Animal communication research

The investigation of visual and acoustic communication in a range of species
Cirl Bunting, or Cirlus Emberiza, sitting on a branch 
Researching how animals ‘talk’ to each other via signals requires a deep understanding of what each signal means, how it is produced, and how it is interpreted by receivers.
We investigate mostly visual and acoustic communication in a range of species and often link the research to assessing animal welfare and animal conservation. 
Dr Sarah Collins works on acoustic communication in song birds, how population differences in song diversity across populations link to conservation and also how detailed analysis of the sounds produced can indicate individual characteristics. 
Dr Katherine Herborn uses acoustic analysis techniques to measure emotional state in large scale production systems of chickens.
Cirl buntings (Emberiza cirlus)

Potential projects

Consistency in the song of cirl buntings, are some songs more difficult to produce than others (Dr Sarah Collins)
Are there fundamental measures of the performance of displays that can be measured across taxa e.g. hermit crabs, bird song, insect stridulations (Dr Sarah Lane, Dr Sarah Collins)
 
 
 

Key papers

  • To AWY, Dingle C & Collins SA 2021 'Multiple constraints on urban bird communication: both abiotic and biotic noise shape songs in cities' Behavioral Ecology 32, (5) 1042-1053 , DOI Open access
  • Herborn KA, McElligott AG, Mitchell MA, Sandilands V, Bradshaw B & Asher L 2020 'Spectral entropy of early-life distress calls as an iceberg indicator of chicken welfare' Journal of The Royal Society Interface 17, (167) 20200086-20200086 , DOI Open access
  • Leedale AE, Collins SA & de Kort SR 2015 'Blackcaps (<i>Sylvia atricapilla</i>) increase the whistle part of their song in response to simulated territorial intrusion' ETHOLOGY 121, (4) 403-409 , DOI