Role:
PhD researcher in Sensory and Behavioural Ecology
Current Research:
My PhD is titled: The Influence of Nighttime Lighting on Predator-Prey Dynamics and the Landscape of Fear.
My research currently looks at how urbanisation may be affecting the visual displays of great bowerbirds. Male bowerbirds create an extended phenotype display to attract females by collecting and displaying objects from their environment. My research explores how urbanisation may be affecting the salience of this display in great bowerbirds in north-eastern Australia. I collect behavioural data in the field and use avian-based visual modelling to compare the salience of these displays between urban and rural populations. I work under the supervision of Prof Laura Kelley (Exeter) and Prof Alex Thornton (Exeter).
Prior Research:
My undergraduate research project explored perching behaviour in rufous hummingbirds, collecting behavioural data in the field to explore the optimal foraging mode in this species. I have also assisted on research exploring the relationship between bird beak shape and nest-building materials, and jackdaw nest building.
Interests:
I am very interested in how species perceive and process their environment and using this to try to understand how and why individuals behave the way they do. I love the challenges of fieldwork, and I love being able to spend time observing animals behave in their natural environment.
Contact Info:
Work email: cfe207@exeter.ac.uk
