Amy Scarpignato is a research technician at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute’s Migratory Bird Center, which is dedicated to understanding, conserving and championing the grand phenomenon of bird migration. In keeping with these goals, Scarpignato is mapping the Bird Banding Laboratory’s database of band recoveries, which includes more than 5 million recoveries spanning 100 years. This information, along with the tracking data for all avian species in North America, will be synthesized and compiled into the Atlas of Migratory Connectivity for North American species. Scarpignato also heads the black-crowned night heron study, which tracks herons breeding at the Smithsonian's National Zoo’s bird house.
Scarpignato's projects include:
- Atlas of Migratory Connectivity for the species of North America
- Migratory Connectivity Project
- Tracking black-crowned night herons breeding at the Smithsonian's National Zoo
Scarpignato, A.L., A.L. Harrison, D.J. Newstead, L.J. Niles, R.R. Porter, M. van den Tillaart, P.P. Marra. Field-testing a new miniaturized GPS-Argos satellite transmitter (3.5g) on migratory shorebirds. Wader Study. 123:240-246.
Culp, L.A., E.B. Cohen, A.L. Scarpignato, W. Thogmartin, P.P. Marra. Full annual cycle climate change vulnerability assessment for migratory birds. Ecosphere. 8 (3).
Rushing, C.S., T.B. Ryder, A.L. Scarpignato, J.F. Sarocco, P.P Marra. Using demographic attributes from long-term monitoring data to delineate natural population structure. Journal of Applied Ecology. 53:491-500.