Chris has worked on Hawaiian birds since 2004. In addition to Hawaiian forest bird ecology and behavior, his research on the island of Hawai‘i addresses the impacts of invasive species and forest regeneration and growth. He received a BS in Zoology from the University of California, Davis and a PhD in Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology from the University of California, Santa Barbara. His dissertation focused on host, habitat, and landscape factors affecting the distribution of Brown-headed Cowbirds in California.