Joan Morrison is currently a Professor of Biology and her research program entails studies of birds living in human-impacted landscapes.  Her specialty is birds of prey and she has studied these birds in Florida and Chile.  Before coming to Trinity, Professor Morrison worked for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Forest Service in Alaska, Colorado, Washington, and New Mexico.  On-going research projects include a study of Red-tailed Hawks living in the urban environments of Hartford, and monitoring a population of Crested Caracaras in Florida.  She has also examined the structure of avian communities in urban parks in Hartford.  Professor Morrison is strongly committed to conservation and environmental education, and as part of her research program she coordinates regular bird banding programs with students at local middle and elementary schools.

• Dwyer, J.F., J.D. Fraser, and J.L. Morrison. 2013. Range sizes and habitat use of non-breeding Crested Caracaras in Florida.  Journal of Field Ornithology 84(3):223–233.
• Dwyer, J.F., J.L. Morrison, and J.D. Fraser. 2012. Within-year survival of non-breeding Crested Caracaras. Condor 114(2):295–301.
• Dwyer, J.F., J.L. Morrison, and J.D. Fraser. 2012. Evaluating survey methods for nesting Northern Crested Caracaras. Journal of Wildlife Management 76:857-862.
• Morrison, J.L. K.E. Pias, J. Cohen, and D. Catlin. 2009. Environmental correlates of breeding in Florida’s Crested Caracaras. Auk 126(4):1-8.
• Morrison, J.L. and P.B. Wood. 2009. Broadening our approaches to studying dispersal in raptors. Journal of Raptor Research 43(2):81-89.  Invited paper for a special issue of the journal focused on dispersal in raptors.
• Morrison J.L, K.E. Pias, J. Abrams, I.G.W Gottlieb, M. Deyrup, and M. McMillian. 2008. Invertebrate diet of breeding and non-breeding Crested caracaras (Caracara cheriway) in Florida. Journal of Raptor Research 42(1):38-47.
• Morrison, J.L., M. McMillian, J. Cohen, and D. Catlin. 2007. Environmental correlates of nesting success in Red-shouldered Hawks. Condor 109:648-657.
• Feely, M., J.L. Morrison, and P.L. Kennedy. 2006. Potential factors influencing nest defense in diurnal North American raptors.  Journal of Raptor Research 40(2): 98-110.
• Morrison, J.L. and K.E. Pias. 2006. Assessing the vertebrate component of the diet of Florida’s crested caracaras. Florida Scientist 69(1): 36-43.
• Morrison, J.L and W.C. Chapman. 2005. Can urban parks provide habitat for woodpeckers? Northeastern Naturalist 12(3):253-262.
• Nemeth, N.M. and J.L. Morrison. 2002.  Natal dispersal of the Crested Caracara in Florida. Journal of Raptor Research 36(3):203-206.
• Willson, M.F., J.L. Morrison, K.E. Sieving, T.L. De Santo, L. Santisteban, and I. Díaz. 2001. Patterns of predation risk and survival of bird nests in a Chilean agricultural landscape.  Conservation Biology 15(2):447-456.
• Morrison, J.L. and S.R. Humphrey. 2001. Conservation value of private lands for Crested Caracaras in Florida.  Conservation Biology 15(3):675-684.
• Morrison, J.L. 1998. Effects of double brooding on productivity of Crested Caracaras. Auk 115(4):979-987.
• Morrison, J.L. 1996. Crested Caracara (Caracara plancus). In The Birds of North America, No. 249 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, and The American Ornithologists’ Union, Washington, DC.

Current grants:

• “Hartford’s Birds – Park Habitat Revitalization and Conservation.” With Mary Pelletier, Park River Watershed Revitalization Initiative, and the City of Hartford. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Urban Conservation Treaty for Migratory Birds Challenge Grant. 
• “Effects of land conversion projects on Crested Caracaras in Florida.” With Dr. James Fraser, Dept. Fisheries and Wildlife Science, Virginia Tech. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Wildlife Foundation of Florida. WFF Contract No. 2010-CC-01.
• “The function of gathering areas for juvenile crested caracaras (Caracara cheriway) in Florida”  with Dr. James Fraser, Dept. Fisheries and Wildlife Science, Virginia Tech University. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service project number 208-11-110A-009-374-1.
• "Use of urban environments by Red-tailed Hawks."  Trinity College Faculty Research Grant, stipend for two undergraduates.

• Charles A. Dana Research Associate Professor, 2007-2009.