Wendy Schelsky

Wendy Schelsky is a Research Professor in the Department of Behavioral Ecology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, affiliated with the Illinois Natural History Survey. Her research focuses on avian brood parasitism, particularly in brown-headed cowbirds, microbial ecology of nestlings, and evolutionary genetics of cavity-nesting birds. She has contributed to studies on host-parasite interactions, gene expression convergence, and the ecological factors influencing avian behavior. Schelsky collaborates internationally and has published widely in peer-reviewed journals such as Nature Ecology and Evolution and Molecular Ecology.

Her work examines topics like optimal host brood size, microbial influences on nestling survival, and the evolutionary mechanisms driving behavioral adaptations. Recently, she co-authored a study on how host species and environmental conditions shape the microbiome of brood parasitic nestlings, highlighting ecological and conservation implications.

Schelsky’s research has garnered attention for its innovative approaches, including molecular and behavioral analyses. She has contributed to datasets on global warming effects on nesting birds and the impact of local conspecific density on reproductive outcomes. Her findings have been featured in media outlets, such as a 2022 study on cowbird chick survival dynamics.