Brian O’Shea

Collections Manager, Ornithology
brian.oshea@naturalsciences.org

11 West Jones Street, Raleigh, NC 27601
919-707-9935

Education

  • Ph.D. in Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, 2009
  • B.A. in Biology, Reed College, 1998

Research Interests

Brian is broadly interested in the ecology and conservation of birds, especially in the Guiana Shield of northeastern South America. His research interests include the distribution, community dynamics, and spatial ecology of birds in lowland rainforest and coastal secondary forests of Guyana and Suriname. In each of these countries, he has initiated long-term banding projects at selected field sites to address questions of territory stability, community similarity, and species turnover in the context of changing land use. He maintains strong ties with local biologists, students, and NGOs, with whom he has collaborated on several survey expeditions to remote interior localities in the Guianas. His survey work has generated a wealth of information on avian distributions in the Guianas, with a keen interest in the use of these data in conservation. As a Research Associate with Global Wildlife Conservation, Dr. O’Shea has worked extensively with the Iwokrama Centre for Rainforest Conservation and Development, Conservation International, and the Worldwide Fund for Nature.

Publications

  • Samuels, I., P. Bichier, J. Clark, T. Milleron, and B. O’Shea. 2014. Noteworthy records and range extensions from the Caura River watershed, Bolivar state, Venezuela. Cotinga 36: 28-40.
  • O’Shea, B.J., and S. Ramcharan. 2013. A rapid assessment of the avifauna of the upper Palumeu watershed, southeastern Suriname. pp. 145-160 in Alonso, L.E., and T.H. Larsen (eds.) A rapid biological assessment of the upper Palumeu River watershed (Grensgebergte and Kasikasima) of southeastern Suriname. Conservation International, Arlington VA.
  • O’Shea, B.J., L.E. Alonso, and T.H. Larsen (eds.). 2011. A rapid biological assessment of the Kwamalasamutu region, southwestern Suriname. RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment 63. Conservation International, Arlington, VA.
  • O’Shea, B.J., C.M. Milensky, S. Claramunt, B.K. Schmidt, C.A. Gebhard, C.G. Schmitt, and K.T. Erskine. 2007. New records for Guyana, with description of the voice of Roraiman Nightjar (Caprimulgus whitelyi). Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club 127: 118-128.
  • O’Shea, B.J., and O. Ottema. 2007. Environmental and social impact assessment for the proposed Bakhuis bauxite mining project. Specialist study: Ornithology. SRK Consulting, Cape Town, South Africa.
  • O’Shea, B.J. 2005. Notes on birds of the Sipaliwini savanna and other localities in southern Suriname, with six new species for the country. Ornitologia Neotropical 16:361-370.
  • Komar, O., B.J. O’Shea, A.T. Peterson, and A.G. Navarro-Siguenza. 2005. Evidence of latitudinal sexual segregation among Neotropical migratory birds wintering in Mexico. Auk 122:938-948.

Profile photo courtesy of Richard Conniff

Collections

Fields of Research