Education

University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Biology, B.S., Chemistry minor. 2003
Univ. Massachusetts Amherst. Organismic & Evolutionary Biology. Ph.D. 2014

Professional Positions

Assistant Professor, Department of Biology, James Madison University. Jan. 2018-present

Research Associate, Smithsonian Institution Conservation Biology Institute – Migratory Bird Center.

Smithsonian Institution Postdoctoral Fellowship – Postdoctoral Fellow with the National Zoological Park and Migratory Bird Center with Drs. Brandt Ryder and Peter Marra. Mar. 2017- 2018

Postdoctoral Researcher – George Mason University / Tulane University with Drs. David Luther and Liz Derryberry. Aug. 2016 – Feb. 2017

Mellon Fellowship – Postdoctoral Scholar at College of William & Mary. Aug. 2014 – 2016
Research in avian ecology and acoustics, with Dr. John Swaddle; Adjunct in Biology Dept.

Adjunct Assistant Professor Hampshire College, School of Cognitive Sciences. 2013 – 2014

Current Research Projects

How urbanization and noise affect song and female preferences in a vocal mimic – the gray catbird. Collaborators: Drs. Ryder and Marra

The effects of anthropogenic noise on cultural evolution and song development in White-Crowned Sparrows. Collaborators: Drs. Elizabeth Derryberry and David Luther.

Noise as a deterrent to birds in socio-economically important areas. Testing effects of broadband noise on occupancy, community assemblages, communication, and foraging. Postdoc sponsor: Dr. Swaddle.

Neurophysiology of song learning – Exploring how individual variation in song learning ability corresponds with variation in the neural responses of single cells in a memory region of the songbird brain. Collaboration with Dr. Luke Remage-Healey, UMass.

Female preference development – assessing the influences on the development of female preferences for male signals in birds. Applying methods of video and song tutoring, behavioral and operant assays.

The effects of developmental stress on vocal performance and song learning in swamp sparrows. Collaboration with Dr. Jeff Podos

Sexual selection and signal function in the Swamp Sparrow Melospiza georgiana-
The function of vocal performance in male-male competition assessed by playback

Color signals and vocal performance in the Swamp Sparrow. Measuring sexual dimorphism and multimodal signals. Collaboration with Dr. David Lahti

Vocal performance and song learning in swamp sparrows.
Collaboration with Drs. Lahti & Podos

Publications

*joint first author, ^undergraduate co-author, #master’s student co-author

Moseley, D.L., Phillips, J.N., Derryberry, E.P, & Luther, DA. 2019. Evidence for differing trajectories of songs in urban and rural populations, Behavioral Ecology, vol. 30(6). 1734-1742. https://doi.org/10.1093/beheco/arz142

Moseley, D.L., G.E. Derryberry, J.N. Phillips, J.E. Danner, R.M. Danner, D. Luther, & E.P. Derryberry. 2018. Cultural selection as a mechanism of acoustic adaptation to city noise for songbirds. Proceedings of the Royal Society B. 285(1888). DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2018.1356 link to open access, PDF

Greene, V.W.#, J.P. Swaddle, D.L. Moseley, & D.A. Cristol. 2018. Attractiveness of male zebra finches is not affected by exposure to an environmental stressor, dietary mercury. The Condor: Ornithological Applications. Vol. 120: 125–136. DOI: 10.1650/CONDOR-17-19.1

Moseley, D.L., N.R. Joshi^, J.F. Prather, J. Podos, & L. Remage-Healey. 2017. A neuronal signature of accurate imitative learning. Scientific Reports. 7(1), 17320. DOI:10.1038/s41598-017-17401-2

Podos, J., & D. L. Moseley. 2017. Vocal Communication in Birds. Reference Module in Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Psychology. 5^th edition. Elsevier.

Swaddle, J.P.*, D.L. Moseley*, M.K. Hinders,  & E.P. Smith^. 2016. A sonic net excludes birds from an airfield: implications for reducing bird strike and crop losses. Ecological Applications. 26: 339–345. doi:10.1890/15-0829.1  *joint first author  link to pdf [See media related to this article: The Daily Mail, The Economist, & The Huffington Post.]

Podos, J., D.L. Moseley, S.E. Goodwin, J. McClure, B.N. Taft, A.V. Strauss, C. Rega-Brodsky^, & D.C. Lahti. 2016. Measuring vocal performance in songbirds: Frequency excursion. Animal Behaviour. Vol. 116:203-212.  doi:10.1016/j.anbehav.2016.03.036 .

Moseley, D.L., D.C. Lahti, & J. Podos. 2013. Responses to song playback vary with the vocal performance of both signal senders and receivers. Proceedings of the Royal Society B. Vol. 280(1768). DOI:10.1098/rspb.2013.1401 link to pdf

Moseley, D.L. & R.H. Wiley. 2013. Individual differences in the vocalizations the buff-throated woodcreeper (Xiphorhynchus guttatus), a suboscine bird of neotropical forests. Behaviour. Vol. 150. 1107–1128.  DOI: 10.1163/1568539X-00003079 Moseley&Wiley2013.pdf

Lahti, D.C., D.L. Moseley, & J. Podos. 2011. A tradeoff between performance and accuracy in bird song learning. Ethology. Vol. 117: 802-811 pdf

Podos, J., D. C. Lahti, & D.L. Moseley. 2009. Vocal Performance and Sensorimotor Learning in Songbirds. Advances in the Study of Behavior. Vol. 40: 159-195.

Podos, J. & D.L. Moseley. 2009. Vocal communication in birds. Squire, L. (Ed). New Encyclopedia of Neuroscience, 4th edition. Elsevier Press. Vol. 10: 389-396.

In preparation

Moseley, D.L., W. McClusky^, J.P. Swaddle. Broadband noise excludes birds from a food source. (to be submitted to Current Biology).

Moseley, D.L. Experience and male vocal performance influence the development of female preferences in swamp sparrows (Melospiza georgiana).

Moseley, D.L. J.N. Phillips, J.E., E.P. Derryberry, & D. A. Luther. City life changes the trajectory of cultural evolution for song performance and complexity in white-crowned sparrows (Zonotrichia leucophrys nuttalli).

Moseley, D.L. & J. Podos. Vocal performance is diminished by developmental stress, but increases with age. (to be submitted to Journal of Experimental Biology).

Moseley, D.L. & D.C. Lahti. Color dimorphism and vocal performance in swamp sparrows.

Grants, Fellowships, and Awards

• Washington Field Biologists’ Club Research Award 2017
• Awarded Smithsonian Institution Postdoctoral Fellowship 2016
• Best Talk, Postdoctoral Symposium, Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) 2015
• Wilson Award for Best Graduate Student Paper, Wilson Ornithological Society 2014
• Allee Award for Best Student Paper, Animal Behavior Society 2013
• Award for Best Teaching Assistant, OEB Program 2012-2013
• Best Oral Presentation – Life Sciences Graduate Research Symposium, UMass 2011
• National Science Foundation, Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant (NSF-DDIG) 2010
• OEB Graduate Fellowship 2010 – 2011
• OEB Summer Research Grant 2010
• American Ornithologists’ Union Student Research Award 2009
• Sigma Xi Grant in Aid of Research 2009
• Cooper Ornithological Society Joseph Grinnell Student Award 2007
• OEB Program at UMass Student Travel Grants 2006 – 2013
• UNC Summer Research Abroad Fellowship. Senior thesis with R. Haven Wiley 2002

Teaching Experience

• Ornithological Research and Current Advances. Springs 2020-23 – Instructor
• Ecology and Evolution. BIO 250. JMU. 2018-present – Instructor
• Ecology and Evolution Lab. BIO 250 Lab. JMU multiple semesters – Instructor
• Urban Ecology. ENSP 250. W&M Spring 2016 – Instructor
• Sensory Ecology. ENSP 440/BIO 404. W&M Fall 2015 – Instructor
• Communicating Science. ENSP 250. W&M. Spring 2015 – Instructor
• Adjunct Assistant Professor in Cognitive Sciences at Hampshire College 2013-2104
• Field Methods in Animal Behavior. CS197 Hampshire College. Spring 2014 – Instructor
• Animal Communication & Vocal Learning. CS292 Hampshire College. Fall 2013 – Instructor
• Biology of Social Issues, Honors. Biology 105H. Spring 2012 – Instructor
• Amherst College Organismal. Biology 181. Spring 2011, 2013 – Lab Instructor
• Quantitative Systems Biology Lab. Biology 197F. Spring 2010 – Lab Instructor
• Animal Behavior. Biology 550. Fall 2007, Fall 2009 – Teaching Assistant
• Evolution: Diversity of Life Through Time. Biology 280. Spring 2009 – Co-lecturer
• Introductory Ecology. Biology 287. Fall 2006, Fall 2009 – Teaching Assistant
• Biology 101 Laboratory. Spring 2006, Fall 2012 – Lab Instructor
• Biology 100 Laboratory. Fall 2005, Fall 2011 – Lab Instructor

Synergistic Activities

(1) Community engagement: K-5 Classroom visits: 2006-2011. Visited local K-5 schools in underprivileged areas (Springfield and Holyoke, MA). Developed a lesson plan about ecology and evolution of bird beak sizes and shapes and led activities in 5 classrooms across 3 visits. Created a “food web” worksheet in which students could match beak sizes and shapes to diets.

    Science Café: Helped organize graduate students to create this outreach event series in the local Amherst community. The goal was to bring scientific discussion to the community in a fun and informal setting. Co-designed events and activities to engage the public with science from hot topics to classic theories in ecology, physiology, evolution, and biology. Invited and introduced scientist guest speakers. These events have attracted 20-50 attendees at each of their ongoing incarnations. We developed a website with science videos and blog entries http://oebsciencecafe.org  2012-13

(2) Student mentoring: Undergraduate students: Current mentor to three undergraduates at W&M who conducted summer research, two of whom will conduct and present senior theses. At Hampshire College, mentored two undergraduate student TAs in pedagogical techniques. During dissertation research, involved >50 UMass undergrads in bird care & lab activities associated with rearing songbirds and advised five independent study students on related projects that shared their research at a poster symposium (2013). Served as advisor for student Christine Rega’s undergraduate senior Capstone Thesis project (2008-2010), which contributed to a submitted publication with Rega as coauthor.

    Graduate students: As Mellon Fellow, currently involved in the mentoring of five graduate students in Drs. Swaddle and Cristol’s labs. As PhD student at UMass, served on the UMass OEB program’s mentoring committee (2006-2008). In this role as near-peer mentor, coordinated meetings between 10 incoming and 10 senior graduate students, and mentored three students.

    High school students: In 2009, involved two students in summer research experiences, teaching techniques relating to field research, data collection, animal care, & behavioral assays. At W&M, currently mentoring a high school student in a Governor’s School environmental science program.

(3) Encouraging participation of underrepresented groups

Two current W&M undergraduate mentees received HHMI funding for minorities and persons of lower socio-economic status based on research proposals written under my guidance. While at UMass, mentored a visiting undergraduate in Professoriate’s Summer Program for Undergraduate Research (SPUR), which focused on mentoring minorities giving these students research experience at R1 universities. The student went on to do a PhD at UCLA.

(4) Professional service and sharing of research: Currently organizing an Urban Ecology public seminar series (Spring 2016) at W&M, with invited speakers from across science, social science, and humanities disciplines. In turn, I have been the invited speaker at liberal arts colleges: four guest lectures at Guilford College NC, one to CCSU, and Hampshire College all of which are undergraduate-only institutions, 2006-2013. Judged undergraduate posters for Wilson Ornithological Society / Association of Field Ornithologists joint meeting (2014).

Reviewer for: Animal Behaviour, Auk, Behavioral Ecology, Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, and Avian Research. Member also of: SICB, Sigma Xi, American Naturalists

(5) Course development: Developed two upper level undergraduate courses at W&M, “Animal Communication in a Noisy Environment” 2014 and “Sensory Ecology” Fall 2015. Developing an urban ecology speaker series planned for Environmental Science students in Spring 2016.

Developed one upper-level seminar on vocal learning and animal communication, and one introductory field-course in animal behavior at Hampshire College. Applied and was selected for the opportunity to teach “Biology of Social Issues” as a graduate student at UMass Amherst.

Invited Lectures

“Tapping into the acoustic ecology of birds.” Smithsonian Conservation Biology Seminar Series. 2017

“Listening to the receiver in birdsong acoustic ecology.” Early Professionals’ Symposium, North American Ornithological Congress/American Ornithologists Union. Washington, DC 2016

“Tapping into the acoustic ecology of birds.” Biology Graduate-Faculty lunch Seminar. Tulane University. Spring 2016

“Tapping into the acoustic ecology of birds.” Biology Departmental Seminar. University of Maryland Baltimore County. Spring 2016

“Vocal performance in songbirds: territorial defense and the development of male song and female mating preferences.” Biology Departmental Seminar, William & Mary. Fall 2014

“Vocal performance in birds: defending territories, learning songs, and learning preferences.” Departmental Seminar, Cognitive Sciences. Hampshire College. Fall 2013

“Sexual selection in the swamp sparrow: male-male competition and female preferences.” Ornithology. Guilford College. Spring 2013

“A new method to study female preference development in songbirds.” Research in Avian Biology. Hampshire College. February 2013

“Female preferences are influenced by early experience and male vocal performance.” Invited talk, Evolution of Communication: A Symposium to honor Dr. R. Haven Wiley.  2012

“Birdsongs: performance, function, and the development of preferences.” Biology Dept. Seminar, CCSU. Fall 2011

“Foraging Strategies.” Bio550 Animal Behavior. UMass. Fall 2009

“Animal Communication.” and “Mating Strategies.” Bio550 Animal Behavior. UMass. 2007

“Field Research Projects in Ornithology.” Bio544. Ornithology. UMass. Spring 2006 & 2012

“New Techniques in the Study of Birds and Behavior.” 2006 & 2007, “Recent Advances in the Study of Birdsong.” Ornithology. Guilford College. Spring 2011

Contributed Presentations

**awarded best paper/ *poster

McClusky, Waverly G.^, D.L. Moseley, J.P. Swaddle. 2016. “Keeping birds away from food using sonic technology: a potential for protecting crops.” NAOC. Washington, DC.

Rega Brodsky, Christine^, D.L. Moseley, J Podos. 2010. “Song Sharing and vocal performance in swamp sparrows.” Animal Behavior Society. Williamsburg, VA.

Moseley, D.L., W.P. McClusky^, J. P. Swaddle. 2016. Casting a sonic net: deterring birds from food sources using acoustic technology. North American Ornithological Congress. DC.

Moseley, D.L., N. Joshi, J. Podos, L. Remage-Healey. 2015. A neural signature of individual variation in learning accuracy. Paper. Animal Behaviour Society. Anchorage, AK.

Moseley D.L. 2015. Tapping into the acoustic world of birds: responses to song and noise playback. Postdoctoral Symposium. VIMS, W&M. Gloucester Point, VA.**

Moseley, D.L., N. Joshi, J. Podos, L. Remage-Healey. 2014. A neural signature of individual variation in learning accuracy. Paper. Society for Neuroscience. Washington, D.C.

Moseley, D.L., D.C. Lahti, J. Podos. 2014. Responses to song playback vary with the vocal performance of both signal senders and receivers. Paper. Evolution. Raleigh, NC.

Moseley, D.L. 2014. Evidence of innate predispositions and learning of female preferences in swamp sparrows. Paper. Joint meeting of the Association Field Ornithologists & Wilson Ornithological Society. Newport, RI.**

Moseley, D.L. 2013. Vocal performance in birds: territorial defense and the development of male song and female preferences. Paper, Allee Symposium. Animal Behavior Society. Boulder, CO.**

Moseley, D.L. 2012. Female preferences are influenced by early experience and male vocal performance. Paper. North American Ornithological Congress. Vancouver, BC CAN.

Moseley, D.L. 2012. Female preferences are influenced by early experience and male vocal performance. Paper. Animal Behavior Society. Albuquerque, NM.

Moseley, D.L., D.C. Lahti, J Podos. 2012. The effect of vocal performance on male aggressive responses in swamp sparrows. Poster. Sigma Xi. CUNY Queens College, NY.*

Moseley, D.L. 2012. Female preferences are influenced by early experience and male vocal performance. Paper. Society for Integrative & Comparative Biology. Charleston, SC.

Moseley, D.L. 2011. Female preferences are influenced by early experience and male vocal performance. Paper. Life Science Graduate Research Symposium. UMass Amherst**

Moseley, D.L., D.C. Lahti, J Podos. 2011. The effect of vocal performance on male aggressive responses in swamp sparrows. Poster. ABS. Bloomington, IN.

Moseley, D.L., D.C. Lahti, J Podos. 2008. Responses to aggressive signals: varying strategies for different levels of threat. Paper. Animal Behavior Society. Snowbird, UT.

Moseley, D.L., D.C. Lahti, J. Podos. 2007. Do Males Avoid High Threat? A test of trill-rate function of in Swamp Sparrows. Poster. Animal Behavior Society. Burlington, VT.

Moseley, D.L., D.C. Lahti, J. Podos. 2007. Experimental tests of the function of trill rate in the swamp sparrow, Melospiza georgiana, Poster. Wilson Ornithological Society. Boston.

Moseley, D.L., D.C. Lahti, J. Podos. 2006. Experimental tests of the function of trill rate in the swamp sparrow, Melospiza georgiana, Poster. North American Ornithological Congress. Veracruz, MEX.

Moseley, D.L. and R.H. Wiley. 2004. Individuality in the Vocalizations of the Buff-Throated Woodcreeper. Paper. American Ornithologists’ Union Meeting. Quebec City, CAN.

Collaborators

Jeff Podos (graduate advisor), Biology Dept. University of Massachusetts, Amherst

T. Brandt Ryder and Peter Marra (postdoc sponsors), Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center

John P. Swaddle (postdoctoral sponsor), William and Mary

David Luther (postdoctoral sponsor), George Mason University

Elizabeth Derryberry (postdoctoral sponsor), Tulane University

David C. Lahti, Biology Dept. City University of New York, Queens College

Luke Remage-Healey, Psychology Dept. University of Massachusetts, Amherst

R. Haven Wiley (undergraduate advisor), Biology Dept. University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.