background

Mixed-species flocks represent social groups — where individuals move and forage together — that consist of individuals from two or more species. Our project aims to understand the evolution and ecology of this underappreciated form of social system, as well as its links with other types of social systems in birds.

Approach

We use field data collected on colour-banded populations of thornbills and associated species that form mixed species flocks to better understand their structure and dynamics.

We also use phylogenetic comparative approaches to study the evolution of MSFs and examine their ecological predictors.

We collect our data from both the literature and from the broader literature such as natural history guides, allowing us to map how this trait is distributed across the avian phylogenetic tree.

who is working on this?

This currently forms the project of PhD student Yiqing Chen.