Nest building for a changing world

The key question in this project is whether birds can respond to changes in their environment. Ambient temperature is increasing, often accompanied by extreme weather events. A nest is a bird’s route to bringing its offspring safely into the world and the bird parent works hard to maintain its nest’s temperature to the narrow thermal window (34-38℃) for optimal development. Birds are particularly challenged by a warming and more extreme climate, because, unlike mammals and reptiles, they do not seek refuge under the ground (in burrows), leaving them more exposed to extreme air temperatures. Griffith has shown that zebra finch breeding is susceptible to high ambient temperatures (Griffith et al. 2016; McCowan & Griffith 2021), and that changing nest architecture may be an adaptive response (Campbell et al. 2018).

Zebra finches are an ideal model system for examining a wide variety of questions about nest building, because they build so readily in the laboratory. The logistical benefits of using this species have enabled significant advances in our understanding of the role of cognition in building. They learn which materials are appropriate, from their mistakes, and they copy others. Most recently Healy’s group has shown that birds develop architectural traditions (Tello Ramos et al. 2024).

The student will ask to what extent the zebra finch is or is not able to respond to increasing environmental temperatures and environmental extremes. They will collect data at Griffith’s unique field site (where he has studied a wild population of zebra finches for 21 years), in free-flight breeding aviaries (Macquarie campus), then perform experimental manipulations Healy’s St Andrews laboratory (where Healy has conducted research on the zebra finch for >10 years). 

This plan of work is significant in its scope: no one has attempted to examine nest-building choices from the same species in the wild and in the laboratory, choices that are crucial for birds to respond to environmental, especially sudden, extreme anthropogenic-induced changes. Zebra finches will provide a model system to do this.

The project will be managed jointly between the School of Biology at St Andrews and the School of Natural Sciences at Macquarie. The student will be supervised by Prof. Susan Healy (St Andrews) and by Prof. Simon Griffith (Macquarie).

Informal enquiries regarding this scholarship may be addressed to Sue Healy at sdh11@st-andrews.ac.uk or Simon Griffith on Simon.Griffith@mq.edu.au.

 

 Doctoral Research at St Andrews

As a doctoral student at the University of St Andrews you will be part of a growing, vibrant, and intellectually stimulating postgraduate community. St Andrews is one of the leading research-intensive universities in the world and offers a postgraduate experience of remarkable richness.

St Leonard’s Postgraduate College is at the heart of the postgraduate community of St Andrews. The College supports all postgraduates and aims to provide opportunities for postgraduates to come together, socially and intellectually, and make new connections.

St Leonard’s Postgraduate College works closely with the Postgraduate Society which is one of the most active societies within the Students’ Association. All doctoral students are automatically welcomed into the Postgraduate Society when they join the University.

In addition to the research training that doctoral students complete in their home School, doctoral students at St Andrews have access to GRADskills – a free, comprehensive training programme to support their academic, professional, and personal development.

About Macquarie

Doctoral Research at Macquarie University

Macquarie University is recognised globally as a leading university, consistently ranking among the world’s best due to a strong tradition of innovation and exploration. With an enviable reputation for research excellence and a driving desire to produce solutions with real-world impact, Macquarie’s discoveries are paving the way to a brighter future. As a doctoral student at Macquarie, you will be able to draw on the expertise of the University’s knowledgeable and passionate research community.

The definition of a research problem, the exploration of the problem, and the dissemination of findings to the academic and general community, are central to the process of research candidacy at Macquarie. Candidates are supported throughout these stages by various central, faculty and departmental activities and assisted with the administration and management of their candidacy and research through the services provided by the Graduate Research Academy.

The doctoral program at Macquarie is a pathway to a career as a researcher in both academia and industry. In addition to managing their candidature and understanding their requirements as a researcher, doctoral students will complete a university-wide and a faculty-specific commencement program. They also have the opportunity to take advantage of a range of face-to-face courses and online training resources to leverage their degree to reach future career goals.

How to apply

Submit an application or expression of interest to Sue Healy or Simon Griffith and include the following documents:

• CV including information about publications
• Transcripts of most relevant or most recent degrees
• Information about thesis components, including mark, word count, weight or length in comparison to the degree overall
• 500-word statement of suitability as a candidate for the project

Applications for a scholarship will be assessed jointly by the co-supervisors. Following a successful application for the scholarship, candidates may be invited by the co-supervisors to submit an application to each university for admission into the program and award of the scholarship.

Please indicate in your application that you wish to be considered for this Global doctoral scholarship (Griffith-Healy). Applications should be submitted to the co-supervisors via email to Sue Healy at sdh11@st-andrews.ac.uk or Simon Griffith on Simon.Griffith@mq.edu.au.

Please email us on pgscholarships@st-andrews.ac.uk or gr.globalprograms@mq.edu.au if you have any questions regarding the scholarship.

For more information on the scholarship, please see the website; Global St Andrews and Macquarie Doctoral Scholarship – Biology (Griffith-Healy) – Study at St Andrews – University of St Andrews