westneat

RESEARCH INTERESTS

I seek to find out why animals behave in the ways they do. Not only are the answers often fascinating, but the diversity of ideas and techniques available to find out those answers are stimulating to me. I am particularly intrigued by the links between ecological factors and specific reproductive behaviors such as mate choice, territoriality, courtship, and parental care. Most of my work focuses on birds, but I have had students in my lab working on plants, insects, amphibians, birds and humans. Our research has involved a mix of techniques, from detailed observations of the behavior of free-living animals, use of biochemical techniques to uncover the genetic results of matings, experimental manipulations of key ecological and social factors, and some modeling. Here are some examples of the research questions that occupy my attention and that of my students:

How do sequences of mating interactions influence selection on male and female traits?
Why do females resist male attempts to mate in some contexts but solicit them in others?
How do food distribution, density, breeding synchrony, and habitat complexity affect male and female mating behavior?
What impact does parentage (maternity and paternity) have on patterns of parental care?
Do birds transmit microbes during copulation and, if so, what are their consequences?
How do social interactions between males and females in winter develop, and what impact do they have on mating patterns?
How do environmental factors (e.g., parental effects, available diet) interact with genetic factors to influence behavioral phenotypes?
Do sexually dimorphic plumage traits serve as signals and if so, how is their development linked to the abilities they advertise?

My students are trained within the broader context of programs within the Department of Biology and the Center for Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior. This includes a diverse array of courses, but more importantly, frequent interactions with other students, faculty, and visitors working on similar problems from different perspectives. Our goal for students is that they do the highest quality research on the most interesting questions using an integrative approach.

DAVID F. WESTNEAT

CURRENT PROJECTS

UNDERGRADUATE COURSES