I am primarily interested in understanding biological phenomena from an evolutionary perspective. My area of concentration is animal behavior and its interface with ecology. I strive to answer ecological questions about social systems and communication, and my approach is to study animals in the field under natural conditions.
I am currently investigating two questions in behavioral biology, using the white-throated sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) as a model. First, what varied roles do bird songs play in the life of a bird and, second, why do some birds have very simple song repertoires while others sing varied and complex songs? In addition to exploring the mate attraction, territory defense, and reproductive functions of song, I am trying to determine if white-throated sparrows use their one song type in ways analogous to species with more than one song in an individual's repertoire.
