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On the Gouldian front it is a pretty quiet time of the year in the Kimberley, but a project on a new study species in the area has just started…. the frillneck lizard! This project will be looking at temperature-dependent sex allocation and maternal effects, as well as the role that the coloured frill plays in signalling to mates, rivals and predators in this iconic species. David and Lucy have become expert lizard catches (with no scars to boast about… yet!).
An article in the Kimberley Echo on the work by Honours student, Dhanya Pearce, who used stuffed Gouldian and long-tailed finches to look at aggression between the species over competition for nest sites. She found that long-tailed finches are super-aggressive – often pulling off various body parts of the Gouldian models! In contrast, the much friendlier Gouldians rarely approached and attacked long-tailed finch models. Dhanya’s article was recently published in Auk (PDF available in publications). Feathers fly in finch war – The Kimberley Echo
Here is an article published this week on the Science Network by Geoff Vivian about our recently published work on the mating tactics of the Gouldian finch. Gouldian finch females maximise mating opportunities – Science Network
An enthusiastic and capable volunteer field assistant is required for a research project on frillneck lizards (Chlamydosaurus kingii) in Wyndham, Western Australia. This project will form part of a PhD study in tropical northern Australia on the evolution of colour in the frill. Fieldwork will involve….. Here is an article published this week in The West Australian and The Kimberley Echo about the first wild Gouldian finches of the season. So ugly…. yet so cute! Gouldian chicks shine light on fresh season – The West Australian  Photo by Sarah Pryke First wild Gouldian finch babies for this year’s breeding season! After a crazy wet season in the Kimberley (with over 6 metres of rain!), the endangered Gouldians have started breeding – and in huge numbers in our specially-designed nest-boxes. Here’s hoping for a bumper field season this year…  Photo by Sarah Pryke  Photo by Sarah Pryke It seems that zebra finches are not only a model system for biologists – but are also an inspiration for artists. Recently Céleste Boursier-Mougenot presented a major new commission at The Barbican (London) to highlight how the rhythms of daily life can produce sound in unexpected ways. For the installation, he created a walk-though aviary for a flock of zebra finches, furnished with electric guitars and other musical instruments. As the birds went about their routine activities, perching on or feeding from the various pieces of equipment, they created a live soundscape. |
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Copyright © 2012 Sarah Pryke - All Rights Reserved |
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