Environmental Internship Program - 2022 Booklet

BIODIVERSITY AND
CONSERVATION
PROJECT TITLE
The Carolina Wren in
Princeton, New Jersey
ORGANIZATION(S)
Riehl Lab,
Department of Ecology
and Evolutionary Biology,
Princeton University
LOCATION(S)
Princeton, New Jersey
MENTOR(S)
Christina Riehl, Associate
Professor of Ecology and
Evolutionary Biology; Trey
Hendrix, Ph.D. candidate,
Ecology and Evolutionary
Biology
Katie Farrell ’25
UNDECLARED
I investigated the evolved traits of the Carolina
wren, a songbird native to New Jersey that
exhibits several unique social behaviors more
commonly found in the tropics: monogamous
mating with long-term mating pairs; duetting
(joint participation in song); and collaborative,
year-round territory defense. An understanding
of these climate-atypical behaviors and their
evolution is critical as the range of the Carolina
wren continues to expand northwards, and as
the climate continues to change. As part of this
study, I tracked the locations and mating habits
of several birds of interest, noting especially
their chosen nesting sites, their current number
of fledglings, and their mating partner. I helped
apply color bands to birds, and obtained blood
samples from both adults and nestlings. I also
photographed specific individuals, which aided
identification of individual birds by way of their
bands and the presence of radio transmitters
on their backs. Working with living subjects
was challenging at first but was ultimately an
extremely rewarding experience. I learned
a number of technical fieldwork skills, and I
gained a much more intimate understanding of
Princeton’s local ecosystems and the world of
evolutionary biology research.
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