Dr. W. John Richardson is a specialist in bird migration and bird hazards to aircraft; noise disturbance to marine mammals and other wildlife; and the design, conduct and interpretation of field studies in support of environmental assessments and mitigation. Although now semi-retired, he continues to assist LGL staff and clients with projects and issues in his fields.

Much of his research has concerned bird movements and bird hazards to aircraft over many parts of Canada, the U.S.A., and Puerto Rico. His radar and other studies of bird movements, especially the effects of weather on migration timing and orientation, are widely cited. His more recent related work has dealt with birds attracted to landfills, bird collisions with man-made structures, and serious birdstrike accidents to military aircraft. In 2021, he received the Bird Strike Association of Canada’s Bruce Mackinnon Memorial Award for lifetime achievement.

Since the early 1980s, Dr. Richardson has also specialized in studies and mitigation of disturbance to marine mammals. He has directed several large field studies and impact assessments concerning marine mammal reactions to industrial and military activities in the Arctic and elsewhere. These projects have included studies of marine mammal responses to marine seismic exploration, shipping and icebreaking, marine construction and drilling, aircraft overflights, and missile launches. He is the senior author of the book Marine Mammals and Noise (1995, Academic Press). He has served on several committees and advisory boards that addressed noise and disturbance issues, and was elected a Fellow of the Acoustical Society of America "for contributions to understanding the effects of sounds on marine mammals".

Publications: link to Google Scholar profile.