University of North Texas 
Meet Jonothon Cantu, a UNT ecology major who has been studying at UNT since fall of 2022. Working with his mentor Dr. Jim Bednarz and MS students Brooke Prater and Brooke Poplin, Jonothon’s undergraduate research is focused on the American Kestrel.
“These are small falcons that typically winter here in Denton County. I wanted to
determine if there are morphometrical differences between resident and migrant Kestrels,”
said Jonothon, who recently began researching another bird of prey as well: the Harris’s
Hawk. “UNT has great ornithology research and many options to engage in research activities.
This provides experiences to get future jobs post-graduation, as well as building
skills for pursuing graduate degrees.” 
Volunteering to participate in Dr. Bednarz’s bird banding his sophomore year was Jonothon’s introduction to this research and sparked his passion for avian conservation.
“American Kestrels have been in a population decline since the 1970s, and understanding more about their ecology is important for their conservation.” he said. “I hope to become a raptor biologist. This requires me to continue getting hands-on experience with raptors, as well as pursing graduate degrees.”
Jonothon presented his research at two conferences last fall, a Raptor Research Foundation conference, and the Texas Society for Ecological Restoration conference. While at UNT, he’s been the recipient of the College of Science Undergraduate Research Award and an Undergraduate Research Fellowship. He said he appreciates UNT for the many student-led organizations and opportunities to get involved.
“UNT has great organizations like The Society for the Ecological Restoration, The Wildlife Society, Bird Campus, and many others,” he said. “These organizations allow students to get volunteering experience in addition to the hands-on experience of research and field work.”
This past summer, Jonothon received a highly competitive Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) at Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory. This experience was funded by the National Science Foundation with the goal of allowing undergraduates to experience unique research experiences.