Matthew earned his undergraduate degree in 1983 at Western State College in Gunnison, Colorado his Master's degree in 1997 at Northern Arizona University studying avian ecology. He has over 20 years of experience studying avian populations and behavior, primarily in th edesert southwest but he's also conducted research projects throughout the western United States, Mexico and Central America, as well as in Africa. A considerable proportion of this work has involved conducting surveys of Southwestern Willow Flycatchers, Western Yellow-billed Cuckoos and Mexican Spotted Owls and observing their behavior. In addition, he is co-author of the Western Yellow-billed Cuckoo Natural History Summary and Survey Methodology. Since 1992, Matthew has been with what is today the USGS Southwest Biological Science Center, Colorado Plateau Field Station on the Northern Arizona University campus in Flagstaff. His work with the Restoration Science Team emphasizes population studies of SW Willow Flycatchers and their relationship with tamarisk biological control on the Colorado Plateau and major drainages of the Colorado River and Rio Grande Basins.