About
                                                   
                                                
                                                
                                                   
                                                   My teaching interests focus on community ecology and wildlife management. I teach
                                                      many of the -ology classes with focus on taxonomy, natural history, and use/development
                                                      of our natural history collection. I also developed a course in Fire Ecology, which
                                                      includes a prescribed burn of a restored native grassland at 福利导在线观看's
                                                      Selu Conservancy.
                                                   
                                                   I am the faculty advisor for the 福利导在线观看 Student Chapter of The Wildlife
                                                      Society (follow us on Facebook!) and for students with an interest in veterinary medicine. I also curate the natural history collection in the Biology Department. 
                                                   
                                                   My research interests are broad, encompassing many aspects of vertebrate ecology and
                                                      habitat management. Recent projects and publications have focused on the effects of
                                                      White-nose Syndrome on bat communities in the eastern United States and the status
                                                      of Allegheny woodrats in Virginia. We have taken a turn to examining ectoparasites
                                                      (bot flies and fleas) in woodrats in recent years. This summer work with bats and
                                                      woodrats welcomes a small crew of 3-5, completing research across western Virginia.
                                                   
                                                   On campus, we have been documenting bird-window collisions since 2018, and recently
                                                      published our 8th article with student authors. The bird-window collision research
                                                      continues to welcome 8-10 students a semester, each student collaboratively collecting
                                                      data and developing independent research questions based on our growing dataset.
                                                   
                                                   Publications from 2019 to present are listed below, many with student co-authors (indicated
                                                      by *). 
                                                   
                                                   
                                                      
                                                      - Powers, K.E., W.W. Sadler*, A.J. Carter-Martin*, G.C. Smith*, G.W. Tieskotter*, K.E.
                                                         Wheeler*, M.T. Close, S. O鈥橞rien, P.B. Klimov, A.D. Sweet, S.A. Smith, and J. K. Lau.
                                                         2025. Investigating the demography and parasites of spring-migrating cedar waxwings
                                                         (Bombycilla cedrorum) in Virginia after a single-day mortality event. Virginia Journal of Science 76(1):Article1. doi: 10.25778/G4Y5-3P93. Available at: https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/vjs/vol76/iss1/1
 
                                                      
                                                      - Smith, G.C.*, G.W. Tieskotter*, and K.E. Powers. 2025. Uncommon rectrices color in
                                                         cedar waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) from a single-day mortality event in Virginia. Banisteria 59:N6-9.
 
                                                      
                                                      - Powers, K.E., E.H. Olsen-Hodges, S. O鈥橞rien, S.A. Smith, J.K. Lau, L.G. Dailey*, B.A.
                                                         Plowman*, T.K. Harmon*, R.R. Sheehy, M.T. Close, and K.E. Wheeler*. 2025. Mass mortality
                                                         in migrating American robins (Turdus migratorius) in Virginia, USA: Data beyond a diagnosis. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 61(3):619-627. doi: 10.7589/JWD-D-24-00148
 
                                                      
                                                      - Viers, W.J.*, K.J. Earls*, K.E. Powers, and R.J. Reynolds. 2025. Contributions to
                                                         eBird and iNaturalist county records in western Virginia: The hidden value of game
                                                         camera incidentals. Banisteria 59:82-91.
 
                                                      
                                                      - Stefaniak, K.R., L. Kellogg, M.T. Close, and K.E. Powers. 2025. Chemical composition
                                                         of secretions from facial glands of captive hoary bat (Lasiurus cinereus) in Virginia. Journal of Chemical Ecology 51:42. doi: 10.1007/s10886-025-01593-3
 
                                                      
                                                      - Powers, K.E., and M.E. Beckner. 2025. First reported case of whole-body melanistic
                                                         woodchuck (Marmota monax[L., 1758]) in Virginia. Banisteria 59:N1-5.
 
                                                      
                                                      - Powers, K.E., M.H. Cavanagh*, L.G. Walker*, S.D. Elsen*, A.T. Struthers*, and L.K.
                                                         Page.  Prevalence of raccoon roundworm (Baylisascaris procyonis) in habitat associated with Allegheny woodrats (Neotoma magister) in western Virginia, USA, 2022-24. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 61(1):229-233.
 
                                                      
                                                      - Powers, K.E., M.E. Beckner, and N.D. Moncrief. 2024. Cases of unusual melanism in Sciurus niger  (1758) from Virginia. Banisteria 58:29-34.
 
                                                      
                                                      - Powers, K.E., W.M. Ford, R.J. Reynolds, W.D. Orndorff, D.E. Yates, and T.E. Malabad.
                                                         2024. Reproductive trends in little brown bats before and after the onset of White-nose
                                                         Syndrome in Virginia. Journal of the North American Bat Research 2(No. 6):1-12.
 
                                                      
                                                      - Powers, K.E., N.I. Harris III*, R.R. Sheehy, J.N. McLaughlin*, and C.J. Small. 2024.
                                                         Microhabitat preferences and genetic confirmation of Plethodon jacksoni in karst sinkholes in western Virginia. Northeastern Naturalist 31(3):271-282.
 
                                                      
                                                      - Lau, J.K., J. Koger*, R.R. Sheehy, S. Foltz, and K.E. Powers. 2024. First record of
                                                         red-legged grasshopper-mite interaction in southwest Virginia. Banisteria 58:N4-12.
 
                                                      
                                                      - De La Cruz, J.L., R.J. Reynolds, W. Orndorff, T. Malabad, K. Kosi膷 Ficco, K.E. Powers,
                                                         and W.M. Ford. 2024. Seasonal activity patterns of northern long-eared bats at hibernacula
                                                         in western Virginia. Journal of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies 11:196鈥205.
 
                                                      
                                                      - Powers, K.E., R.P. Eckerlin, R.R. Sheehy, and R.J. Reynolds. 2024. A range-wide ectoparasite
                                                         survey for Allegheny woodrats (Neotoma magister). Journal of Parasitology 110(2):179-185.
 
                                                      
                                                      - Groseclose, R.L., M.T. Close, K.E. Powers, R.R. Sheehy, and F.W. Taylor. 2023. Field
                                                         note: Eurycea wilderae (Blue Ridge two-lined salamander). Catesbeiana 43(2):130-131.
 
                                                      
                                                      - Beckner, M.E., K.E. Powers, and L.E. Dodd. 2023. Attempted predation of live-captured
                                                         Neotoma magister (Allegheny woodrat) by Strix varia (barred owl) and Buteo jamaicensis (red-tailed hawk) in Kentucky. Northeastern Naturalist 30(3):N48-N53.
 
                                                      
                                                      - Powers, K.E., and K.M. Gorman. 2023. Unusual pelage pigmentation in Peromyscus maniculatus (Wagner, 1845) in Smyth County, Virginia. Banisteria 57:N1-N4.
 
                                                      
                                                      - Taylor, H., K.E. Powers, W.D. Orndorff, R.J. Reynolds, E.M. Hallerman, and W.M. Ford.
                                                         Sources of yearly variation of gray bat activity in the Clinch River watershed, Virginia.
                                                         Journal of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies 10:107-113.
 
                                                      
                                                      - Powers, K.E, E.D. Thorne, L.R. Platt*, K.M. Nelson Anderson*, L.M. Van Meter*, C.M.
                                                         Wozniak*, R.J. Reynolds, and W.M. Ford. 2023. Activity patterns of Allegheny woodrats
                                                         (Neotoma magister) and two potential competitors in Virginia. Northeastern Naturalist 30(1):41-58.
 
                                                      
                                                      - Thorne, E.D., K.E. Powers, R.J. Reynolds, M.E. Beckner*, K.A. Ellis*, and W.M. Ford.
                                                         2022. Comparison of survey methods to maximize detection of a declining rodent, the Allegheny
                                                         woodrat (Neotoma magister), in Virginia. Journal of Fish and Wildlife Management 13(2):396-406. https://doi.org/10.3996/JFWM-21-037
 
                                                      
                                                      - Lancaster, S.L.*, R.E.Salen*, E.H. Olsen-Hodges*, S.R. Simon*, and K.E. Powers. 2022.
                                                         Techniques and trends in aging carcasses of bird-wind collisions in the New River
                                                         Valley. Banisteria 56:18-24.
 
                                                      
                                                      - Powers, K.E., R. Sheehy, M. Close, and B. Crawford*. 2022. Field note: Plestiodon fasciatus (Five-lined skink). Catesbeiana 42(1):33-34.
 
                                                      
                                                      - Powers, K.E., D.M. Clore*, G.M. Davidson*, and R.C. Harris. 2022. A bird's-eye view:
                                                         Novel use of drone images to quantify differences in altitudinal reflections in bird-window
                                                         collision studies. American Midland Naturalist 187:51-61.
 
                                                      
                                                      - Powers, K.E., L.A. Burroughs*, N.I. Harris III*, and R.C. Harris. 2021. Biases in
                                                         bird-window collisions: A focus on scavengers and observer detection rates. Southeastern Naturalist 20(2):293-307.
 
                                                      
                                                      - Powers, K.E., T.H.D. Marshall*, L.M. Van Meter*, R.R. Sheehy, and S. Garvin. 2020.
                                                         Parasite loads and aging techniques assess the condition of a bobcat (Lynx rufus) kitten in Virginia. Banisteria 54:N14-N22.
 
                                                      
                                                      - Powers, K.E., M.T. Mengak, R.R. Sheehy, W.M. Ford, and R.J. Reynolds. 2020. Bot fly
                                                         parasitism of Allegheny woodrats (Neotoma magister) in Virginia. American Midland Naturalist 184:62-72.
 
                                                      
                                                      - Powers, K.E., J.E. Raymond, K.L. Titus*, H.N. Custer*, S. Brandes*, and J.S. Lucas.
                                                         2020. Assessment of small Indian mongoose diet on St. John, USVI, using stable isotope
                                                         analyses. Caribbean Naturalist 73:1-14.
 
                                                      
                                                      - Powers, K.E., M.S. Dimas*, A.I. Leon*, and L.M. Vanmeter*. 2020. Observed predation of Neotoma magister (Allegheny woodrat) by Strix varia (barred owl) in Virginia. Northeastern Naturalist 27(1):N1-N5.
 
                                                      
                                                      - Allen, E.T.*, K.E. Powers, C.J. Small, and T.F. Wielboldt. 2020. County additions
                                                         to the Virginia flora vouchered at the 福利导在线观看 Herbarium. Castanea 85(1):14-22.
 
                                                      
                                                      - Powers, K.E., L.A. Burroughs*, B.M. Mullen*, H.C. Reed*, and Z.Q. Krajcirovic*. 2019. Investigating campus features that influence bird-window collisions at 福利导在线观看,
                                                         Virginia. Banisteria 53:11-21.
 
                                                      
                                                      - Paniagua-Ugarte, C.Y.*, K.E. Powers, and R.R. Sheehy. 2019. Using DNA barcoding to
                                                         identify carcasses from bird-window collisions at 福利导在线观看. Banisteria 53:22-26.
 
                                                      
                                                      - Muthersbaugh, M., A. Silvis, K.E. Powers, W.M. Ford. 2019. Activity patterns of cave-dwelling
                                                         bat species during pre-hibernation swarming and post-hibernation emergence in the
                                                         central Appalachians. Diversity 11:159.
 
                                                      
                                                      - Muthersbaugh, M., W.M. Ford, K.E. Powers, and A. Silvis. 2019. Activity patterns in
                                                         regional and long-distance migrant bat species during the fall and spring along ridgelines
                                                         in the central Appalachians. Journal of Fish and Wildlife Management 10(1):180-195.
 
                                                      
                                                      - Orndorff, W.D., T. Messina, T. Malabad, K. Kosi膷 Ficco, R.J. Reynolds, and K.E. Powers.
                                                         2019. Monitoring bat activity levels: Examples from summer gray bat (Myotis grisescens) roosts in Virginia. Pages 150鈥157 in 2019 National Cave and Karst Management Symposium Proceedings. National Speleological Society, Bristol, Virginia.
 
                                                      
                                                   
                                                   Students interested in independent research (BIOL 488/491) or internship (BIOL 495)
                                                      credits throughout the year (including summer months) are welcome to contact me to
                                                      participate in on-going  projects. **Special consideration will be given to those
                                                      active in the 福利导在线观看 Student Chapter of The Wildlife Society.
                                                   
                                                   Inquiries from regional researchers interested in developing field projects with vertebrate
                                                      communities also are encouraged.