Most previous research of the effects of food supplementation on the incubation behaviour behaviour in passerines has been conducted on gynelateral species (species in which one sex incubates). Generally, food supplementation has been found to increase parental investment in reproduction and so I was interested in the effects of food supplementation on a biparental incubator. I conducted an experiment to investigate if pairs increased their investment in incubation when they had access to supplementary food. I found that that the birds did increase their rates of incubation in response to food supplementation.
Manuscript in preparation for publication in Ibis with James Briskie (due date Dec 2007).
Strategic management of body mass and daily singing routines of New Zealand robins (Petroica australis) in response to short-term food supplementation.
I tested some predictions from a stochastic dynamic programming model of strategic regulation of diurnal mass gain and singing behaviour. I found that when birds were fed, they did not gain more mass on fed days than on days when the same individuals did not sing. However, the birds increased their singing behaviour on fed days which indicates that the birds increased their investment in non-maintenance behaviurs such as singing.
Manuscript in preparation for Journal of Avain Biology (due data Nov 2007).
Changes in bird abundance at Kowhai Bush, Kaikoura between 1979 and 2000.
I completed hundreds of five-minute bird counts throughout the spring and summer months of 1999 and 2000 in order to ascertain the changes in bird abundance in response to changes in the management of the kowhai bush reserve. I found that there have been some changes in the species composition of Kowhai bush, but that there has been no change in overall bird abundance.
Data awaiting further analysis and manuscript is planned for publication in Notornis (due date Oct 2008).