From left to right: Keith Philippe, Joe Wunderle, Ingeria Miller, and Sarah Wagner. Photo credit: Courtesy of Joe Wunderle

The American Ornithologists' Union is deeply honored to present the 2015 Ralph W. Schreiber Conservation Award to Dr. Joseph Wunderle, Jr., Wildlife Team Leader and Research Wildlife Biologist, U.S. Forest Service, stationed in Puerto Rico.

Throughout his career, Joe has consistently demonstrated the fundamental values of the Schreiber Award in his leadership and pursuit of scientific research to understand the impacts of environmental perturbations and the underlying mechanisms of avian response. Joe's conservation values are illustrated in his management work on myriad issues important to birds, including natural and human activities such as hurricanes and drought, agricultural practices, and selective logging methods. Joe's research, teaching, and service have had a huge influence on conservation and ornithology throughout the Caribbean and Latin America. His research has made seminal contributions to our understanding and conservation of Neotropical birds, including multiple threatened and endangered migratory species that overwinter in the tropics. Joe has inspired and trained a large number of Latin Americans in field ecology of birds and their conservation. He has also willingly taken on leadership and capacity-building roles in several scientific organizations central to the study and conservation of birds in the Caribbean and Latin America.

Joe has been an active and respected member of the American Ornithologists' Union (AOU) for 40 years (Elective Member 1985, Fellow 1993) and has contributed to avian conservation through AOU Conservation Committee activities.

Joe's avian research and conservation contributions have been recognized by the President's Award of the Society for the Conservation and Study of Caribbean Birds (2011), the U.S. Forest Service's Wings Across the Americas Program (2005), and an Investigator Award from Partners in Flight (2003).

In recognition of his extraordinary scientific contributions to the conservation of birds and his efforts to preserve and restore their critical habitats, the AOU is proud to name Dr. Joseph Wunderle, Jr., as the recipient of the 2015 Ralph W. Schreiber Conservation Award.