The ecology and evolution of communication systems and mating strategies in temperate and tropical birds

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Males and females often make very different contributions to reproduction. This sets the stage for a variety of conflicting interests and cooperative motivations that influence animal behaviour. The astonishing complexity of vocal behaviour in birds reflects both conflict (example: an aggressive countersinging duel between two territorial males competing for access to females) and cooperation (example: a coordinated vocal duet sung by a breeding pair of birds near their nest). Together with my students, I use a combined field-based and laboratory-based approach to study conflict and cooperation in the communication behaviour and breeding activities of wild birds. I use novel theoretical frameworks for understanding animal vocal behaviour and reproductive strategies, combined with innovative technical approaches to test hypotheses in the field. For example, I use Acoustic Location Systems for spatial monitoring of free-living animals, interactive and multi-speaker playback for engaging animals in realistic territorial encounters, Smart Tag sensor technology for monitoring animal social interactions, and autonomous recorders for long-term monitoring and biodiversity assessment. In Ontario, my students and I study male singing behaviour and female reproductive decisions in Black-capped Chickadees. In the tropics, we study the ecology and evolution of vocal behaviour and mate choice in a variety of species, with a focus on long-term studies of Rufous-and-white Wrens, Barred Antshrikes and Long-tailed Manakins. I use genetic paternity analyses to compare apparent reproductive success (number of fledglings) and realized reproductive success (number of genetic offspring) with male and female vocal behaviour. My research sheds new light on the evolution of conflict and cooperation in temperate and tropical animals, the relationship between animal vocal behaviour and reproductive strategies, the importance of communication networks to animal ecology, and the utility of new bioacoustic technologies for field biologists.