general
My varied research interests fall under the general heading of animal behavior; more specifically, examining the cognitive mechanisms and evolutionary origins behind such areas as communication, social learning, tool use and seemingly intelligent behaviors. Detailed below are both my current and previous research endeavors, in addition to recent collaborators.
Current
Male Zebra Finches.
Social learning in nest building birds:
To date, there is little understood about how birds know what type of nest to build. Do birds rely on individual experience alone or does building behavior reflect the transfer of relevant information between group members (social learning)? If the latter, which type of learning mechanisms (such as imitation, emulation, stimulus and/or local enhancement) are involved? Is social learning restricted to construction technique(s) or can observant birds discern something about the physical nature of nesting materials used by others? Is there variation in these abilities within and across species? These are some of the types of questions I will be exploring throughout my PhD. To begin with, my research will utilize male captive-bred Zebra Finches (Taeniopygia guttata), a well documented model species for such investigations. Later efforts will be aimed at examining social learning and physical cognition in wild South African weaver birds, one of the most impressive groups of nest builders. The results obtained from this research will help to finally answer what birds may learn, from whom, and when is it important to do so. The degree of flexibility surrounding these behaviors will also be brought
to light.
To date, there is little understood about how birds know what type of nest to build. Do birds rely on individual experience alone or does building behavior reflect the transfer of relevant information between group members (social learning)? If the latter, which type of learning mechanisms (such as imitation, emulation, stimulus and/or local enhancement) are involved? Is social learning restricted to construction technique(s) or can observant birds discern something about the physical nature of nesting materials used by others? Is there variation in these abilities within and across species? These are some of the types of questions I will be exploring throughout my PhD. To begin with, my research will utilize male captive-bred Zebra Finches (Taeniopygia guttata), a well documented model species for such investigations. Later efforts will be aimed at examining social learning and physical cognition in wild South African weaver birds, one of the most impressive groups of nest builders. The results obtained from this research will help to finally answer what birds may learn, from whom, and when is it important to do so. The degree of flexibility surrounding these behaviors will also be brought
to light.
Previous
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Physical cognition and nest-building behavior:
In the wild, birds encounter a wide range of materials with which to build a nest. The appropriate selection, manipulation and/or modification of nest materials are thus essential behavioral components to birds' building success. For my masters thesis, I designed and carried out an investigation into the decision making behaviors of nest building male Zebra Finches (Taeniopygia guttata) in order to assess what birds may learn about the physical properties (i.e., rigidity and/or length) of nest materials. The findings from this study are currently being prepared for scientific publication. |
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Candy, a New Caledonian crow that participated in our investigations.
Physical and social cognition in New Caledonian crows:
In Summer 2013, I assisted Corina Logan on one component of her project to investigate whether intelligent behaviors are restricted to large-brained species. Utilizing an avian study system, I was responsible for the training of New Caledonian crows for, and carrying out, multi-phase cognitive tests. This work teased apart aspects of how crows understand the physical world around them and whether social learning plays a role in their foraging behaviors. The first paper from our investigations can be found here, and a summary article here. Our second paper is now out and
can be found here.
In Summer 2013, I assisted Corina Logan on one component of her project to investigate whether intelligent behaviors are restricted to large-brained species. Utilizing an avian study system, I was responsible for the training of New Caledonian crows for, and carrying out, multi-phase cognitive tests. This work teased apart aspects of how crows understand the physical world around them and whether social learning plays a role in their foraging behaviors. The first paper from our investigations can be found here, and a summary article here. Our second paper is now out and
can be found here.
collaborators
Corina Logan
Leverhulme Early Career Research Fellow
Department of Zoology
University of Cambridge
cl417@cam.ac.uk
Alex Taylor
Senior Lecturer & Rutherford Discovery Fellow
School of Psychology
University of Auckland, New Zealand
alexander.taylor@auckland.ac.nz
Eira Ihalainen
Marie Curie Fellow
School of Biology
University of St Andrews, UK
ei4@st-andrews.ac.uk
Marie Curie Fellow
School of Biology
University of St Andrews, UK
ei4@st-andrews.ac.uk
