Do urban songbirds beat the heat? Effects of urbanization and temperature on the behavior, physiology, and reproduction of Black Phoebes (Sayornis nigricans)

AOS Student Research Grant Seminar

Presenter: Sage Madden, Ph.D. Candidate, University of California Davis; 2023 Josselyn Van Tyne Memorial Research Grant winner

Urbanization and climate change are two major threats to biodiversity, yet they are often studied in isolation. As a result, we lack a clear understanding of how their combined effects influence birds and other wildlife. I will present preliminary results of three field seasons investigating the combined effects of urbanization and extreme temperatures on parental care behavior, stress physiology, nestling growth and survival, and nest architecture in a common urban songbird, the Black Phoebe (Sayornis nigricans), in the Sacramento Valley of California.

More about the Student Research Grant Seminar Series