Faculty Directory

We are interested in the evolution of mate choice and male display in nonresource-based mating systems such as occurs in lekking species.   Most bowerbirds have a lek-like mating system and males have no role in parental care but they build intricate and often finely crafted stick structures associated with their display sites called bowers.  We study bowerbirds as a model system for understanding the evolution of complex male sexual display and related processes like mate searching.  Currently we are engaged in a long term study of Satin Bowerbirds in northern NSW, Australia but past studies have involved all other accessible species in this family. 

EDUCATION

Ph.D., University of Michigan, 1978. Evolution of mate choice; social structure and patterns of aid-giving behavior; sociobiology. 

• Sexual selection
• Evolution of mate choice
• Social structure and patterns of aid-giving behavior
• Sociobiology