Topics

Development in context (‘eco-devo’)

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Spatial and Movement ecology

Our Movement Ecology work explores diverse methods to analyze and interpret movement patterns across scales, from large-scale GPS tracking to localized studies using Bluetooth loggers, ultra-wideband technology, and visual observations. By examining these patterns, we aim to uncover key insights on topics such as exploration, foraging, learning, and cause of death.

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We try to derive ‘more’ from high-resolution GPS data, using a variety of trajectory- and clustering based statistical methods. Our data come from several bird species, including Herring and Lesser Black-backed gulls (Larus argentatus and L. fuscus), a number of vulture species and the endemic Falkland Steamer duck (Tachyeres brachypterus). Advancements in GPS tracking technology now allows devices to collect data at intervals of just a few seconds, with solar-powered units capable of operating for the bird’s entire lifetime. This provides us with an excellent opportunity to identify fine-scale behaviours, in relation to environmental variables. For example, we can identify rapid decision-making around food resources or specific behavioural changes that may signal illness or impending mortality.

Movement behaviours may be repeated within- and among individuals, which also gives us information about how well a population may be able to adapt to change. Being able to assess the similarity of journeys might give us an indication as to whether birds become more efficient with experience, for example by being able to find fixed supplementary feeding sites more quickly. Our work with GPS data from adults and juveniles of four different vulture species in Spain demonstrates over what temporal and spatial this learning might occur, and how this might then associate with – and predict – phenotypes that might be more suitable for reintroduction.

GPS tracking is crucial for studying cryptic and remote species that are difficult to monitor by conventional means. Among these are endemic island species, such as the Falkland Steamer Duck. Using GPS devices, we have tracked the daily movements of breeding pairs during the Austral summer (breeding season). Tracking data can provide temporal and spatial movement patterns, highlighting differences in spatio-temporal use of habitat between individuals of diverging breeding status. Foraging grounds and resting areas were also identified, as well as the need to access fresh water. Our work so far has generated valuable data on this long understudied species of interest for the Falkland Islands, and are useful for planning conservation measures for such species.

Condition and nutritional ecology

We study how diet, habitat quality, and environmental factors shape bird health, behavior, and ultimately their fitness. Our research investigates how birds respond to nutritional challenges in natural and human-altered landscapes affected by environmental and climate change. To address these questions, we use a combination of field and laboratory work.

In the field, we monitor bird populations and collect morphometric measurements and physiological samples to assess individual health and condition. Leveraging feathers as archives of a bird's nutritional and physiological history, we derive metrics such as feather growth bar widths, feather density, feather fluctuating asymmetry, and feather corticosterone levels. This ptilochronological approach is complemented by physiological indices, including blood cell telomere lengths, hematocrit levels, and oxidative stress markers, amongst others. These combined measures help evaluate resource availability, fitness, and the stress responses of birds to environmental changes.

Through targeted lab experiments, we investigate how condition and stress interact with susceptibility to parasites and pathogens, enhancing insights into host-pathogen dynamics. Our findings inform biodiversity conservation and land management by identifying factors that enhance bird resilience in the face of habitat loss, environmental degradation, and climate change.

Cognition and personality

Wildlife health

Ecophysiology and thermal ecology

Wildlife health

Cognition and personality

Understanding animal cognition and personality is key to understanding how animals interact with their environment and adapt to changing conditions. Cognition encompasses the mental processes that animals use to process information, learn and solve problems, while personality refers to consistent patterns of individual behaviour. Together, they shape how animals respond to challenges and opportunities in their environment.

This research programme investigates cognitive mechanisms, personality and their interplay, with a particular focus on their role in driving flexible and adaptive behaviour. By combining behavioural studies in ecologically relevant scenarios with research in natural or semi-wild environments, we aim to capture the complexity of real-world interactions often overlooked in traditional laboratory studies.

Our ultimate goal is to integrate cognition and personality into a unified framework that links brain function, cognition, behaviour and ecology. This holistic approach advances our understanding of animal behaviour and supports practical applications in conservation, animal welfare and ecosystem management.

Ecophysiology and thermal ecology

This program aims to improve our understanding of local to global distribution patterns of bird species, focusing on the ecophysiological and thermal mechanisms that govern organisms' ability to tolerate environmental change. We integrate phenomenological species distribution modelling techniques with estimates of species’ fundamental thermal niches.

Our approach combines laboratory respirometry experiments, field studies, and spatially explicit geospatial modelling techniques. The research focuses on predicting the invasion success of introduced bird species and assessing how native bird species are likely to respond to temperature changes driven by global climate change. We address fundamental issues, such as the factors underlying species’ geographic distributions, and leverage this knowledge to inform invasive species policy and management, as well as conservation efforts for native species potentially threatened by global change.

Conservation and welfare

Behavioural ecology and sociobiology

Neuroscience and neurobiology

Conservation and welfare

Our research integrates ecology, animal behaviour and cognition to address fundamental and applied issues that advance animal conservation and welfare. We focus on translating scientific knowledge into practical strategies that support population sustainability and improve animal welfare.

For example, tracking the movements of large raptors helps refine reintroduction strategies, increasing their survival and reducing conflicts with humans. Studies of gull colonies reveal how early life experiences shape their ability to adapt to changing environments. Similarly, research into how birds manage energy and body temperature in changing climates provides vital insights into species' geographical ranges, guiding conservation efforts for populations vulnerable to habitat loss and climate change.

Beyond wild species, we also work to improve the welfare of domesticated and captive birds, such as chickens, quails and canaries. By studying the effects of early social experiences and free-range environments on their natural behaviour and well-being, we help to design habitats and care practices that promote healthier, more fulfilling lives.

Behavioural ecology and sociobiology

Behavioural ecology and sociobiology study how animals interact with each other and their environment, revealing the evolutionary pressures and ecological contexts that shape behaviour. By studying foraging strategies, mating systems, territoriality, cooperation and competition, researchers can uncover the adaptive value of different behaviours. In particular, sociobiology sheds light on how complex social structures - such as dominance hierarchies or cooperative breeding - arise from genetic, developmental and environmental factors, and ultimately influence individual fitness and species survival.

Our research program focuses on how ecological variables and social structures interact to shape behavioural and fitness outcomes. Working in both controlled and natural settings, we investigate how factors such as resource allocation or anthropogenic habitat change affect group dynamics and dispersal strategies. By integrating field observations with experimental manipulations, we aim to capture the richness of real-world social behaviour, unravel the differing costs and benefits of different strategies, and uncover the underlying mechanisms that drive these. This integrative approach offers valuable insights for biodiversity conservation and wildlife management: for example, knowing what promotes group cohesion can guide efforts to protect social species, while recognising the ecological consequences of certain social strategies can inform habitat conservation. Ultimately, we aim to deepen our understanding of the interplay between individual interests, social bonds and ecological constraints, providing a holistic perspective on the natural world and its complex social structure.

Neuroscience and neurobiology

Our research is grounded in animal neuroscience and aims to elucidate the neural basis of cognition and behaviour.

Our empirical studies investigate the role of neurotransmitter systems - such as receptor genes associated with dopaminergic, serotonergic and noradrenergic pathways - and how these systems enable birds to be flexible and adapt to changing environments.

In addition to neurotransmitter systems, we are investigating how early life environments shape neural development. For example, marine diets are rich in fatty acids, which are essential for brain development, but are also high in methylmercury (MeHg), a known neurotoxin. These contrasting dietary factors critically influence early brain structure and function, shaping lifelong behaviour and fitness. By linking diet to neural development, we highlight the complex interface between environmental factors and neural outcomes.

Overall, our integrative approach reveals how ecological pressures shape neural systems, and how factors such as diet and environment influence brain function, behaviour and adaptability. By linking environmental and genetic influences to cognition and fitness, our findings contribute to a deeper understanding of avian ecology and may provide valuable insights for conservation efforts in an ever-changing world.

Pigeon brain illustration (Onur Güntürkün)