Objective
How do birds know what kind of a nest to build? Building requires physical skills such as choice and manipulation of nest material, but the role of cognition in this apparently complex behaviour is unknown: invertebrates such as wasps can build nests by following simple rules whereas nest building by primates requires learning. Bird brains are functionally similar to those of mammals, and birds have other impressive cognitive abilities including spatial and episodic-like memory as well as tool manufacture. My aim is to understand the neural basis of building behaviour and how birds gain building skills. I will use zebra finches in the laboratory to study experimentally where in the brain nest building ‘occurs’ and whether experience chances building behaviour and related neural activity, i.e. whether building has to be practised. I will map neural activity in the brain using immediate early gene expression. I will further study the links between brain and behaviour by examining the division of labour between zebra finch males that build the nest structure and females that line the nest: I will investigate whether these sex differences in building behaviour are coupled with differences in their neural underpinning, and whether they are plastic (respond to hormonal manipulation). This project will shed light into the relationship between physical skills and cognition as well as that between cognitive and behavioural ‘complexity’. It will also contribute to the question how and why cognitive abilities evolve. I have a strong background in evolutionary ecology and behavioural experiments with birds. Behavioural experiments are the corner stone of this proposal but with the component of neurobiology and cognition research, which will give me new theoretical and methodological knowledge. At the same time, my background will help in bringing evolutionary perspective to the work and in communicating the results to a wider audience.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: https://op.europa.eu/en/web/eu-vocabularies/euroscivoc.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: https://op.europa.eu/en/web/eu-vocabularies/euroscivoc.
- natural sciences biological sciences zoology mammalogy primatology
- natural sciences biological sciences neurobiology
- natural sciences biological sciences ecology evolutionary ecology
- natural sciences biological sciences zoology invertebrate zoology
You need to log in or register to use this function
We are sorry... an unexpected error occurred during execution.
You need to be authenticated. Your session might have expired.
Thank you for your feedback. You will soon receive an email to confirm the submission. If you have selected to be notified about the reporting status, you will also be contacted when the reporting status will change.
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
FP7-PEOPLE-2013-IEF
See other projects for this call
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Coordinator
KY16 9AJ ST ANDREWS
United Kingdom
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.