Science communication is an essential part of effective applied ecology and conservation. Below are some of the ways I work with my community and share my work with the public.
Citizen Science
Much of my research comes from working with the citizen science community. I developed the WildResearch Nightjar Survey, which has now transitioned to the Canadian Nightjar Survey run by Birds Canada. The program works with several hundred volunteers across the country to survey for nightjars, a group of understudied birds that are of conservation concern. One of the perks of this volunteer work is communicating with and learning from those citizen scientists on a regular basis.
Public Talks
Nightjars are an enigmatic group of birds and I love sharing my appreciation for them in person. I’ve given a number of public talks about my work. Don’t hesitate to get in touch if you’re interested in learning about nightjar conservation and ecology! Here’s an online webinar I gave recently for the Hawk Migration Association of North America Lunch & Learn series.
Newsletters
I previously wrote a bi-monthly newsletter that shares news about the WildResearch Nightjar Survey, new nightjar science, and fun nightjar facts to over 400 subscribers. You can check out past issues of the Nightjar News!
Articles & Reports
Knight, E.C., and A.P. Coughlan. 2020. The Canadian Nightjar Survey Sheds Light on Some Fascinating Birds. Birdwatch Canada 91(3):10-16. Article.
Knight, E.C., and A. Noble-Dalton. 2018. WildResearch Nightjar Survey 2017 Annual Report. WildResearch. Report.
Knight, E.C. 2017. WildResearch Nightjar Survey 2016 Annual Report. WildResearch. Report.
Knight, E.C. 2016. Fighting fire with bikes: University of Alberta researchers use fat bikes to study birds in the wake of the Fort McMurray wildfire. Wild49. Blog Post.
Knight, E.C. 2016. New Citizen Science Program Comes to Alberta: The WildResearch Nightjar Survey. Bios 31(3):3,11. Article.
Knight, E.C. 2016. Canadian Nightjar Survey Protocol. WildResearch. Protocol.
Knight, E.C. 2016. It’s all fen and games – field ecology adventures in and around McClelland Lake fen. Wild49. Blog Post.
E.C. Knight. 2016. What are Nightjars? BC Nature Magazine 54(1): 23. Article.
Shariff, A., and E.C. Knight. 2016. BC Nightjar Survey 2015 Annual Report. WildResearch. Report.
Noble, V., and E.C. Knight. 2015. BC Nightjar Survey 2014 Annual Report. WildResearch. Report.
E.C. Knight. 2015. WildResearch’s BC Nightjar Survey Takes Flight. BC Nature Magazine 53(1): 14. Article.
News & Media
2022, March, ABMI Blog, Dr. Elly Knight, ABMI’s New Statistical Ecologist. Article.
2022, January, Audubon Magazine, The ‘Big Boom Theory’ That Could Help Conserve Common Nighthawks. Article.
2021, October, The Nighthawk’s Evening: Notes of a Field Biologist. Book.
2021, June 3, The Gateway, Common nighthawk migration secrets revealed by U of A researchers. Article.
2021, March 4, American Birding Association Podcast, Unravelling a nighthawk migration mystery. Podcast.
2021, February 8, Edmonton Journal, University of Alberta researchers tracking nighthawks to save the species. Article.
2021, January 14, Bird Watching Daily, New tracking tools reveal bird migration secrets. Article.
2020, October 12, CBC Radio, Hidden Frequencies: How the invisible powers of sound shape our lives and world. Radio documentary.
2020, April 21, Audubon, Chuck-will’s-widows Sometimes Swallow Songbirds Whole, Apparently? Article.
2019, October, Believe it or Snot. Book.
2018, July 30, Global News 770 CHQR, Nighthawk migration – what do we know about the bird? Radio.
2018, July 24, Radio-Canada, Sur les traces de l’engoulevent d’Amérique. Article.
2018, July 24, The Globe and Mail, ’Little backpacks’: GPS used to track nighthawks’ migration from northern Alberta to Brazil. Article.
2018, July 24, CBC Edmonton, ‘Little backpacks’: GPS used to track nighthawks from northern Alberta to Brazil. Article.
2018, July 24, Canadian Science Publishing, Unravelling the Mystery of Where Common Nighthawks Fly. Article.
2018, April 26, Prairie Naturalist, Episode 101. Radio.
2018, April, Smithsonian Air & Space, Penguin Spotting, and Other Cool Satellite Tricks. Article.
2017, December 1, Alberta Wilderness Association, Conservation corner: How to hunt for nighthawks. Article.
2017, November, Firestorm: How Wildfire Will Shape our Future. Book.
2017, June 21, Nature, Sustainability: A greener culture. Article.
2016, December 21, Hakai Magazine, Big bird in the city. Article.
2016, October 31, Contours, Future focus: Life after the Fort McMurray fire. Article.
2016, October 11, The Gateway, Biologists swap ATVs for fat bikes in wake of Fort McMurray fires. Article.
2016, September 23, CBC News, Fort McMurray wildlife researchers ditch ATVs for fat bikes. Article.
2016, September 23, Folio, Rough-riding biologists turn to fat bikes for field work. Article.
2016, September 22, Edmonton Metro, Scientists on bikes: Alberta researchers ditch quads after Fort McMurray ban. Article.
2017, July 7, CBC News, Wildlife returns as forest regenerates after Fort McMurray wildfire. Article.
2015, November 20, Yukon News, Fewer nighthawks grace the aerial diner. Article.
Other
Phyloboreal: My partner and I created a boreal version of the science education card game Phylo. You can find it for sale online or at the Royal Alberta Museum.