Graduate Student Showcase Feb 2022, Boise State University, Boise, ID, USA.

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Camacho, Leticia M., Jennifer Forbey, Donna Delparte, Julie Heath, and Jennyffer Cruz. 2022. "Developing Rigorous Approaches to Estimating Abundance of Black-tailed Jackrabbits in the Sagebrush Steppe." Graduate Student Showcase Feb 2022, Boise State University, Boise, ID, USA.

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Ramirez, Vanessa, Kirsten Fuller, Emily Salciccia, and Jennyffer Cruz. 2021. "Factors Affecting Acoustic Detection of Mexican Spotted Owls at Grand Canyon National Park." Raptor Research Foundation Conference 8-12 Oct 2021, Boise, ID, USA.

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Salciccia, Emily, Kirsten Fuller, Vanessa Ramirez, and Jennyffer Cruz. 2021. "Vocal Activity Patterns of Sympatric Owl Species in Grand Canyon National Park."  Raptor Research Foundation Conference 8-12 Oct 2021, Boise, ID, USA.

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Ravecca, Eden S., Todd Katzner, Trevor Caughlin, and Jennyffer Cruz. 2021. "Are Predators Able to Adapt to Landscape Changes in the Sagebrush Steppe?"  Graduate Student Showcase 22 Feb 2021, Boise State University, Boise, ID, USA.

Oral Presentations

Bontrager, David, Jennifer McCabe, Paul Juergens, Brian Mutch, Catherine Isaak, Trevor Caughlin, and Jennyffer Cruz. 2025. "Woody plant encroachment in grasslands benefits two predatory owl species, threatening recovery of endangered Aplomado Falcons". Raptor Research Foundation Conference 14-19 Oct 2025, San Jose, Costa Rica

Le Fay, Solai, David Johnson, Trevor Caughlin, Jim Belthoff, and Jennyffer Cruz. 2025. "Perennial vegetation biomass, nest phenology, and neighbor density limits the nest productivity of Western Burrowing Owls in Oregon". Raptor Research Foundation Conference 14-19 Oct 2025, San Jose, Costa Rica

Fuller, Kirsten, Miranda Terwilliger, Gavin Jones, and Jennyffer Cruz. 2025. "Estimating Mexican Spotted Owl use at Grand Canyon National Park with a multi-season, multi-method occupancy model". Raptor Research Foundation Conference 14-19 Oct 2025, San Jose, Costa Rica

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Gustafson, Michaela, Jennifer McCabe, Brian Rolek, Travis Booms, Michael Henderson, Leah Dunn, David Anderson, and Jennyffer Cruz. 2025. "Gyrfalcon prey abundance and their habitat associations in a changing Arctic". Raptor Research Foundation Conference 14-19 Oct 2025, San Jose, Costa Rica

Henderson, Michael, Travis Booms, Bryce Robinson, Devin Johnson, Julie Heath, Benjamin Zuckerberg, and Jennyffer Cruz. 2025. "Effects of heat waves and sustained precipitation on Gyrfalcon nestling survival and diet suggest limited adaptive capacity to climate change". Raptor Research Foundation Conference 14-19 Oct 2025, San Jose, Costa Rica

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Bonerbo, Zoe, Eden Ravecca, Todd Katzner, Matthew Stuber, Kevin Warner, Steve Alsup, and Jennyffer Cruz. 2025. "Behavioral variation in the home ranges and foraging areas of Prairie Falcons". Raptor Research Foundation Conference 14-19 Oct 2025, San Jose, Costa Rica

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Appleby, Christina, Donna Delparte, Alyssa Farnes, and Jennyffer Cruz. 2025. "Deep learning takes flight: detecting jackrabbits with thermal drone imagery". Idaho Chapter of The Wildlife Society Conference 17-20 March 2025, Moscow, Idaho, USA.

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Appleby, Christina, Donna Delparte, Alyssa Farnes, and Jennyffer Cruz. 2024. "Deep learning takes flight: detecting jackrabbits with thermal drone imagery". NCA Conference 7-8 Nov 2024, Boise, Idaho, USA.

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Cruz, Jennyffer, Trevor Caughlin, Zoe Bonerbo, Megan Yrazabal, Charles W. Baun, and Zoe Duran. 2024. "Where are Piute ground squirrels found during ‘bust’ years?". NCA Conference 7-8 Nov 2024, Boise, Idaho, USA.

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Bontrager, David, Jennifer McCabe, Paul Juergens, Brian Mutch, Trevor Caughlin, Clint Boal, and Jennyffer Cruz. 2023. "Limitations to the Successful Reintroduction and Recovery of the Northern Aplomado Falcon in the U.S.". International Conservation Translocation Conference 13-15 Nov 2023, Fremantle, WA, Australia.

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Ravecca, Eden, Todd Katzner, Trevor Caughlin, Steve Alsup, Matt Stuber, Kevin Warner, and Jennyffer Cruz. 2023. "Impacts of Habitat Type on Individual Prairie Falcon (Falco mexicanus) Movement and Foraging Behavior During the Breeding Season". Raptor Research Foundation Conference 17-22 Oct 2023, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.

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Camacho, Leticia, Donna Delparte, Zoe Bonerbo, Andrew Baker, and Jennyffer Cruz. 2023. "Developing Rigorous Approaches to Estimating Habitat Use of Black-tailed Jackrabbits inthe Sagebrush Steppe". Idaho Chapter of The Wildlife Society Conference 14-16 Feb 2023, Boise, Idaho, USA.

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Ravecca, Eden, Todd Katzner, Trevor Caughlin, Steve Alsup, Matt Stuber, Kevin Warner, and Jennyffer Cruz. 2023. "Breeding Prairie Falcon (Falco mexicanus) Foraging Movement and Habitat Selection in Altered Sagebrush Steppe of Southwest Idaho". Idaho Chapter of The Wildlife Society Conference 14-16 Feb 2023, Boise, Idaho, USA.

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Cruz, Jennyffer, Zoe Duran, Zoe Bonerbo, Eden Ravecca, Andrii Zaiats, and Trevor Caughlin. 2023. "Looking Back at Historical Vegetation Changes to Ensure a Resilient Future for our Wildlife". Idaho Chapter of The Wildlife Society Conference 14-16 Feb 2023, Boise, Idaho, USA.

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Camacho, Leticia, Donna Delparte, Zoe Bonerbo, Andrew Baker, and Jennyffer Cruz. 2022. "Developing Rigorous Approaches to Estimating Habitat Use of Black-tailed Jackrabbits inthe Sagebrush Steppe". NCA Conference 25-26 Oct 2022, Boise, Idaho, USA.

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Cruz, Jennyffer, Zoe Duran, Zoe Bonerbo, Eden Ravecca, Andrii Zaiats, and Trevor Caughlin. 2022. "Looking Back at Historical Vegetation Changes to Ensure a Resilient Future for our Wildlife". NCA Conference 25-26 Oct 2022, Boise, Idaho, USA.

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Ravecca, Eden, Todd Katzner, Trevor Caughlin, Steve Alsup, Matt Stuber, Kevin Warner, and Jennyffer Cruz. 2022. "Breeding Prairie Falcon (Falco mexicanus) Foraging Movement and Habitat Selection in Altered Sagebrush Steppe of Southwest Idaho". Raptor Research Foundation Conference 4-9 Oct 2022, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA.

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Bontrager, David, Jenny McCabe, Paul Juergens, Brian Mutch, Trevor Caughlin, Clint Boal, and Jennyffer Cruz. 2022. "Determining Limitations to Northern Aplomado Falcon Nest Occupancy and Productivity in Coastal Texas". Raptor Research Foundation Conference 4-9 Oct 2022, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA.

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Ravecca, Eden, Todd Katzner, Trevor Caughlin, Steve Alsup, Matt Stuber, Kevin Warner, and Jennyffer Cruz. 2021. "Nesting Prairie Falcon (Falco mexicanus) Movement Ecology: How Individual Predators Use Disturbed Landscapes in Southwest Idaho". Raptor Research Foundation Conference 8-12 Oct 2021, Boise, Idaho, USA.

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Fuller, Kirsten, Miranda Terwilliger, Gavin Jones, and Jennyffer Cruz. 2021. "Occurrence Dynamics of Mexican Spotted Owls at the Grand Canyon". Raptor Research Foundation Conference 8-12 Oct 2021, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA.

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