James R. Belthoff, professor and director of Graduate Studies, and associate chairman of the Department of Biology at Boise State University in Idaho, will present a seminar at East Tennessee State University, Thursday, Feb. 8, at 4 p.m. He is among four finalist for the position as chairman of the ETSU Department of Biological Sciences. His seminar will be conducted in Room 304 of Brown Hall (the science building) and is open to those who may be interested. Much of his research focuses on understanding factors that drive natal dispersal in birds. He has investigated a model that predicts dispersal in young screech-owls which is mediated by increases in the adrenocorticoid hormone, corticosterone, which is stimulated by either internal or external factors. He also has current projects related to the population biology, behavioral ecology, and conservation of burrowing owls, movement biology and physiology of house finches, and effects of habitat changes on shrub-steppe passerines. The position of chairman has a starting date of July 1, 2006. The ETSU department serves approximately 250 majors and twenty M.S. students. The department hopes to expand its research productivity and graduate program building on an exceptionally strong undergraduate program and the new chair is expected to lead the department in refining its mission and goals statements with these ends in mind. Dr. Belthoff has been on the faculty at Boise State University since 1993. He earned his B.S. at Colorado State University in 1982; M.S., Eastern Kentucky University in 1987; and Ph.D., Clemson University in 1992. Publications: Herting, B.L. and J.R. Belthoff. In revision. Exogenous testosterone and season affect song characteristics of male western screech-owls. Hormones and Behavior. Herting, B.L, J.R. Belthoff, and A.M. Dufty, Jr. In revision. Seasonal variation in testosterone-induced territorial aggression in male western screech-owls. Hormones and Behavior. Belthoff, J.R. 2003. In press. Using artificial nests to study nest predation in birds. The American Biology Teacher. Egbert, J.R. and J.R. Belthoff. 2003. Wing shape in house finches differs relative to migratory habit in eastern and western North America. Condor 105:825-829. Burnham, W., C. Sandfort, and J.R. Belthoff. 2003. Relationships among individual sex of peregrine falcons and egg measurements and hatchling weight. Condor 105:327-335. Belthoff, J.R. and B.W. Smith. 2003. Patterns of artificial burrow occupancy and reuse by burrowing owls in Idaho. Wildlife Society Bulletin 31:1-7. Belthoff, J.R. and R.A. King. 2002. Nest-site characteristics of burrowing owls in the Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area, Idaho. Western North American Naturalist 62:112-119. Herting, B.L. and J.R. Belthoff. 2001. The bounce and double trill songs of male and female western screech-owls: characterization and usefulness for classification of sex. Auk 118:1095-1101. Smith, B.W. and J.R. Belthoff. 2001. Identification of ectoparasites on burrowing owls in southwestern Idaho. Journal of Raptor Research 35:159-161. Smith. B.W. and J.R. Belthoff. 2001. Burrowing owls and development: results of short-distance nest relocations to avoid construction impacts. Journal of Raptor Research 35:385-391. Smith, B.W. and J.R. Belthoff. 2001. Effects of chamber size and tunnel diameter on nest-site selection in burrowing owls: results of experiments using artificial burrows. Journal of Wildlife Management: 65:318-326. King, R.A. and J.R. Belthoff. 2001. Post-fledging dispersal of burrowing owls in southwestern Idaho: characterization of movements and use of satellite burrows. Condor 103:118-126. Dufty, A.M., Jr. and J.R. Belthoff. 2000. Proximate mechanisms of dispersal: the role of hormones and body condition. Pages 217-229 in "Dispersal," J. Clobert, E. Danchin, A. Dhondt, and J.D. Nichols [eds.]. Oxford Univ. Press, London Ferriere, R., J.R. Belthoff, I. Olivieri, and S. Krackow. 2000. Evolving dispersal: where to go next? Trends in Ecology and Evolution 15:5-7. Ellsworth, E.A. and J.R. Belthoff. 1999. Effects of social status on the dispersal behaviour of juvenile western screech-owls. Animal Behaviour 57:883-892. Able, K.P. and J.R. Belthoff. 1998. Rapid "evolution" of migratory behaviour in the introduced house finch of eastern North America. Proceedings of the Royal Society, London, Series B 265:2063-2071. Belthoff, J.R., L.R. Powers, and T.D. Reynolds. 1998. Breeding birds at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory, 1985 - 1991. Great Basin Naturalist 58:167-183. Belthoff, J.R. and A.M. Dufty, Jr. 1998. Corticosterone, body condition, and locomotor activity: a model for dispersal in screech-owls. Animal Behaviour 55:405-415. Let's go birding..... Wallace Coffey Bristol, TN