Saving ghosts: shedding light on the at-sea behaviour, risk exposure and microplastic ingestion in the endangered Polynesian Storm Petrel (Nesofregetta fuliginosa)
Federico De Pascalis (Italy), Postdoctoral Associate, Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Italy
Awarded £1,675

Territory size and spatial use patterns of the Pygmy Falcons
Olufemi Olubodun (Nigeria), PhD student, FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, South Africa
Awarded £1,955

2022 career development bursaries

Two awards from seven applications received.

Anap Isphaku Afan (Nigeria), Research Associate, A P Leventis, Nigeria
Honeyguides, honey-eating and the current state of human-honeyguide mutalism in Nigeria
Supervisor: Jessica van der Wal & Claire Spottiswoode (FitzPatrick Institute, Cape Town University, South Africa)
Awarded £2,449
Project report

Chima Josiah Nwaoga (Nigeria), Junior Research Fellow, University of Groningen, the Netherlands
Impacts of long-term changes in rainfall on the breeding season of African birds
Supervisor: Martijn van de Pol (James Cook University, Australia)
Awarded £2,500

2022 member travel grants

None awarded due ongoing issues with in-person events due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

2021 ornithological research grants

Eight awards from 54 applications received.

The energetic trade- off between immunity and foraging complexity
Olivia Hicks (UK), Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Centre d’Etudes Biolgiques de Chize, France
Awarded £1,527
Project report

Molecular drivers of spectral perception in endangered Hawaiian seabirds
Hannah Moon (US), PhD student, University of Hawai’i at Manoa, USA
Awarded £1,450

Taking the heat: are drongo’s (Dicrurus adsimilis) efforts to cool nestlings in hot weather constrained by the necessity of maintaining safe body temperatures?
Benjamin Murphy (Germany), PhD student, Fitzpatrick Institute of African Ornithology, South Africa
Awarded £1,111

2021 member travel grants

None awarded due ongoing issues with in-person events due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

2020 ornithological research grants

Six awards from 51 applications received.

Does pair-bond strength affect parental care strategies?
Josh Arbon (UK), PhD candidate, University of Exeter, UK
Awarded £1,750

Patterns and consequences of parasite infection in a declining long-distance migratory passerine
Fraser Bell (UK), PhD candidate, University of Exeter, UK
Awarded £1,989

Do seasonal changes in food resources predict breeding phenology and reproductive success in Southern Pied Babblers Turdoides bicolor?
Amanda Bourne (South Africa), PhD candidate, Fitzpatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town, South Africa
Awarded £1,440
Paper 1 | Paper 2 | Paper 3 | Paper 4 | Project report

Putting a price on the menu: Quantifying bird ecosystem services in African cocoa plantations
Crinan Jarrett, (UK), PhD candidate, University of Glasgow, UK
Awarded £1,600

Island kingfishers as an emerging model system to study the genomics of speciation
Jenna McCullough (US), PhD student, University of New Mexico, US
Awarded £1,600

Birds as monitors of ecosystem restoration: using avian soundscapes for assessing biodiversity and functioning of restored mangrove forests
Darren O’Connell (Ireland), Postdoctoral Research Associate, University, UK
Awarded £1,650

This years awardees allowed to delay their projects for up to 12 months due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

2020 career development bursaries

Two awards from seven applications received.

Amparo Herrera-Dueñas (Spain), Freelance scientific researcher
Getting elder in the city (evaluating the effects of urbanisation on the telomere attrition in adult and nestling Blue Tits)
Supervisor: Davide Dominoni (University of Glasgow, UK)
Awarded £2,400

Kate Rogerson (UK), PhD awarded December 2019 by University of East Anglia
Project Identifying priorities for seabird conservation using a “ridge to reef” approach
Supervisor: Maria Dias (BirdLife International, UK)
Awarded £2,480

This years awardees allowed to delay their projects for up to 12 months due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

2020 member travel grants

None awarded due to events being cancelled or switched to virtual events due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

2019 ornithological research grants

Six awards from 55 applications received.

Linking frugivory to seed dispersal: Testing predictions from plant-frugivore networks through molecular identification of avian seed dispersers
Spencer Schubert (US) PhD candidate, Old Dominion University, US
Awarded £1,966
Project report

Do pelagic seabirds calibrate a magnetic compass using twilight cues?
Joe Wynn (UK), PhD candidate, University of Oxford, UK
Awarded £1,500

Assessing the prevalence, distribution and origins of avian malaria within the introduced avifauna of the Society archipelago, French Polynesia
Ashley Sendell-Price (UK), PhD candidate, University of Oxford, UK
Awarded £1,499
Project report

Coevolution of avian hosts and malarial parasites across a gradient of isolation
Xena Marie Mapel (US), Master’s student, University of New Mexico, US
Awarded £1,750

Family dinner: do parents of Lesser Black-backed and Herring Gulls adapt their foraging behaviour to their chicks’ needs
Rosemarie Kentie (the Netherlands), Postdoc researcher, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, the Netherlands
Awarded £823
Project report

Phylogeography and integrative taxonomy of Japanese bush-warbler complex sensu lato Horornis diphone/canturians
Chentao Wei (China), Postdoc researcher, Sun Yat-sen University, China
Awarded £1000
Project report

2019 career development bursaries

Two awards from seven applications received.

Sarah Saldanha (Canada), unattached
Investigating the foraging ecology of Red-billed Tropicbirds around Cape Verde
Supervisor: Samantha Cox (Institut de Recherche pour le Developement (IRD), France)
Awarded £2,500
Project report

Zitan Song (China), Postdoc researcher, Sun Yat-sen University, China
Project Social organization in weavers: re-analysing Crook’s hypotheses using modern comparative methods
Supervisor: Tamás Székely (University of Bath, UK)
Awarded £2,500

2019 member conference travel awards

11 awards from 17 applications received. Each members’ presentation title is given below.

Attending the European Ornithologists’ Union conference (EOU2019),
Cluj, Romania, August 2019:

Amparo Herrera Duefas (Spain)
Postdoc researcher, University of Groningen, the Netherlands.
Easy life or healthy life? That’s the question… for the house sparrows.
Awarded: £300.
Conference report

Javier Pineda Pampleiga (Spain)
PhD student, University of Madrid, Spain.
Eating from the rubbish: good for today, a problem for tomorrow.
Awarded: £300.
Conference report

Pablo Salmón (Spain)
Postdoc researcher, University of Glasgow, UK.
Growing up and old: are early-life IGF-1 levels associated with later-life cellular ageing?
Awarded: £300.
Conference report

Alex Nicole-Harper (UK)
PhD student, University of Southampton, UK.
Population dynamics of intermittent breeding in the Common Eider.
Awarded: £300.
Conference report

Koosje Lamers (the Netherlands)
PhD candidate, University of Groningen, the Netherlands.
The role of dispersal in adaptation to climate change: an experimental approach.
Awarded: £300.
Conference report

Lara Moreno Zarate (Spain)
PhD student, Institute for Game and Wildlife Research, Spain.
The importance of environmental favourability and habitat in the decline of the European Turtle Dove in Spain.
Awarded: £300.
Conference report

Giulia Masoero (Italy)
PhD student, University of Turku, Finland.
Climate change and perishable food stores of an avian predator in fragmented boreal forests.
Awarded: £300.
Conference report

Caitlan Higgott (UK)
PhD student, University of Sheffield, UK.
Presentation: Heritability of an extended phenotype: is nest site selection a heritable trait in a temperate passerine?
Awarded: £300.
Conference report

Claudia Tapia-Harris (Mexico/UK)
PhD student, University of St Andrews, UK.
Presentation: Determinants of non-breeding space use in Africa by a Palearctic migrant.
Awarded: £300.
Conference report

I. Kann Özgencil (Turkey)
PhD student, Universiteler Mah, Turkey.
Presentation: Elucidating the patterns in mid-winter waterbird surveys by using climate, lake water level changes and macrophyte records.
Awarded: £500.
Conference report

Johanne Marie Martens (Germany)
PhD student, Deakin University, Australia.
Presentation: Parrots in Peril – Investigating Beak and Feather Disease Virus in wild Australian psittacines.
Awarded: £800.
Conference report

Attending the Australian Ornithological Congress (AOC2019),
Darwin, Australia, July 2019:

Jane Younger (Australia)
Postdoc fellow, University of Bath, UK.
Presentation: Diversification of two endemic radiations in the biodiversity hotspot of Madagascar.
Awarded: £500.
Conference report

2018 ornithological research grants

Does haemosporidian infection influence telomere length in a forest specialist bird species?
Elfego Cuevas (PhD candidate, University Andres Bello, Chile)
Awarded £1,700
Paper in IBIS

The secret lives of Jackdaws: exploring sexual monogamy in a socially monogamous species
Rebecca Hooper (PhD candidate, University of Exeter, UK)
Awarded £2,000
Project report

Do ecologically distinct parasites have interacting effects on host fitness?
Jordan Herman (University of Utah, US)
Awarded £1,500

Settlement patterns of a declining Afro-Palearctic migrant in Poland’s Białowieża Forest
Richard Broughton (Research Ecologist, Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, UK)
Awarded £1,389

Searching for the genomic basis behind phenotypic divergence with low levels of genetic differentiation in the polytypic Rufous-collared Sparrow (Zonotrichia capensis) using whole-genome sequencing
Pablo Lavinia (Post-Doctoral fellow, Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales, Argentina)
Awarded £2,000

The effects of environmental stress on song development in male and female Dippers
Lucy Magoolagan (Unattached. PhD, 2017, Lancaster University, UK)
Awarded £1,500

Explaining mismatches between phenotypic and genetic divergence in a rapid radiation of finch-like birds
Sheela Turbek (PhD candidate, University of Colorado, US)
Awarded £2,000
Blog | Paper

2018 career development bursaries

Ferran Sayol (Unattached. PhD, 2017, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain)
Big brains for big cities: Relative brain size and tolerance to urban environments in birds
Supervisor and host institute: Alexander Pigot (University College London, UK)
Awarded £2,500
Blog | Paper

2018 member conference travel awards

13 awards given (to attend IOC 2018 in Vancouver) from 23 applications received. Each members’ presentation title is given below.

Geneviève Blanchet (US)
MSc student (Tropical Conservation Biology and Environmental Science), University of Hawaii, US.
Awarded £300
Conference report

Igor Berkunsky (Argentina)
Post-doc, Coordinator of the Neotropical Region in the Working Group Psittaciformes (International Ornithologist Union)
Awarded £800
Conference report

Corey Callaghan (US) @callaghanct
PhD candidate (Biological Sciences), UNSW Sydney, Australia
Abstract title Contrasting trajectories of biodiversity loss and urban expansion
Awarded £800
Conference report

Garima Gupta (India)
PhD candidate (Biological Sciences), Newcastle University, UK
Awarded £800
Conference report

Guillermo Fandos Guzman (Spain) @g_fandos
Post-doc Researcher, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain
Awarded £800
Conference report

Rob Hawkes (UK)
PhD candidate (Environmental Sciences), University of East Anglia, UK
Awarded £800
Conference report

Olivia Hicks (UK) @O_Hicks1
PhD candidate (Ecology), University of Liverpool, UK
Awarded £800
Conference report

Virat Jolli (India) @jollivirat
Post-doc researcher, University of Delhi, India
Awarded £800
Conference report

Lucy Magoolagan (UK) @lucymagoolagan
Unnattached. PhD 2017 (Environmental Sciences), Lancaster University, UK
Awarded £800
Conference report

Chima Josiah Nwaogu (Nigeria) @ChimaobimNwaogu
PhD candidate (Ecology and evolution), University of St Andrews, UK
Awarded £800
Conference report

Amanda Trask (UK) @amandaetrask
Post-doc researcher, University of Aberdeen, UK
Awarded £800
Conference report

Nicole Wood (US) @WildlifeBioGal
MSc student (Conservation Biology), University of Central Michigan, US
Awarded £300

Robyn Womack (UK) @RobynJWomack
PhD candidate (Ecology and Environmental Biology), University of Glasgow, UK
Awarded £800
Conference report

2017 ornithological research grants

Using DNA metabarcoding to understand the diet of avian insectivores in different woodland habitats
Stephen Willis (Reader in Ecology, Durham University, UK)
Awarded £1,500
Project report

Cross parasitism is the norm, rather than the exception, in an area where multiple cuckoos and multiple hosts co-occur
William Feeney (Research Fellow, University of Queensland, Australia)
Awarded £1,400
Project report

Assessing bioacoustics of Middle Spotted Woodpeckers for non-invasive assessments of population structure and habitat quality in fragmented habitats
Hugo Robles (Associate Researcher, Antwerp University, Belgium)
Awarded £1,400
Project report

Shivering in deserts: the role of mitochondria networks as efficient fuel suppliers
Angela Ribeiro (Postdoc researcher (Marie Curie Fellow), Natural History Museum of Denmark)
Awarded £1,155

How do physiological, behavioural, and fitness consequences of heat stress differ between males and females in Southern Pied Babblers?
Amanda Bourne (PhD candidate, Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, South Africa)
Awarded £1,532
Project reports | Report Blog – feature article

Interaction of genetic isolation and mate choice in a recently evolved species pair of Atlantic storm-Petrels
Alexandra McCubbin (PhD candidate, Cardiff University, UK)
Awarded £1,500
Project report

Kestrels as city slickers? Unravelling physiological mechanisms of how avian top predators cope with urban life
Laura Wemer (MSc student, University of Vienna, Austria)
Awarded £1,500

2017 career development bursaries

Xavier Meyer (unnatached)
Foraging behaviour of pelagic seabirds: new insights from fractal analysis
Supervisor: Richard Phillips (British Antarctic Survey, UK)
Awarded £2,400

Natalia Garcia (Postdoc Fellow, Natural History Museum of Buenos Aires, Argentina)
Evolution of plumage patterns in a continental radiation of passerines: the Setophaga warblers
Supervisor: Mary Caswell Stoddard (Princeton University, US)
Awarded £2,500
Project report

Wieland Heim (MSc student, University of Potsdam, Germany)
Population trends of East Asian migratory land birds
Supervisor: Johannes Kamp (University of Muenster, Germany)
Awarded £2,400

2016 ornithological research grants

Mitigating the impact of expanding rubber plantations on biodiversity in Indo-Burma: can agroforestry provide benefits for birds?
Eleanor Warren-Thomas (PhD candidate, University of East Anglia, UK)
Awarded £1,923
Report submitted (not for publication)

Birds of a feather flock together: characterising Scopoli’s Shearwater year-round foraging ecology by means stable isotope signatures across the Central Mediterranean
Letizia Campioni (Post-doc researcher, Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Instituto Universitário, Lisbon, Portugal)
Awarded £1,470
Project report

Influence of parental behaviour on first year juvenile migratory decisions in a partial migrant long lived species
Katherine Rogerson (PhD candidate, University of East Anglia, UK)
Awarded £2,000
Project report

Using a novel approach to assess microhabitat use under predation risk of vulnerable ground-foraging birds in fragmented farmland
Glen Bain (PhD candidate, University of Tsamania, Australia)
Awarded £1,123
Project report

Comparing moth abundance between Nightjar breeding and foraging locations and in relation to nesting density, habitat type, temperature and humidity
Ian Henderson & Greg Conway (Senior research ecologists, BTO, UK)
Awarded £1,636
Project report

Adaptive behaviour in Darwin’s Finches
Kiyoko Gotanda (PhD candidate, McGill University, Montreal, Canada)
Awarded £1,411
Project report

Condition and body moult of Little Stints Calidris minuta at wintering site (Barberspan Bird Sanctuary, South Africa) before departure to the breeding
Aleksandra Niemc (PhD candidate, University of Gdansk, Poland)
Awarded £1,500
Project report

Yellow-breasted Bunting Emberiza aureola in peril: which threats occur on the breeding grounds?
Wieland Heim (MSc student, University of Potsdam, Germany)
Awarded £1,613
Project report

2016 career development bursaries

Laure Cauchard (Unemployed. PhD, 2015, University of Montreal, Canada)
The links between mitochondria, cognition and fitness in a natural bird population
Supervisor: Pierre Bize (University of Aberdeen, UK)
Awarded £2,500
Report

Jacintha van Dijk (unattached)
Linking population structure of Northern Common Eiders to avian cholera spread
Supervisor: Mark Forbes (Carleton University, Canada)
Awarded £2,500

2015 ornithological research grants

Project Habitat requirements of the Semi-collared Flycatcher Ficedula semitorquata in Armenia
Karen Aghababyan (CEO, Towards Sustainable Ecosystems (TSE), Armenia)
Awarded £1,980
Project report

Effects of genetics and environment on among‐individual variation in mitochondrial density and functioning rasseyin a natural bird population
Pierre Bize (Senior Lecturer, University of Aberdeen, UK)c
Awarded £1,200
Project report

The anatomy and functional mechanics of cranial ornamentation in the Southern Cassowary Casuarius casuarius and Helmeted Guinea-fowl Numida meleagris
Charlotte Brassey (Post-doc research assistant, Natural History Museum, UK)
Awarded £987
Project report

Nestling behavioural and physiological responses to parental territory defence
Stephen Ferguson (PhD student, University of Memphis, US)
Awarded £714
Report submitted (not for publication)

Importance of social connections for winter survival of juvenile Hihi Notiomystis cincta in New Zealand
Victoria Franks (PhD student, University of Cambridge, UK)
Awarded £1,765
Project report

Investigating the genomic structure in Yellow Wagtail Motacilla lava
Rebecca Harris (Graduate student, University of Washington, US)
Awarded £1,500

Maternal evolutionary history of Imperial Eagles Aquila heliaca and A. adalberti
Begona Martinez-Cruz (Post-doc researcher, Astacian Biologica de Donana (CISC), Spain)
Awarded £1,052
Project report

Project Associations between cognitive abilities and behaviour profiles in the Long-billed Hermit Phaethornis longirostris
Katarzyna Wojczulanis-Jakubas (Post-doc researcher, Gdansk University, Poland)
Awarded £985

2015 career development bursaries

Pedro Liguel Mendes Araújo (PhD student, University of Coimbra, Portugal)
Unravelling the strength of carry-over effects in a migratory shorebird: Icelandic Black-tailed Godwit
Supervisor: Jose Alves (University of Averiro, Portugal & University of Iceland)
Awarded £2,500

Esperanza Socorro Ferrer (PhD student, University of Castilla-La-Mancha, Spain)
Phenology plasticity or urban speciation for a life with noise: the case of the Great Tit
Supervisor: Diego Gil Perez (National Museum of Natural Sciences-CSIC, Spain)
Awarded £2,400

Brittney Marie Graham (PhD student, National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, UK)
Is King Rail Rallus elegans breeding distribution and density related to crayfish abundance?
Supervisor: Susan McRae (East Carolina University, US)
Awarded £2,500

Rhiannon Meier (PhD student(National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, UK)
Preliminary assessment of seabird conservation priorities in the Cayman Islands
Supervisor: Jonathan Green (University of Liverpool, UK)
Awarded £2,500

Ghislaine Cardenas Posada (Research assistant, Universidad de los Andes, Colombia)
Identification of cryptic, endangered Cinnamon Teal subspecies in Colombia using next-generation sequencing
Supervisor: Kevin G. McCracken (University of Miami, US)
Awarded £2,500

2014 ornithological research grants

Direct and indirect influences of climate on species’ range limits – how does geographic temperature variation affect the breeding success of the Ethiopian Bush-crow, Zavattariornis stresemanni, and the White-tailed Swallow, Hirundo megaensis?
Andrew Bladon (PhD candidate, University of Cambridge, UK) View profile
Awarded £1,240

Factors limiting reproductive success of the globally threatened Aquatic Warbler in SE Poland
Joanna Dziarska-Pałéac (PhD candidate, Warsaw University, Poland)
Awarded £950

Is the White Stork Ciconia ciconia addicted to ‘junk food’? Implications of recent landfill closures on breeding season habitat use and fledging success in Iberia
Nathalie Gilbert (PhD candidate, University of East Anglia, UK)
Awarded £1,000

Indirect status reassessment for Siberian grouse in the Russian far east
Kateryna Konovalenko (PhD candidate, Albert Ludwig’s University, Frieburg, Germany)
Awarded £2,000

Conservation and ecology of papyrus endemic bird species
Ilya MacLean (Lecturer, University of Exeter, UK)
Awarded £1,000

Designing a standardised photographic mark-recapture method for estimating population densities of Andean Condor using feeding stations
Diego Ricardo Mendez (Researcher, Armonia, Bolivia)
Awarded £1,793
More information on this project

Natal dispersal of Eastern Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca in the Carpathian Basin
Kristian Szabo (Research Fellow, Szent Istvan University, Hungary)
Awarded £1,000

On duty at the nest: investigating frontline defences in Black-collared Barbets against brood parasitism by Lesser Honeyguide
Wenfei Tong (Post-doc Research Associate, University of Cambridge, UK)
Awarded £2,000

2014 career development bursaries

Aida Abdennadher (Researcher, National Institute of Agronomy, Tunisia)
Pollution by heavy metals in an important Brown Booby breeding area in Mexico
Supervisor: Carolina Sanpera Trigueros (University of Barcelona, Spain)
Awarded £2,500

Jesse Conklin (Guest Researcher, University of Groningen, the Netherlands)
Seasonal survival of long-distance migratory shorebirds in the East Asian-Australasian Flyway
Supervisor: Theunis Piersam (University of Groningen, the Netherlands)
Awarded £2,500

Batbayar Galtbalt (Researcher, Wildlife Science and Conservation Center of Mongolia)
The potential of using moulted feathers in an analysis of breeding behaviour
Supervisor: Xiangjiang Zhan (University of Cardiff, UK)
Awarded £2,500

Justyna Kubacka (voluntary researcher with OTOP (BirdLife Partner), Poland)
Gene flow and genetic diversity in Polish populations of the endangered Aquatic Warbler
Supervisor: Judith Korb (University of Freiburg, Germany)
Awarded £2,500

Oriol Lapiedra (Postdoc researcher, Centre for Ecological Research and Applied Forestries, Spain)
Integrating the role of biogeography, ecology and behaviour into the study of the adaptive diversification of Columbiformes: implications for their conservation
Supervisor: Trevor Price (University of Chicago, US)
Awarded £2,500

Jaime Resano Mayor (PhD candidate, University of Barcelona)
Integrating genetic and stable isotope analyses to infer the population structure of the Snowfinch Montifringilla nivalis in Western Europe
Supervisor: Raphael Arlettaz (University of Bern, Switzerland)
Awarded £2,500

Alice Risley (Advisor, Natural England)
Does territory quality and body condition influence timing of spring departure from African wintering grounds in a long-distance migrant, the Whinchat?
Supervisor: Will Cresswell (University of St Andrews, UK)
Awarded £800

Evanthia Thanou (Self-funder researcher, University of Patras, Greece)
Completing the phylogeography of the European Shag: do species stand the test?
Supervisors: Stephen Cavers / Francis Daunt (CEH Edinburgh, UK)
Awarded £2,500

2013 ornithological research grants

Factors influencing survival of artificial lark nests in severely modified grasslands, Liben Plain, Ethiopia: an experimental approach using a novel biological control measure and fenced enclosures.
Bruktawit Abdu Mahamued (PhD student, Manchester Metropolitan University, UK).
Awarded £1930.

Why do birds use animal dung in and around nests?
Johannes Kamp (Postdoc, University of Munster, Germany).
Awarded £1936
Paper Paper Article Blog

Migratory movements of the Macaronesian endemic Plain Swift Apus unicolor.
Eduardo Garcias-del-Rey (Director, Macaronesian Institute of Field Ornithology, Canary Islands).
Awarded £1140.

At sea ecology of the endemic Bugio’s Petrel Pterodroma deserta. Using geolocators to understand their breeding and non-breeding behaviour.
Fernando Ivan Ramírez Paredes (BirdLife Marine Coordinator, Portugal).
Awarded £1727.

Conserving the endemic birds of the Angolan Scarp Forest.
Aimy Caceres Pinedo (PhD student, University of Porto, Portugal).
Awarded £1980.
Project website

The role of cognitive abilities in the use of social information for breeding site selection: an empirical approach in passerine populations.
Laure Cauchard (PhD student, University of Montreal, Canada).
Awarded £1400.
Project report

2013 career development bursaries

Gabriel Adam Jamie (Lab technician, Dept of Zoology, Cambridge).
Project: The molecular basis of convergant evolution in an avian host-parasite system.
Supervisor: Michael Sorenson, Boston University, USA.
Awarded £2500.

Lorraine Chivers (graduated 2010 with a PhD in seabird ecology from Queen’s University, Belfast).
Is aged-related reproductive success of Black-legged Kittiwakes mediated through foraging performance?
Supervisor: Richard Holland, Queen’s University, Belfast,
Awarded £2500.

Vincente Garcia-Navas (unaffiliated; PhD 2012 from University of Castilla-La-Mancha, Spain).
Nest as extended phenotype in the Rock Sparrow Petronia petronia. What signals presence of ornamental feathers: male quality or territorial occupancy?
Supervisor: Francisco Valera Hernandez, Estacion Experiment de Zonas Aridas (CISC), Spain.
Awarded £2500.

Sama Zefania (PhD 2012 from University of Antananarivo Madagascar).
Parental care and adult sex ratio in three species of plovers Charadrius spp. in southwest Madagascar.
Supervisor: Tamas Székely, University of Bath.
Awarded £2500.

2012 ornithological research grants

Could disease be contributing to the population decline of European Turtle Doves Streptopelia turtur?: Trichomonas gallinaeinfection in European Turtle Doves in Nigeria and potential for transmission among co-occurring African columbiformes. Jenny Dunn & Danae Sheehan (UK). £2000.
Report

Non-breeding habitat requirements and conservation threats to the Bengal Florican Houbaropsis bengalensis in Cambodia. Richard Hillard (New Zealand). £2000.

How do Eucalyptus plantations affect forest and farmland-beneficial birds in Rwanda? Jean Paul Ntungane (Rwanda). £1200.

Investigating the differences in personality of Great Tits Parus major in urban area and woodland using Drd4 gene polymorphism and behavioural observation in captivity. Sepand Riyahi (Spain). £1700.

Impact of bacteria on sperm quality in a wild passerine, the House Sparrow Passer domesticus. Melissah Rowe (Denmark). £1000.

Assessing the impacts of non-native Black-headed Weavers Ploceus melanocephalus on native reedbed nesting warblers. Martin Sullivan (UK). £917.

2012 career development bursaries

Jennifer Mandeville (Researcher, Conservation International, USA). Monitoring Change: Resampling the Mount Missim Elevational Transect, Papua New Guinea. Supervisor: Bruce Beehler (Conservation International, USA). £2500.

Renata Jorge Medeiros Mirra (Self-funded Post-doctoral Researcher, Cardiff University). Evaluating and comparing the diet and population dynamics of two sympatric species of storm petrels in the Azores. Supervisor: Rob Thomas (Cardiff University, UK). £2500.

Gregorio M. Toral (Unaffiliated, currently a volunteer at Estación Biológica de Donana, CSIC, Seville, Spain). The black mask in Birds: an advantage for hunting? Supervisor: José Hernan Sarasola (Universidad Nacional de La Pampa, Argentina). £2500.

Yang Liu (Assistant Post-doctoral Researcher (independent). Understanding Grouping Choice in House Sparrow Passer domesticus. Supervisor: Michael Griesser (University of Bern). £2500.

2011 research awards

Wintering farmland bird assemblages in west Hungary. Andreas Baldi (Hungary), £1010.

Migration behaviour and winter distribution of a declining long-distance migrant: the Pied Flycatcher. Malcolm Burgess (UK), £1000.
Project report

Phylogeography of the Black Harrier Circus maurus. Jerome Fuchs (USA), £500.

Is the strong smell of Kakapo an honest signal for mate choice? Anna Gsell (New Zealand), £2000.

Winter migration of Cape Gannets from Namibia. Katrin Ludynia (South Africa), £1100.

Feeding ecology and at-sea movements of Macaronesian Shearwaters in the North Atlantic. Vitor Hugo Rodrigues Paiva (Portugal), £2000.

Migratory routes and wintering areas of the European Roller Coracias garrulous. Juan Rodriguez Ruiz (Spain), £1477.

Detecting change in the habitat and status of Hinde’s Babbler Turdoides hindei: 2001 to 2011. Phil Shaw (UK), £845.
Report published Ibis 155: 428-429

2011 career development bursaries

Jonathan Kennedy (unaffiliated, recently completed MSc at Imperial College). Supervisor: Trevor Price, University of Chigaco. Analysis of ecological diversification among Himalayan birds. £2500.

Rocío Moreno Carrillo (PhD student, University of Barcelona). Supervisor: Richard Philips, British Antarctic Survey. Diet flexibility and likely vulnerability of Antarctic seabirds to long-term krill decline. £2500.

Reinder Radersma (PhD student, Groningen University). Supervisor: Ben Sheldon, University of Oxford). Sex allocation and sibling interactions in birds. £2500.

Alfred Newton archive project
Prof. Tim Birkhead (University of Sheffield) was awarded £2500 to research the archives of the BOU’s founder, Alfred Newton. The research was carried out by Peter Gallivan (3-yr BSc studentat University of Sheffield).
Paper published in Ibis 154: 887-905

2010 research awards

Action research and conservation of the critically endangered Spoon-billed Sandpiper Eurynorhynchus pygmeus in Bangladesh. Sayam Uddin Chowdhury (Bangladesh), £1900.
Report published Ibis 154: 210-211

Developing a molecular phylogeny of Asian hornbills to test biogeographic hypotheses and clarify conservation priorities. Juan Gonzalez (UK) £800.

Determinants of variation in productivity, adult survival and recruitment in Whinchats Saxicola rubetra on Salisbury Plain. Ian Henderson (UK), £1600.

A Survey of the Critically Endangered Archer’s Lark Heteromirafra archeri of Somaliland. Claire Spottiswoode (UK), £2000.
Report

Contribution to updating the population status of globally threatened Grey-necked Picathartes Picathartes oreas in Cameroon. Taku Awa II (Cameroon), £900.

Climatic impacts on productivity of Arctic Terns Sterna paradisaea in Iceland. Freydis Vigfusdottir (Iceland), £800.

Researching the effectiveness of White-shouldered Ibis Pseudibis davisoni nest protection. Hugh Wright (UK), £2000.

2009 research awards

Birds of prey of Kazakh upland. Anna Barashkova (Russia), £1000.
Report published Ibis 155: 426-427

Phylogeny and evolutionary history of Steamer Ducks, Tachyeres, with particular focus on the species in the Falkland Islands. Brandon Letts (USA), £800.
Paper

Assessing bird diversity in shed trees of tea (camellia sinensis L.) gardens in Greater Sylhet region, north-eastern Bangladesh. Sharif Ahmed Mukul (Bangladesh), £920.

Abundance and diversity of raptors in surrounding unprotected area of Yankari Game Reserve Bauchi State, Nigeria. Joseph Daniel Onoja (Nigeria), £800.

Effect of habitat alteration on population density and distribution of Turner’s Eremomela in south Nandi Forest, Kenya. Nickson Erick Otieno (Kenya), £1000.
Report published Ibis 153: 436-437

Moult in migrant waders using African wetlandsÔÇ¿Magdalena Remisiewicz (South Africa), £1200.
Report published Ibis 153: 433-435

Investigating the habitat requirements and preferences of the endangered Madagascar Pond Heron on Aldabra Atoll. Jennifer Stockdale (UK), £685.

The impact of land use on the breeding Saker Falcons in VojvoDina, Serbia. Marko Tucakov (Serbia), £1000.

Establishing a national monitoring programme for White-shouldered Ibis in Cambodia. Hugh Wright (UK), £1995.
Report published in Ibis 152: 206-208

2008 research awards

Radio-tracking research to aid conservation of the Critically Endangered Djibouti Francolin. Clive Bealey (UK), £1000.

Evaluating the impact of land-use on resident and migratory raptors in West African savannas. Ralph Buij (Cameroon), £1000.

Galliformes monitoring and conservation project in Pakistan’s Palas valley with special focus on Western Tragopan. Francis Buner (UK), £1000.

Does Bean Goose have a distinct strategy for autumn versus spring migration in northeastern Ukraine? Mikhail Banik (Ukraine), £600.
Report published Ibis 151: 615-17

A comparison of the breeding ecology of East African and north temperate tit species (Paridae). Phil Shaw (UK), £795.

The impact of predation on populations and individuals of wintering waders. Piet van den Hout (The Netherlands), £600.

2007 research awards

Using a common sister species to elucidate the origin of parasitic infection in the endangered Pink Pigeon. Nancy Bunbury (UEA, UK). £250.

Some aspects of conservation biology of Papyrus Yellow Warbler Chloropeta gracilirostris in Kenyan sector of Lake Victoria. A Owino (Kenya Wildlife Service). £1000.

Survey of globally-threatened birds in the northern sector of Kinangop Grasslands IBA, Lake Ol Borossat Grasslands and Marmanet Forest Reserve, central Kenya. W Wamiti (National Museums of Kenya). £850.
Report published Ibis 150: 438-439

Research on distribution and status of the Saker Falco cherrug in south-eastern Romania. S. Daroczi (Transylvania University, Romania). £450.

Research on the contemporary distribution of species from order Falconiformes, Nesting in the rock biotopes in North-western Bulgaria. G. Stoyanov (Bulgarian Society for Protection of Birds of Prey). £450.
Report published Ibis 150: 439

Locating critical habitats for Bengal Florican in Cambodia: towards the sustainable management of Tonle Sap Grassland. Tom Gray (UEA , UK). £1468.
Report published Ibis 151: 801

The status of a rare and recently described endemic bird species, the Príncipe Thrush Turdus [Olivaceofuscus] Xanthorhynchus and a search for an as yet undescribed ‘owl’. M. Melo (CEFE-CNRS, France). £1000.

Surveying breeding grounds of the critically endangered Sociable Lapwing in Southern Russia. V. Morozov (Moscow State University, Russia). £1000.

A research programme on the spring migration of Knots through Porsangerfjord, North Norway. W. Dick (UK). £1000.

2006 research awards

Implications of winter habitat choice in migratory shorebirds. J. Alves (UEA , UK ). £250.
Report published Ibis 151: 617

Territory size and population density of Moustached Antpitta Grallaria alleni. G. Cadena-Lopez (Colombian research biologist). £750.

Characterisation of a hybrid zone between Manacus manacus and Manacus vitellinus in the lowlands of north-western Colombia. D. Calderon Franco (Colombian undergraduate student). £750.

Nesting of the vulnerable Helmeted Woodpecker and other woodpeckers in Argentina’s Atlantic forest. K. Cockle (University of British Colombia). £570.
Report published Ibis 150: 216

Minimising the impacts of palm oil production on birds and other biodiversity whilst sustaining livelihoods: a case study in the upper Guinea Forest Zone of Ghana. B. Phalan (Cambridge Uni, UK). £525.
Report published Ibis 151: 800-01

Is the abandonment of traditional low intensity agriculture detrimental to bird co mmunities in Cyprus. A. Symes (UEA, UK). £500.

Threatened species surveys in the Gola Forest Reserves, Sierra Leone. S. Wotton (The RSPB, UK). £400.
Report published Ibis 152: 205-206

2005 research awards

Supplementary feeding and wild foods in the endangered Pink Pigeon. K. Edmunds (UK). £600.

The survey of Corncrake population in Medias Tableland, Romania. M.J. Cosmin (Romania). £350.
Report published Ibis 149: 446-447

Distribution, habitat use and breeding biology of the Bittern in the Fizes Basin, Transylvania, Romania. A. David (Romania). £600.

Status and distribution of three raptor species in Western Romania. I.S. Komaromi (Romania). £500.

Cambodia 2006 Ornithological Expedition. Jez Bird (UK). £1000.
Report published Ibis 149: 650-651

2004 research awards

Individual quality and at-sea distribution of the Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross. Richard Cuthbert (UK ). £1000.

Macin Watchsite 2004: spring and autumn hawk count in southeastern Romania. Zoltan Domahidi (Romania ). £1000.
Report published Ibis 147: 632-633

2003 research awards

Pilot project for enacting the Spotted Eagle Action Plan in Belarus. V. Dombrovski (Belarus). £750.

The ghost birds of Sulawesi: surveys and conservation of nightjars and owls. I. Hunowu (Indonesia). £750.

2002 research awards

Observations and ringing study of Winter Ring Ouzels Turdus torquatus and their habitat in the High Atlas Mountains of Morocco. D. Arthur. (UK). £450.

Neglected and reconstructed territories of Central Russia as the core diversity of birds. D. Bogomolov (Russia). £350.
Report published Ibis 145: 711-712

The status and habitat requirements of the Karamoja Apalis Apilis karamojae in the Wenbere Stepp, Tanzania. P. Shaw (UK). £550.

White Stork breeding success, foraging and survival in Romania. Z D. Szabo (Hungary). £750.

2000 research awards

An avian survey of the Sumaca national reserve, Ecuador. Stewart White (UK). £1000.

The importance of fish ponds for Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca in Western Ukraine. Igor Gorban (Ukraine) £930.

Project CHAGRA’ 2000: Ukrainian project of conservation and studying chalk grasslands. Mikhail Banik (Ukraine). £600. Report published Ibis 143: 523

Environmental predictability and sex allocation in the Saxual Sparrow Passer ammodendri. Kate Oddie (UK) £400.

Hatching in captive Bali Starlings Leucopsar rothschildi. Do chicks need help? Trace Williams (Jersey). £300.

Are wader nest-scrapes adaptively located and designed to minimise the rate of heat loss from the clutch? Jane Reid (UK) £200.

1999 research awards

A search for the nesting colonies of Hornby’s Storm-petrel Oceanodroma hornbyi. The nesting colonies of this species remains unknown. Michael de L. Brooke (UK). £600.

Melanesian birds: conservation and taxonomy. Guy Dutson (UK). £400. Report published Ibis 145: 175

The Vulturine Parrot Psittrichas fulgidus of New Guinea: habitat requirements and conservation implications. Geoff M. Hilton (UK). £400.

Colombian EBA Project ’99. Paul Salaman (UK). £400. Report published Ibis 142: 521-522

Conservation of birds of prey in Transylvania. Robert Zeitz (Romania). £900.

The foraging ecology of Red-breasted Geese Branta ruficollis on staging grounds in Kazakhztan. J. M. Rowcliffe (UK). £400.

1998 research awards

Doiadema ’98. An ornithological and conservation project in the forests of New Caledonia. Jonathan Ekstrom (project leader) (U.K.) £400.

John Gould’s Australian birds; a re-appraisal of the taxonomic status of some of Gould’s important early 19th-century specimens in two British museums. Clemency Fisher (U.K.) £100.
More information

Surveys of post-breeding Slender-billed Curlew Numenius tenuirostris, White-headed Duck Oxyura leucocephala and Sociable Plover Vanellus gregarius in Northern Kazakhstan. Baz Hughes (U.K.) £400.

The West Greenland Goose Project: to investigate habitat exploitation by White-fronted Goose and Canada Goose in West Greenland. Nigel Jarrett (U.K.) £400. Report published Ibis 141: 528-529

To monitor the Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca population in Bulgaria and to further the objectives of the International Action Plan for the species. Nikoli Petkov (Bulgaria) £400.

Action Sampiri – the Sangihe and Talaud conservation project. An integrated conservation andÔÇ¿awareness program studying endangered parrots and the key sitesfor their conservation. Jonathan Riley (U.K.) £400.

Colombia ’98: Uncovering the Serrania de San Lucas. To investigate the avian diversity of this remote and virtually unknown tract of primary forest in northwestern South America in order to assess populations of species urgently requiring conservation attention. Paul Salaman (U.K.) £400.
Report published Ibis 141: 354-355

The status, ecology and conservation of Black-necked Lovebird Agapornis nigrigenis in Zambia. To ascertain the present distribution and status of the species, identify and evaluate all threats limiting its recovery and prepare a conservation strategy. Louise Warburton (South Africa) £400.

1997 research awards

To determine the densities and large-scale habitat use of a range of endemic birds within the Guandera Reserve. Will Cresswell (UK) £500.

A study of the spring migration of Greenland White-fronted Geese in Iceland. Tony Fox (Denmark) £200.

A study of the ecology of hornbills and their role as seed dispersers in a poor-quality forest in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia. Mauro Galetti £200

A study of the distribution and reproductive success of the Middle Spotted Woodpecker in fragmented and continuous oak-dominated forests of Nerussa woodland. Serguei Kossenko £600.

A study of the Sichuan Hill-partridge within its known range in Sichuan, in order to produce a conservation action plan for the species and its forest habitat including management recommendations for future protected area managers. Rod Martins (UK) £200.
Report published Ibis 141: 172-173

A survey to collect data on distribution and abundance of Lesser Kestrels Falco naumanni in southeastern Kazakstan. Stephen Parr (UK) £600.

A University of East Anglia Conservation Project in Indonesia to collect data on the relative biodiversity values of different forest habitats at Riung (north Flores). John Pllgrim (UK) £200.
Report published Ibis 140: 559

Continuation of a diurnal taped-call playback survey of breeding European Storm-petrels on the Island of Annet. Scilly, combined with an examination of breeding phenology. Peter Robinson (UK) £200.

A study of plant/pollinator relationships and morphological convergence using Neotropical hummingbirds and rainforest flowers. Bruno Walther £500.

1996 research awards

The taxonomy of the Mirafra assamica complex. Per Alstrom (Sweden) £200.

The status of the Ethiopian population of Chough. Anne Delestrade £200.

A faunal survey of the Austral Islands. David Holyoak (UK) £600.

The use of staging areas by Sanderlings in Iceland. Paul Mitchell (UK) £200.

A census of the breeding numbers and distribution of the Ferruginous Duck in Bulgaria. Nikolai Petkov (Bulgaria) £400.

Project Ortalis ’96 – a conservation expedition to the threatened dry forests of western Ecuador. Robert Pople (UK) £150.

Site fidelity and short-distance movements of Corncrake males in the Snmara Mountains, Czech Republic. Jiri Pykal (£500).

Action Sampiri – The University of York Exploration Group’s Talaud and Sangihe conservation project. Jonathan Riley (UK) £200.

An assessment of the population status and viability of endemic bird species in Namibia. Tony Robertson (UK) £400.

A study on the importance of wetlands in the Upper Thracia lowland for the migration and wintering of globally and European threatened and rare waterfowl species. Kalin Velev £100.

Image credit: Yellowhammer © @stevedudley_