Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units Program:
Education, Research and Technical Assistance for Managing Our Natural Resources

Originally hailing from Southwestern Virginia, Tom received his Bachelor of Science in biology from the University of Mary Washington in 2015 and has been working for The Peregrine Fund as a field biologist since January 2017. The Peregrine Fund is a non profit organization that conserves birds of prey worldwide by preventing extinction, protecting habitat, engaging people, and addressing threats. His work with The Peregrine Fund has involved several species including the Puerto Rican sharp-shinned hawk, Puerto Rican broad-winged hawk, California condor, aplomado falcon, and golden eagle. His research interests are focused on the conservation of raptors, specifically on the sublethal effects of lead on avian scavengers. As a master's student in Dr. Mark Ford's lab at Virginia Tech, Tom will be researching the efficacy of using naturally shed eagle feathers found beneath nests, roosts, and perches to test for lead and stress hormone concentrations at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico.