7
Prairie WINTER 2026
SHUTTERSTOCK
recent paper coauthored with TCNJ
students, he revealed how Carolina
chickadees display different molting
patterns in areas with human activity.
And it was through teaching an avian
biology course that he first became
interested in bird-watching himself.
Over the years, he's had students
conduct surveys of bird populations
on campus as a way to introduce field
sampling techniques and wildlife
conservation. When Butler heard
about the bird-a-thon, he thought it
could be fun if TCNJ fielded a team.
"I knew some students who enjoyed
birding as a personal pursuit," he says.
"And I thought they might like the
college spirit aspect of being on a team
together."
BALD EAGLE
PROTHONOTARY WARBLER
The students traipsed across
meadows and through
swamps in search of their
elusive winged quarry.
