Misha Kummel ’22, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Misha Kummel ’22

Major

Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Project Title

Climate Change, Plant-Pollinator Interactions and Hummingbird Color Vision in the Rocky Mountains

Presentation Link

View Misha's Presentation

I studied broad-tailed hummingbird behavior using data collected at the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory (RMBL). The project’s overarching goal is to better understand hummingbird pollination behavior and how it is affected by climate-driven changes in flower phenology. This summer, our team sought a clearer picture of which flowers hummingbirds visit during the season. I looked through thousands of camera-trap photographs to extract photos of hummingbirds visiting flowers. This allowed the team to determine hummingbird visitation rates at various flower species. I also carried out a thresholding analysis, which will allow the team to reduce the number of photographs that have to be manually inspected for data processing and analyses. Finally, I worked with another researcher at RMBL on a collaborative project for the team. Overall, I learned a lot about hummingbird behavior and flower phenology, gained valuable new data processing/analysis skills, and really connected with the members of my research group. This experience has inspired me to continue my current academic path and provided me with an invaluable mindset and skills for my independent work and beyond.

* This internship is connected to the HMEI Climate and Energy Grand Challenges project, “Investigating the Effects of Climate Change on Hummingbird Sensory Landscapes.”