I received a MSc degree in Zoology from Washington State University and PhD in Systematics and Ecology from The University of Kansas. After my graduate studies I enjoyed a long and fulfilling career as a professor of environmental science and ecology at SUNY Brockport in New York State. While there, I taught courses in ornithology, herpetology, wildlife ecology, mammalogy, environmental literature, conservation biology, animal behavior, and field biology.
Over the course of my career I also carried out field work in the deserts and mountains of the American West, New York state, Alaska, Canada, and Australia. Feel free to view some of my research projects and published scientific work below.
Research &
scientific background
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Ecology of arctic and alpine systems
natural and created wetlands
birds in the northeast
aquatic species In Death Valley
Inyo mountains Salamander
From the sun-scorched canyons of the Inyo Mountains, to the rich biological landscapes of Great Lakes coastal wetlands and demanding environments of alpine and arctic tundra, explore some of my long-term research projects, below.
Featured
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I began detailed work on this species—one of only 2 among 820 +/- salamander species whose range occurs entirely within desert habitat—during my 2017-2018 sabbatical. Since then I’ve made many more research trips to the Inyo Mountains and will continue doing so—even though “that is no country for old men.”
I am fascinated by this species' ability to survive in such an arid world, its isolation and tenacity in the face of major environmental changes, including uplift of the Inyo Mountains, explosion of the Long Valley Caldera some 760,000 years ago, and the more recent post-glacial mega-drought, which lasted about 3,000 years.
In addition to my basic field work, I have collected small bits of tissue from many salamanders for a conservation genetics project, in collaboration with Dr. Elizabeth Jockusch and her graduate student, Nick Van Gilder, at the University of Connecticut, Storrs.
Inyo Mountains salamander
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Since 2010 I have conducted fieldwork on, and written and spoken about, seven taxa restricted to aquatic habitats in the Death Valley area: the Inyo Mountains salamander (Batrachoseps campi), black toad (Anaxyrus exsul), Devils Hole pupfish (Cyprinodon diabolis), Salt Creek and Cottonball Marsh pupfish (C. salinus), Owens pupfish (C. radiosus), the Ash Meadows Amargosa pupfish (C. nevadensis mionectes), and the Warm Springs pupfish (C. nevadensis pectoralis).
A major goal of my work has been to craft an argument about biodiversity's inherent right to exist - why we should work to conserve these organisms and their habitats.
In 2014 I published a book describing these organisms and my argument: Relicts of a Beautiful Sea: Survival, Extinction, and Conservation in a Desert World (see Books).
Rare aquatic species of the Death valley region
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In the Northeast (and throughout much of North America) grassland bird populations and their habitat have been declining since the 1960's. During my career at SUNY Brockport, one of my major research programs involved using data on habitat selection and breeding biology to develop management techniques for grassland birds in the region.
This work was funded by agencies such as the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. These funds helped many SUNY Brockport students gain both employment and valuable professional skills.
I supervised ten graduate students whose research involved birds in grasslands or other early-successional habitats in the Northeast. Until retiring in 2021 I was active in the New York State Grassland Bird Working Group, which helped develop a management plan for grassland birds in the state.
Birds and early successional habitats in the Northeast
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As with Northeast grasslands, wetlands in the Great Lakes region—and the wildlife they support—have been impacted by factors such as habitat loss and degradation. Consequently, several of my graduate students conducted research on wildlife use of natural and created wetlands. Much of this work occurred in coastal Lake Ontario wetlands, supported by a multi-year grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which has funded monitoring work in coastal wetlands throughout the five Great Lakes.
SUNY Brockport master thesis projects undertaken by my students included a comparative study of wildlife use of natural and created wetlands, the value of stormwater retention ponds as wildlife habitat, and the effects of anthropogenic disturbance on calling amphibian and breeding bird communities in Lake Ontario coastal wetlands. During my time at Brockport I was coauthor on six publications related to wildlife use of Great Lakes coastal wetlands.
Wildlife use of natural and created wetlands
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My first true research passion—fueled my love of mountains and tundra—involved arctic and alpine ecosystems. My MSc research at Washington State University focused on bird communities of the subalpine forest/alpine tundra ecotone of the Beartooth Mountains, while I studied the comparative breeding biology of the Harris's sparrow (Zonotrichia querula) and white-crowned sparrow (Z. leucophrys) in the Northwest Territories, Canada, as part of my doctoral program at the University of Kansas. In 2000/2001 I completed a sabbatical project on the breeding biology of Richard's pipit (Anthus novaeseelandiae) in alpine habitat in the Snowy Mountains of Australia. I also have participated in five U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service-sponsored surveys of waterfowl productivity in the Kuskokwim River Delta of Alaska, which resulted in a published paper on Sabine's gull colonies (Xema sabini).
Although the lack of arctic/alpine habitat in western New York (where I lived for thirty years) and Mississippi (which now is my home) affected my research activity in this area, I still am passionately connected to these ecosystems and the organisms they support.
ecology of
Arctic & Alpine Systems
Research News
EXPLORE PUBLISHED PIECES
Pandolfino, E. R., D. Shizuka, C. J. Norment, P. Hendricks, and R. Santonocito. 2025. Golden-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia atricapilla), version 2.0. In Birds of the World (B. K. Keeney, A. F. Poole, and F. B. Gill, eds.) Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY. (https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/gocspa/cur/introduction)
Ellis, K. P. et al. (including C. J. Norment). Phenological flexibility in nesting grassland birds over a half century informs conservation timing. (submitted to Global Change Biology)
Norment, C. J., D. A. Robinson, Jr., C. D. Moss, N. R. Van Gilder, and E. L. Jockusch. Observations on the distribution, ecology, and persistence of the Inyo Mountains salamander (Batrachoseps campi) (in revision)
Van Gilder, N. R. C. J. Norment, and E. L. Jockusch. Population genetic diversity is not structured by available riparian habitat in a desert-restricted salamander, Batrachoseps campi. (in preparation)
With retirement I’ve left most of my active research projects behind. There’s just too much to do these days, - and ! won't get into the relationship between age and efficiency . . . However, I’m still obsessed with the Inyo Mountains salamander and in most years make a pilgrimage (aka “research trip”) to their home country. My most recent trip to the Inyo Mountains was in April of 2026. Along the way we discovered three new localities (!), collected more genetic samples for analysis by the Jockusch lab at the University of Connecticut, and spent time with good friends in beautiful country.
Papers recently published, in preparation, or submitted:
Current research projects (and then there was one):
Pandolfino, E. R., D. Shizuka, C. J. Norment, P. Hendricks, and R. Santonocito. 2025. Golden-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia atricapilla), version 2.0. In Birds of the World (B. K. Keeney, A. F. Poole, and F. B. Gill, eds.) Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY. (https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/gocspa/cur/introduction)
Howe, R. W., plus additional coauthors including C. J. Norment. 2023. An index of biotic condition (IBC) using birds as indicators of coastal wetland quality in North America’s Laurentian Great Lakes. Ecological Indicators 156: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2023.111174.
Elliott, L. H., plus additional coauthors including C. J. Norment. 2023. Application of habitat models across regions: Useful explanatory power retained in wetland bird case study. Ecosphere 14:e4499. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.4499.
Norment, C. J. 2022. Distribution, ecology, morphology, and status of the Inyo Mountains salamander (Batrachoseps campi). Western North American Naturalist 82: 460-473.
De Zwaan, D. R., plus additional coauthors including C. J. Norment. 2022. GABB: A global dataset of alpine breeding birds and their ecological traits. Scientific Data 9:627. Podoliak, J.*, C. J. Norment, and K. L. Amatangelo. 2021. Increasing number of point counts influences estimates of bird and anuran species richness at the wetland scale. Wetlands Ecology and Management: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%
2Fs11273-021-09837-1
Hendricks, D. P., C. J. Norment, and J. L. Weaver. 2021. Cedar Waxwings (Bombycilla cedrorum) feeding on birch sap at Red-naped Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus nuchalis) sap wells. Northwestern Naturalist 102: 136-139.
Norment, C. J. 2021. Politics, imagination, Ideology, and the Realms of Our Possible Futures. Pp. 391-406 in Standing against Extinction: Ethics and Ecology of Conserving Aquatic Species in the American Southwest
D. Probst, J. E. Williams, K. R. Bestgen, and C. W. Hoagstrom, eds.). University of Chicago Press. Grand, J, plus 16 additional authors, including C. J. Norment. 2020. Prioritizing coastal wetlands for marsh bird conservation in the U.S. Great Lakes. Biological Conservation
249. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/
article/pii/S0006320720307667?via%3Dihub
Berend, K.*, K. Amatangelo, D. Weihrauch, and C. J. Norment. 2020.Effects of snow and temperature on the phenology of alpine snowbank plants on Mt. Washington, NH. Rhodora 122: 1-22.
Hoh, C.*, S. S. Pagano, and C. J. Norment. 2018. Spring stopover ecology and physiology of the White-throated Sparrow (Zonotichia albicollis) in western New York. Wilson Journal of Ornithology 130: 891-901.
Piecuch, S.* and C. J. Norment. 2017. Temporal changes in Henslow’s Sparrow (Ammodramus henslowii) song rates. Kingbird 67:81-89.
Tozer, D. C., Bracey, A. M., Giese, E., Niemi, J. G., Howe, R. W., Gehring, T., and Norment, C. J. 2017. Influence of broadcast timing and point count duration on marsh bird survey results. Avian Conservation and Ecology 12(2): 8: https://doi.org/10.5751/ACE-01063-120208.
Panci, H., Niemi, G., Regal, R., Tozer, D., Ghering, T., Howe, R., Norment, C. J. 2017. Influence of local- and landscape-scale habitat on Sedge and Marsh Wren occurrence in Great Lakes coastal wetlands. Wetlands 37: 447-459, doi 10.1007/s13157-017-0881-9.
Uzarski, D. G., plus additional authors, including Norment, C. J. 2016. Standardized measures of coastal wetlands condition: Implementation on a Laurentian Great Lakes Basin scale. Wetlands 37: 15-32, doi: 10.1007/s13157-016-0835-7.
Norment, C. J., J. Fischer, R. Stehn, and T. Moser. 2015. Sabine’s Gull (Xema sabini) nesting aggregations in western Alaska. Northwestern Naturalist 96: 101-106.
Mudrzynski, B. M.* and C. J. Norment. 2014. Influence of habitat structure and fruit availability on use of a northeastern stopover site by fall songbirds. Wilson Journal of Ornithology 125: 744-754.
Hudgins, R.*, C. J. Norment, and M. D. Schlessinger. 2012. Assessing detectability for monitoring rare species: a case study of the cobblestone tiger beetle (Cincidela marginipennis Dejean). Journal of Insect Conservation 16: 447-455.
Hudgins, R.*, C. J. Norment, M. D. Schlessinger, and P. G. Novak. 2011. Habitat selection and dispersal of the cobblestone tiger beetle (Cincidela marginipennis Dejean) along the Genesee River, New York. American Midland Naturalist 165: 304-314.
Norment, C. J., M. C. Runge, and M. R. Morgan*. 2010. Breeding biology of grassland birds in western New York: conservation and management implications. Avian Conservation and Ecology 5(2), 14 pages. www.ace-eco.org/issues/view.php?sf=2.
Schwingel, H.* and C. J. Norment. 2010. Use of hair tubes to detect small mammal winter activity in a northern forest habitat. Northeastern Naturalist 17: 531-540.
Norment, C. J. 2010. Killing Things. ISLE: The Interdisciplinary Studies in Literature and the Environment. 17:133-148.
Morgan, M. R.*, C. J. Norment, and M. R. Runge. 2010. Evaluation of a reproductive index for estimating reproductive success of grassland birds. Auk 127:86-93.
Norment, C. J. 2008. Harris’s Sparrow (Zonotrichia querula). 2008. Revised species account, Birds of North America Online No. 64. (A. Poole, ed.) http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/bna/species/
064/articles/introduction.
McCabe, B. J.*, I. R. Bederman, C. M. Croninger, C. A. Millward, C. J. Norment and S. F. Previs. 2006. Reproducibility of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry measurements of 2H labeling of water: Application for measuring body composition in mice. Analytical Biochemistry 350: 171-176.
Smith, S. B.* and C. J. Norment. 2005. Nocturnal activity and energetic condition of spring landbird migrants at Braddock Bay, Lake Ontario. Journal of Field Ornithology 76:304-311.
Norment, C. J. and K. Green. 2004. Breeding ecology of the Richards Pipit (Anthus novaeseelandiae) in the Snowy Mountains. Emu: Austral Ornithology 104: 327-336.
Norment, C. J. 2003. Patterns of nestling feeding in Harris’s Sparrows and White-crowned Sparrows in The Northwest Territories, Canada. Canadian Field-Naturalist 117: 203-208.
Balent, K.* and C. J. Norment. 2003. Demographic characteristics of a Grasshopper Sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum) population in a highly fragmented landscape in western New York. Journal of Field Ornithology 74:341-348.
Norment, C. J. 2002. Grassland bird conservation in the Northeast. Auk 119: 271-279.
Norment, C. J., C. A. Ardizzone*, and K. Hartman*. 1999. Habitat relations and breeding biology of grassland birds in western New York: Management Implications. Studies in Avian Biology 19: 112-121.
Ardizzone, C. A.* and C. J. Norment. 1999. Experimental analysis of nest predation: Effects of habitat and nest distribution. Studies in Avian Biology 19: 122-127.
Roberts, C. R.* and C. J. Norment. 1999. Effects of plot size and habitat characteristics on breeding success of Scarlet Tanagers. Auk 116:73-82.
Norment, C. J., A. Hall, and P. Hendricks.1999. Important bird and mammal records in the Thelon River Valley, Northwest Territories: Range expansions and possible explanations. Canadian Field-Naturalist 113: 1-11.
Norment, C. J., P. Hendricks, and R. Santonocito*. 1998. Golden-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia atricapilla). In The Birds of North America (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). Philadelphia: The Academy of Natural Sciences (20 pp.)
Jones, G.* and C. J. Norment. 1998. Absence of breeding readiness in Neotropical and long-distance migrant landbirds during spring stopover. Condor 100: 373-375.
Norment, C. J. and M. E. Fuller. 1997. Breeding season frugivory by Harris' Sparrows (Zonotrichia querula) and White-crowned Sparrows (Zonotrichia leucophrys) in a Low Arctic ecosystem. Canadian Journal of Zoology 75: 670-679
Norment, C. J. 1995. Prebasic (postnuptial) molt in free-ranging Harris' Sparrows in the Northwest Territories, Canada. Canadian Field-Naturalist 109:470-472.
Norment, C. J. 1995. Incubation patterns in Harris' Sparrows and White-crowned Sparrows in the Northwest Territories, Canada. Journal of Field Ornithology 66:553-563.
Norment, C. J. 1994. Breeding site fidelity in Harris' Sparrows in the Northwest Territories, Canada. Canadian Field-Naturalist 108:234-236.
Hendricks, D. P. and C. J. Norment. 1994. Hatchability of American Pipit eggs in the Beartooth Mountains, Wyoming. Wilson Bulletin 106: 392-399.
Norment, C. J. 1993. Nest site characteristics and nest predation in Harris' Sparrows and White-crowned Sparrows in the Northwest Territories, Canada. Auk 110: 769-777.
Norment, C. J., and S. A. Shackleton. 1993. Harris' Sparrow (Zonotrichia querula). In The Birds of North America, No. 64 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). Philadelphia: The Academy of Natural Sciences (20 pp.)
Norment, C. J. 1992. The comparative breeding biology of Harris' Sparrows and Gambel's White-crowned Sparrows in the Northwest Territories, Canada. Condor 94: 955-975.
Hendricks, P. and C. J. Norment. 1992. Effects of a severe snowstorm on alpine and subalpine populations of nesting American Pipits. Journal of Field Ornithology 63:331-338.
Norment, C. J. 1991. Bird use of forest patches in the subalpine forest-alpine tundra ecotone of the Beartooth Mountains, Wyoming. Northwest Science 65: 1-9.
Norment, C. J. 1988. The effect of nectar-thieving ants on the reproductive success of Frasera speciosa (Gentianacea). American Midland Naturalist 120:331-336.
Norment, C. J. 1987. A comparison of three methods for measuring tundra arthropod abundance and its implications in avian ecology. Northwest Science 61:191-198.
Hendricks, D. P. and C. J. Norment. 1986. Additions to the alpine avifauna of the Beartooth Mountains, Wyoming. Murrelet 67:90-92.
Norment, C. J. 1985. Observations on the annual chronology for birds in the Warden's Grove area, Thelon River, Northwest Territories, 1977-1978. Canadian Field-Naturalist 99:471-483.
Norment, C. J. 1980. Breech presentation of the fetus in a pregnant muskox. Journal of Mammalogy 61:776-777.
Douglas, C. L. and C. J. Norment. 1979. Ecology of feral burros in Death Valley National Monument. Pp. 373-383 in Proceedings of the first conference on scientific research in the National Parks. R. M. Linn, ed. US National Park Service, Washington, D. C.
Douglas, C. L. and C. J. Norment. 1977. Habitat damage by feral burros in Death Valley. Desert Bighorn Council Transactions 21:21- 25.
Norment, C. J. and C. L. Douglas. 1977. Ecological studies of feral burros in Death Valley National Monument. Coop. National Park Studies Unit, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV. 17:1-132.
Published Research
* indicates student co-author
Thank you for stopping by
One focus of my scientific research was on birds living in ecotones (the transition zones) between tundra and forests at high elevations and latitudes. I love ecological questions raised by ecotones, as well as the aesthetics of the places where I pursued my ecotone-based research (the high mountains of western North America and the Canadian Arctic). In a similar way I feel most at home intellectually in the “creative ecotone” between science and the arts.
Consequently, I pursued creative writing while also working full time as a professor of environmental science and ecology. I believe that my creative writing has been enriched by my background in scientific research and teaching, love of literature, and a lifetime spent outside.
-Christopher Norment
