Posing

I studied brood parasitism of common waxbills (Estrilda astrild, below right) by pin-tailed whydahs (Vidua macroura, below left) for my dissertation research in South Africa. I was particularly interested in understanding the consequences of parasitism for host parenting behavior and the evolution of elaborate nestling morphologies. 

I also played soccer on Sunday afternoons.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

Schuetz JG (2005) Reduced growth but not survival of chicks with altered gape patterns: implications for the evolution of nestling similarity in a parasitic finch. Animal Behaviour 70: 839-848. pdf

Schuetz JG (2005) Low survival of parasite chicks may result from imperfect adaptation to hosts rather than expression of defenses against parasitism. Evolution 59: 2017-2024. pdf

Schuetz JG (2005) Common waxbills use carnivore scat to reduce the risk of nest predation. Behavioral Ecology 16: 133-137. pdf

McGraw KJ, Schuetz JG (2004) The evolution of carotenoid coloration in estrildid finches: a biochemical analysis. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology, Part B 139: 45-51. pdf