Projects per year
Personal profile
Research interests
Mating systems and parental behaviour
Family life is rife with conflicts. Not only the interests of parents and their offspring may be different, but the male and the female parents may also disagree how much care each should provide for their offspring.
My group investigates bird species to understand how conflict and cooperation influences family lives. We study birds in their natural populations, and build mathematical models to understand their behaviour. In plovers the sexual conflict is expressed when the chicks hatch: in some families the female, whereas in others the male, abandons the brood. We have discovered that the parents carefully evaluate the costs and benefits of this tug-of-war, and now we are investigating whether their behaviour has any genetic basis.
Penduline tits have one of the most exciting mating systems: both parents start looking for a new mate before they actually complete their clutch. What determines whether the male or the female cares for the chicks? How do parents solve their conflict? In this project we are aiming to understand some of the basic components of sexual conflict over mating & care.
Breeding systems in shorebirds
Shorebirds have exceptionally diverse breeding systems. Some shorebirds are polygamous, whether others are monogamous, or polyandrous. Why do shorebirds exhibit this unusual diversity? How did this diversity evolve? To answer these questions my group is using phylogenetic analyses.
Conservation of wetland birds
Many waterbird populations are declining. We carry out fieldwork in some of the most exciting places on the planet, and use phylogenetic methods to identify what makes a species decline. If you live in a country where endangered waterbirds live, we like to hear from you.
Collaborations
I have ongoing collaborations with several research institutions that include University of Groningen, Bristol University and Debrecen University.
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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Social organization in weavers: re-analysing Crook’s hypotheses using modern comparative methods
1/09/19 → 28/02/20
Project: UK charity
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Wolfson Research Merit Award - Evolution of Sex Roles: Implications for Environmental Changes
1/09/17 → 31/08/22
Project: Research council
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Carotenoid-dependent plumage coloration is associated with reduced male care in passerine birds
Rincon-Rubio, V. A., Szekely, T., Liker, A. & Gonzalez-Voyer, A., 1 Sept 2023, In: Behavioral Ecology. 34, 5, p. 872-880 9 p., arad051.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
1 Citation (SciVal) -
Corrigendum to “How do biases in sex ratio and disease characteristics affect the spread of sexually transmitted infections?” [J. Theor. Biol. 527 (2021) 110832]
Halimubieke, N., Pirrie, A., Székely, T. & Ashby, B., 21 Aug 2023, In: Journal of Theoretical Biology. 571, 111545.Research output: Contribution to journal › Comment/debate › peer-review
File10 Downloads (Pure) -
Environmental education in the classroom: pilot study in Cabo Verde suggests differing impacts on local knowledge and environmental attitudes.
Rice, R., Hejmadi, M., Silva, H., Kelsh, R. N., Agues, J., Engel, N. & Székely, T., 31 Jul 2023, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Oryx. p. 1-8Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile44 Downloads (Pure) -
Incubation behaviour of the Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula at different latitudes
Wanders, K., Almalki, M., Heggøy, O., Lislevand, T., McGuigan, C., Eichhorn, G., Gabrielsen, G. W., Azarov, V., Khasyanova, L. & Székely, T., 10 May 2023, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Journal of Ornithology.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access1 Citation (SciVal) -
Long-term decline in nest survival of a ground-nesting shorebird on a tropical island
Engel, N., McDonald, G. C., Sandercock, B. K., Rice, R., Moreno, R., Ratão, S. S. & Szekely, T., 1 Sept 2023, In: Global Ecology and Conservation. 45, e02522.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access