Dr Steve Portugal, Animal Behaviour and Physiology

Currently, our group comprises 6 PhD students (Dan, Jenny, Stephanie, Sam, Jack and Lucy), 2 MSc students (Rhianna and Miranda), a Research Assistant (Lara) and myself (PI). I also co-supervise PhD students Rosa Gleave and Baptiste Garde (Swansea).

 

Dan Sankey

Dan’s PhD is investigating how physiology and individual personality traits interact with collective behaviour in birds.

Email: Daniel.Sankey.2016 at live.rhul.ac.uk

Sam Jones

Sam’s PhD research broadly investigates the physiological and behavioural underpinnings of avian species turnover in tropical mountains. This primarily focuses on the relationship between interspecific aggression and physiology, and its subsequent behavioural consequences. Approaches focus on behavioural and physiological techniques, studying species turnover of Nightingale-Thrushes (Catharus sp.) in Central America that have parapatric distributions and abut at ‘contact zones’ at the edges of their elevational ranges. (funded by NERC).

Email: Samuel.Jones.2016 at live.rhul.ac.uk

Stephanie McClelland

Stephanie is researching the physiology behind avian brood parasites. (funded by NERC).

Stephanie.Mcclelland.2018 at live.rhul.ac.uk

Jenny Cantlay

Jenny is studying the sensory ecological basis behind avian collisions with man-made objects. (funded by NERC and the RSPB).

Jennifer.Cantlay.2018 at live.rhul.ac.uk

Miranda Reynolds

Email: Miranda.Reynolds.2014@live.rhul.ac.uk

Rhianna Ricketts

Email: Rhianna.Ricketts.2014@live.rhu

 

Lucy Taylor

Lucy is a PhD student I co-supervise, based in the Animal Behaviour Research Group as part of the University of Oxford’s Interdisciplinary Bioscience Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP) programme, funded by BBSRC. Lucy’s primary supervisor is Dr Dora Biro, and we are working together on physiological and behavioural aspects of group living in pigeons.

Email: lucy.taylor.at.zoo.ox.ac.uk