The latest pied babbler paper, headed by the amazing Shannon Conradie, looks at how the accuracy of biophysical models, increasingly used to predict climate change response, can be improved with even a modest amount of behavioural observations besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

Targeted behavioural and microclimate data collection substantially improves biophysical model predictions of energy expenditure in wild birds

Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com

Check out our Editor's Choice for Issue May/June ⬇️⬇️

Behavioral Ecology@behavecol.bsky.social · last mo.

High temperatures inhibit quantity discrimination of conspecifics in a wild bird #Cognition #AntiPredatorBehavior #Bird doi.org/10.1093/behe...

High temperatures inhibit quantity discrimination of conspecifics in a wild bird #Cognition #AntiPredatorBehavior #Bird doi.org/10.1093/behe...

More than 400 scientists, young people, Indigenous leaders, and conservation experts have written collectively to @albomp.bsky.social and @jimchalmers.bsky.social, pleading for adequate $ to protect and restore nature biodiversitycouncil.org.au/news/scienti... - @biodivcouncil.bsky.social

Scientists and young people send joint letter to PM about intergenerational failure of the budget on nature | Biodiversity Council Australia

Deep frustration with the budget has led more than 400 scientists, young people, Indigenous leaders, and conservation experts to write collectively to the Prime Minister and Treasurer, pleading for ad...

biodiversitycouncil.org.au

New paper out now looking at how different amplitudes of anthropogenic noise affect the behaviour of urban living magpies! This work highlights the importance of considering how variation in noise may differentially impact wildlife. @mandyridley.bsky.social doi.org/10.1080/0952...

The differential effects of low, intermediate and high amplitudes of anthropogenic noise on the behaviour of an urban-living bird

Anthropogenic noise can vary greatly in several properties, including timing, frequency and amplitude. However, many studies have historically focused on the effects of high amplitude noise, even t...

doi.org

Congrats to @alexalaman.bsky.social for leading this paper using 38 years of data to investigate climate impacts on survival & reprod success of Arabian babblers in natural vs modified habitat. We found modified habitats buffered climate impacts: besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

Coping with change: Interactive effects of anthropogenic change influence the breeding success and survival of a desert‐dwelling cooperative breeder

Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com

Just had my first @skypeascientist.bsky.social session speaking to year 6 students in Vietnam about pollution in parks🏞️🐦 Questions from these students were excellent and so thoughtful- an amazing experience! 🙂

Our new paper reveals that quantity discrimination abilities are present in great tits from a young age - and these abilities are akin to those shown by adults! 🐦🧠 Check it out via the link! @dutourmylene.bsky.social doi.org/10.1098/rspb...

Early quantity discrimination in the wild: first insights from juvenile great tits

Abstract. Quantity discrimination is an important aspect of numerical cognition that is utilized across taxa in various ecological contexts, including fora

doi.org

🚨New paper alert 🚨 High temperatures lead to an impaired anti-predator mobbing response to five callers in wild great tits! Loved working on this paper with an all star team of scientists! @dutourmylene.bsky.social @camillasoravia.bsky.social @mandyridley.bsky.social doi.org/10.1093/behe...

High temperatures inhibit quantity discrimination of conspecifics in a wild bird

Many species benefit from the ability to discern the number of individuals calling in an anti-predator mobbing event, as more individuals likely reduces th

doi.org

Hot birds, tricky math! Our new paper shows that high temperatures impair quantity discrimination in wild great tits. @gblackburn.bsky.social, @camillasoravia.bsky.social, and @mandyridley.bsky.social academic.oup.com/beheco/advan...

High temperatures inhibit quantity discrimination of conspecifics in a wild bird

Many species benefit from the ability to discern the number of individuals calling in an anti-predator mobbing event, as more individuals likely reduces th

academic.oup.com

Amazing to see! And a reminder of how important this topic is in the context of our changing environment! @mandyridley.bsky.social @camillasoravia.bsky.social

Journal of Avian Biology@avianbiology.bsky.social · 6mo ago

🚨 Top-downloaded 2024/25: review about the potential additive, synergistic, or antagonistic effects of rising temperatures and anthropogenic noise on avian behaviour and cognition. ➡️ vist.ly/4rxsx #ornithology #birds #cognition #noise #rising_temperatures

Very happy to have been able to help get this experiment out in the world! Amazing work by @mandyridley.bsky.social and the Pied Babbler team!

Mandy Ridley@mandyridley.bsky.social · 8mo ago

So happy to see this come to print after life took over & there was a delay btw data collection and writing up! We conduct an experimental test of central place foraging theory & ask how provisioning/distance trade-offs might differ in a cooperative breeder. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...

So happy to see this come to print after life took over & there was a delay btw data collection and writing up! We conduct an experimental test of central place foraging theory & ask how provisioning/distance trade-offs might differ in a cooperative breeder. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...

An Experimental Test of Central Place Foraging Theory in a Cooperatively Breeding Bird

This study experimentally investigated central place foraging theory in a cooperatively breeding bird, the Southern Pied Babbler. We found that while birds were more likely to provision when given fo...

onlinelibrary.wiley.com

Response to intruder number is related to spontaneous quantity discrimination performance in a wild bird #bird #Cognition #NumberSense doi.org/10.1093/behe...

a black and white bird standing in the grass with the words photo and animation by dunken k bliths below it

ALT: a black and white bird standing in the grass with the words photo and animation by dunken k bliths below it

media.tenor.com

The media release for our recent article on magpie quantity discrimination is out now! Check it out below 🐦⬇️ www.uwa.edu.au/news/article...

Magpies can identify quantities of food and intruder calls

New research has shown for the first time that magpies can distinguish between the number of callers when played recordings of intruder magpies.

uwa.edu.au

Thrilled to see our magpie research featured in "Why Do Birds Sing?" now out and recently highlighted in The Canberra Times! Amazing to see how our work on female song and social complexity in magpies is resonating ❤️ @mandyridley.bsky.social @gblackburn.bsky.social

Protecting darkness and minimising light pollution is important for human and wildlife health. Please consider signing and sharing this petition. Petition EN7346 - National Legislation for Light Pollution Regulation and Dark Sky Preservation www.aph.gov.au/e-petitions/... Closes 19 September.

e-petitions

e-petitions

aph.gov.au

Our new cognition paper is out, headed by @gblackburn.bsky.social, and one of the last chapters from her exceptional PhD thesis!

Grace Blackburn@gblackburn.bsky.social · 12mo ago

New paper alert 🚨 We test quantity discrimination in #magpies using both a cognitive task and playback experiment and find that birds can discriminate between quantities in both! Interestingly, performance in the two task was negatively correlated! 🐦 @mandyridley.bsky.social doi.org/10.1093/behe...

New paper alert 🚨 We test quantity discrimination in #magpies using both a cognitive task and playback experiment and find that birds can discriminate between quantities in both! Interestingly, performance in the two task was negatively correlated! 🐦 @mandyridley.bsky.social doi.org/10.1093/behe...

Response to intruder number is related to spontaneous quantity discrimination performance in a wild bird

The ability to discriminate between quantities is important for animal species. We show that wild magpies can discriminate both between different quantitie

doi.org

Researchers across the major universities in Western Australia working in partnership with government epitomise the multi-faceted approaches required to deal with shot-hole borer. www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08...

Worms eat tree-killing beetle in research trial as scientists team up

Researchers say a chemical trial and a biological trial using worms have shown early success in the fight against the shot-hole borer, which has led to the destruction of thousands of Perth's trees.

abc.net.au

Interesting research, suggesting poorly designed or excessive private lighting is contributing as much to ALAN pollution as street lights. 🌏🧪 This seems to be one of the few areas where our own actions can make a significant positive contribution! Turn it off! 💡 theconversation.com/street-lamps...

Street lamps aren’t the only form of artificial light pollution – here’s how to create darker nights

Light Pollution is a significant environmental issue and is spreading rapidly. The good news is that it is easy to fix - find out how here…

theconversation.com

Check out new #CEB paper by @gblackburn.bsky.social et al. that found that Western Australia magpies sing less when exposed to anthropogenic noise, but not necessarily louder. 🐦🚧 This may save energy, yet could cost social & territorial signals. doi.org/10.1111/ibi.... #Bioacoustics #UrbanEcology

Grace Blackburn@gblackburn.bsky.social · last yr.

Another #PhD chapter out in the world! We investigate the impact of anthropogenic #noise on the territorial song of WA magpies 🔊🐦🔊 onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/... @mandyridley.bsky.social @cornishjackdaws.bsky.social @dutourmylene.bsky.social

Another #PhD chapter out in the world! We investigate the impact of anthropogenic #noise on the territorial song of WA magpies 🔊🐦🔊 onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/... @mandyridley.bsky.social @cornishjackdaws.bsky.social @dutourmylene.bsky.social

Western Australian Magpies alter the rate, but not the amplitude, of their territorial song in anthropogenic noise

Anthropogenic noise is considered one of the most serious forms of pollution globally and has been shown to have negative effects on the distribution, behaviour, cognition and reproductive success of...

onlinelibrary.wiley.com

Our new paper, led by @gblackburn.bsky.social, finds a very sharp decline in the rate of carol calls (the main territorial call) given by magpies during anthropogenic noise, but no change in the amplitude. @dutourmylene.bsky.social onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

Western Australian Magpies alter the rate, but not the amplitude, of their territorial song in anthropogenic noise

Anthropogenic noise is considered one of the most serious forms of pollution globally and has been shown to have negative effects on the distribution, behaviour, cognition and reproductive success of...

onlinelibrary.wiley.com

Our new #cognition paper, led by Masters student Holly Hunter, has just been published in Animal Cognition! doi.org/10.1007/s100... @ceb-uwa.bsky.social @mandyridley.bsky.social

Group size affects spontaneous quantity discrimination performance in wild Western Australian magpies (Gymnorhina tibicen dorsalis) - Animal Cognition

Animals may benefit from the ability to discriminate between quantities in their environment; for example, when choosing between foraging patches differing in food availability or assessing the size o...

doi.org

@gblackburn.bsky.social & I recently wrote this piece in Nature Climate Change about the potential conservation implications of climate-induced divergence of song. This may occur more often under a rapidly changing climate & cause greater isolation between popns. www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Climate-induced divergence of song - Nature Climate Change

Vocal communication is essential for information transmission in many species, such as that related to mating opportunities or predator presence. Recent research revealing how phenotypic changes broug...

nature.com

Great piece on our new research highlighting the severe impact of using second generation anticoagulant rodenticides. We are killing quolls snd Tasmanian devils when we poison rats. www.watoday.com.au/national/wes...

Australia-first study finds rat poison in rare Perth Hills chuditch

New evidence shows the first confirmed cases of rat poisoning in native Australian marsupial carnivores.

watoday.com.au

Lethal second-generation rat poisons are killing endangered quolls and Tasmanian devils theconversation.com/lethal-secon...

Lethal second-generation rat poisons are killing endangered quolls and Tasmanian devils

Second generation rat poisons are so potent that they’re banned for home use in Europe and North America. But here, you can pick them up at Bunnings or Coles.

theconversation.com

Happy to share that today I started a #Postdoctoral #research fellow position at Central Queensland University working with Capricorn yellow #chats! 🐦 Very excited for this new adventure!