Flycatcher distributions and foraging
Fitzpatrick studied at Harvard and earned his doctorate at Princeton. His undergraduate work examined South American tyrant-flycatcher biogeography, while doctoral fieldwork in Central and South America quantified foraging behaviour across this diverse family.
References: [1]
Following a population over time
He first studied scrub-jays as a college intern at Archbold and later continued research on their ecology, social behaviour and conservation. Building on work begun by Glen Woolfenden and others, repeated observations follow individuals and families through time to connect life histories with population change.
Conservation and habitat processes
Fitzpatrick has championed the role of fire in maintaining Florida Scrub-Jay habitat and supported prescribed burning in conservation. This links protection of the bird with the changing structure of the scrub on which it depends.
References: [2]
Public observations and ornithology
He became Archbold’s executive director in 1988 and moved to the Cornell Lab in 1995. During his directorship the Lab expanded sound resources, public participation and digital tools, including the Great Backyard Bird Count in 1998 and eBird in 2002.