Rob Blenk, PhD

Rob Blenk is a specialist in the ecology of waterfowl and wetland systems. Originally from Sequim, Washington, Rob completed his undergraduate work at Oregon State University and his PhD at UC Davis. His ornithological work has ranged from studying greater sage grouse in the Nevada desert to surveying pelagic seabirds in New Zealand. Rob’s specific research interests include foraging ecology, population genomics, and incorporating new technologies to improve conservation and management of birds. Rob’s current projects with HOC include the use of UAVs to non-invasively survey for harlequin ducks, the use of genomic markers to determine the origins of black brant, and the use of computer vision to identify waterfowl species from wing photographs.

(Photo caption: Rob holding a harlequin duck during field work in the Alberta Rockies)