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EVOLUTION OF COMMUNICATION
In recent decades my central interest has continued to be . . .
the essential importance of noise
in the evolution of all communication . . .
For more information see
the main page
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CONSEQUENCES OF DECEPTION BY ORCHIDS
In recent years, I have focused on orchids -- Nature's master deceivers.
Many brazenly deceive pollinators (by attracting them
without compensating them -- at least not fully).
They also exploit soil fungi -- with minimal or no compensation!
Orchids thus rely on deception from birth to death.
Deception is an inevitable possibility for all communication --
so orchids, as the masters of deception, should tell us something about
the evolution of communication in general!
With the help of many people, I have now located
populations of almost 40 species of orchids in North Carolina.
that can be monitored without disturbance.
With some luck I might document aspects of individuals' lives
(such as local distribution, intermittent flowering and leafing,
growth of seed capsules, size and persistence of leaves)
all features that might have evolved as adaptations for deception.
Orchids of eastern North Carolina
currently under nonintrusive investigation
Aplectrum hyemale
Tipularia discolor
Goodyera pubescens
Neottia bifolia
Liparis liliifolia
Galearis spectabilis
Malaxis uniflolia
Malaxis spicata
Isotria verticillata
Cleistesiopsis oricamporum
Cleistesiopsis divaricata
Pogonia ophioglossoides
Calopogon barbatus
Calopogon pallidus
Calopogon tuberosus
Spiranthes sylvatica
Spiranthes praecox
Spiranthes eatonii
Spiranthes vernalis
Spiranthes lacera gracilis
Spiranthes tuberosus
Spiranthes ovalis erostellata
Spiranthes cernua
Spiranthes longilabris
Spiranthes odorata
Bletia spicata
Platanthera peramoena
Platanthera cristata
Platanthera ciliaris
Platanthera clavellata
Platanthera conspicua
Platanthera integra
Platanthera lacera
Platanthera flava
Habenaria repens
Epidendron conopseum
Triphora trianthophora
Corallorhiza odontorhiza
Epipactis helleborine
... and a few we would like to add!
Malaxis bayardii
Spiranthes laciniata
Platanthera nivea
Isotria medeoloides
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LEKKING BEHAVIOR OF BIRDS
In the past decade, my attention has also returned to lekking behavior --
especially on expeditions to observe lekking birds beyond the Neotropics --
with attention to males' spatial relationships
and, of course, to any potential for indirect mate choice
(see
an explanation of indirect mate choice).
Lekking birds observed since 2014
Greater Sage-grouse
Gunnison Sage-grouse
Sharp-tailed Grouse
Lesser Prairie-chicken
Greater Prairie-chicken
Black Grouse
Western Capercaillie
Buff-breasted Sandpiper (more time needed!)
Little Bustard
Great Bustard
Bengal Florican
Great Snipe
Ruff
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COORDINATION OF DISPLAYS BY SHARP-TAILED GROUSE
With the cooperation of Arrowwood National Wildlife Refuge, in April 2025 and 2026,
the degree of synchronization by displaying male Sharp-tailed Grouse
has been measured on a lek in South Dakota.
Analysis currently in progress!
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PREVIOUS RESEARCH
For decades my focus has been the complexity of animal social
behavior ... especially communication.
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My students, post-doctoral associates and I studied a diversity of problems . . .
long-range vocal communication by temperate and tropical birds
vocal communication in noisy conditions (colonies, choruses)
sexual conflict and monogamy in territorial birds
sexual selection in polygynous mating systems and leks
site-specific dominance in wintering birds
cooperative breeding in tropical wrens
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Continuing themes in all of these studies were age-dependent
behavior and recognition of individuals.
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Our facilities included up-to-date equipment for recording, display, and synthesis
of sound.
For field work, we often used the nearby Mason Farm Biological Reserve . . .
but we also worked at sites located throughout the Americas!
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