Biology Department

Eric Atkinson, M. S.

Phone: 307-754-6018
Email: eric.atkinson@nwc.edu
Office: Science & Math, SM254

Teaching Responsibilities

• Biol 1000 Principles of Biology
• Biol 1010 General Biology I
• Zoo 2010 Human Anatomy and Physiology I
• Zoo 2020 Human Anatomy and Physiology II
• Molb 2210 General Microbiology
• Biol 2200 Genetics
• Biol 2395 Biological Research: A Capstone Experience

Teaching Philosophy 

If you would like to review my teaching philosophy, press here.

Research Interests

• Ecology and Conservation of Shrikes
• Raptor Ecology, especially Ferruginous Hawks, Northern Goshawks & Great Gray Owls and the migration of Northern Saw-whet Owls
• Conservation Biology
• Agroecology
• Spatial distribution of rare species, especially prairie birds and montane amphibians
• Methods for identifying species of conservation concern and conservation planning in the West
• General small scale and long term field ecology

Education & Work History

• 2010-Present, Assistant Professor of Biology, Northwest College
• 2001, 2009, Adjunct Instructor, Northwest College & Montana State University Bozeman
• 1997-2010, Freelance Ecologist & Conservation Biologist with USFS, BLM, USFWS, WCS, CERI, TNC, & others
• 1996-1997, Research Biologist, Hawk Mountain Sanctuary
• 1993-1995, Research Biologist, Raptor Research Center, Boise, ID
• 1991-1992, Instructor of Biology, Chemeketa Community College, Salem, OR
• MS, Raptor Biology, Boise State University 1991
• BS, Zoology, Oregon State University, 1987

Publications

• ATKINSON, E.C. and B.L. BROCK (in press) How to Determine Appropriate Focal Species: Selecting Focal Species for a Comprehensive Conservation Umbrella. in Shaping the Future: Conservation Planning from the bottom up a practical guide to tools and techniques for the twenty-first century, by the Craighead Center for Landscape Conservation F.L. Craighead and C. Convis, eds.
• ATKINSON, E.C. 2009. “Farming in the Land of Cloudless Day”. Farming Magazine 9(2) Num 34:28-31. PDF
• ATKINSON, E.C. 2008. “The Crick Field”. Farming Magazine 8(4) Num 32:61. PDF
• BROCK, B.L., E.C. ATKINSON, C. GROVES, A. TOIVOLA, T. OLENICKI, AND L. CRAIGHEAD. 2006. A wildlife conservation assessment of the Madison Valley, Montana. Wildlife Conservation Society, Greater Yellowstone Program, Bozeman, MT. 152 pp. + Appendices.
• ATKINSON, E.C. and C. GROVES. 2006. Wildlife and Their Habitats in the Madison Valley. A pamphlet designed for the private landowner. Wildlife Conservation Society, Bozeman, MT. 12 pp.
• PENTEL, J. AND E.C. ATKINSON. 2003. Birding, Montana, United States, Fat Birder.com. web
• CADE, T.J. and E.C. ATKINSON. 2002. Northern Shrike (Lanius excubitor). The Birds of North America, No. 671 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA. web
• HOLT, D.W., W.D. NORTON, AND E.C. ATKINSON. 2001. Breeding season food habits of Burrowing Owls in south-central Montana. Intermountain Journal of Sciences. 7:63-69.
• ATKINSON, E.C. 2000. Conserving the Burrowing Owl. Defenders of Wildlife, Missoula, MT. web publication.
• ATKINSON, E.C. 2000. The “Priest of the Prairie”-Burrowing Owls on the face of Montana. Big Sky Wildcare Newsletter, Spring-Summer 2000. Rehab Revelations 15:1&6.
• ATKINSON, E.C. 1998. Book Review: Shrikes: A Guide to the Shrikes of the World. N. Lefranc and T. Worfolk. Yale University Press, New Haven, CT. Quarterly Review of Biology 73:364.
• ATKINSON, E.C. 1997. A Brief History of Bird Banding at Hawk Mountain Sanctuary. web publication
• HAWK MOUNTAIN SANCTUARY ASSOCIATION. 1997. Nestboxes for American Kestrels. 8pp. PDF
• ATKINSON, E.C. 1997. Singing for your supper; acoustical luring of avian prey by Northern Shrikes. Condor 99:204-206.
• ATKINSON, E.C., L.J. GOODRICH, and K.L. BILDSTEIN. 1997. A temporal field guide to autumn raptor migration at Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania Birds 10:134-137.
• GROVES, C., T., FREDERICK, G. FREDERICK, E.C. ATKINSON, M. L. ATKINSON, J. SHEPHERD, and G. SERVHEEN. 1997. Distribution, density, and habitat of flammulated owls in Idaho. Great Basin Nat. 57:116-123.
• ATKINSON, E.C. 1995. Northern Shrikes (Lanius excubitor) wintering in North America; a Christmas Bird Count analysis of trends, cycles, and interspecific interactions. Pages in R. Yosef and F. Lohrer (eds.) Shrikes of the World, Proc. of the First International Shrike Symposium. Proc. Western Foundation Vertebrate Zoology 6:39-44.
• REICHEL, J.D. and E.C. ATKINSON. 1995. Buteo regalis, Ferruginous Hawk in NatureServe. 2010. NatureServe Explorer: An online encyclopedia of life [web application]. Version 7.1. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. web
• ATKINSON, E.C. 1993. Winter territories and night roosts of Northern Shrikes in Idaho. Condor 95:515-527.
• ATKINSON, E.C. and T.J. CADE. 1993. Winter foraging and diet composition of Northern Shrikes in Idaho. Condor 95:528-535.
• Further reports (grey literature) can be reviewed within my curriculum vitae.