Project properties
Title Active and passive anti-predator defence in a cooperatively breeding bird
Group Behavioural Ecology
Project type thesis
Credits 30-36
Supervisor(s)
Sjouke A. Kingma
Kat L. Bebbington
Examiner(s) Marc Naguib
Contact info sjouke.kingma@wur.nl
Begin date 2020/03/10
End date 2030/03/10
Description Group-living can have many benefits, such as better protection from predators. White helmetshrikes, for example, actively mob and attack predators in nest vicinity to protect their brood. Larger groups might thus be better able to defend their brood or leave the nest undefended for less time. Passive protection like nest concealment or reachability can also affect predation risk. In scope of the Social Savannah project, predation can be studied in white-crested helmetshrikes in eSwatini by combining group and nest monitoring with behavioural observations at the nest and in simulated predator intrusion tests.
Used skills animal monitoring, ornithological field work, video analyses
Requirements The fieldwork takes place in the savanna of Eswatini in Southern Africa; an adventurous attitude is an advantage: the fieldsite is beautiful but remote and accommodation is basic.