Objective The goals of this proposal are to 1. Lay down the building blocks for a long-term mutually beneficial collaborative research program examining the causes and consequences of species adaptation to environmental change between Prof Bugnyar (U Vienna), Dr Healy (U St Andrews), Prof Güntürkün (Ruhr-U Bochum), and Dr Griffin (U Newcastle, AUS), 2. Create a synergistic team of three experienced scientists (Dr Griffin, Dr Bailey, Dr Schwab) and three world-leading researchers in avian cognition, behaviour, and neuroscience (Bugnyar, Healy, Güntürkün) that will exchange research expertise and pool research facilities to undertake the first geographically global exploration of the role of behavioural flexibility and brain anatomy in species adaptation to rampant worldwide urbanization, and 3. Position three exchange researchers (Griffin, Bailey, Schwab) as interdisciplinary experts capable of working at the interface between behaviour, neuroscience and urban ecology. We propose a program of studies and researcher exchanges to investigate the behaviour and brains of three highly successful invasive avian species across a rural to urban environmental gradient. We seek funding for secondments of two outgoing European researchers, and one incoming Australian researcher to collect scientific data on avian species local to the area, learn new skill sets, and build collaborative links by participating in ongoing collegial exchange and national conferences. By examining several avian species, in several planet-wide geographical locations, using several different measures of behavioural flexibility, and describing associated brain changes, we will gain the first firm evidence for, or against, the hypothesis that increasing behavioural flexibility and enlarged brain size predispose animals to surviving on an increasingly urbanized planet. The program will achieve knowledge transfer between research partners, and create new knowledge of significant theoretical and applied importance. Fields of science natural sciencesbiological sciencesneurobiologynatural sciencesbiological sciencesecologynatural sciencesphysical sciencesastronomyplanetary sciencesplanets Programme(s) FP7-PEOPLE - Specific programme "People" implementing the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007 to 2013) Topic(s) FP7-PEOPLE-2013-IRSES - Marie Curie Action "International Research Staff Exchange Scheme" Call for proposal FP7-PEOPLE-2013-IRSES See other projects for this call Funding Scheme MC-IRSES - International research staff exchange scheme (IRSES) Coordinator UNIVERSITAT WIEN EU contribution € 12 600,00 Address UNIVERSITATSRING 1 1010 Wien Austria See on map Region Ostösterreich Wien Wien Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Thomas Bugnyar (Prof.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data Participants (2) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all THE UNIVERSITY COURT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ST ANDREWS United Kingdom EU contribution € 12 600,00 Address NORTH STREET 66 COLLEGE GATE KY16 9AJ St Andrews See on map Region Scotland Eastern Scotland Clackmannanshire and Fife Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Trish Starrs (Ms.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data RUHR-UNIVERSITAET BOCHUM Germany EU contribution No data Address UNIVERSITAETSSTRASSE 150 44801 Bochum See on map Region Nordrhein-Westfalen Arnsberg Bochum, Kreisfreie Stadt Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Onur Güntürkün (Prof.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data