Research output per year
Research output per year
Personal profile
Biography
2004 PhD Behavioural Ecology, Cambridge University, UK
1999 BSC (Hons) Animal Ecology, Lincoln University, New Zealand
After finishing my PhD, I was awarded a postdoctoral position at Newnham College, Cambridge University. During this time I set up the Pied Babbler Research Project in the Kalahari desert. In 2005 I took a postdoctoral position at the University of Cape Town, and then moved to a research position at Macquarie University, Sydney, in 2009. I moved to UWA in 2012 as an ARC Future Fellow.
1999 BSC (Hons) Animal Ecology, Lincoln University, New Zealand
After finishing my PhD, I was awarded a postdoctoral position at Newnham College, Cambridge University. During this time I set up the Pied Babbler Research Project in the Kalahari desert. In 2005 I took a postdoctoral position at the University of Cape Town, and then moved to a research position at Macquarie University, Sydney, in 2009. I moved to UWA in 2012 as an ARC Future Fellow.
Future research
My research involves investigating the behavior, reproductive success, cognition and long-term population dynamics of several wild, cooperatively breeding bird species. I will use these populations to investigate critical group size effects (i.e. the demographic and behavioural changes that occur when groups become too big or too small) and climte change impacts on behaviour and reproduction.
The recent research funded by an ARC Discovery grant will investigate the relationship between cognition and sociality in the cooperatively breeding Western Australian magpie. A specific aim of this research is to understand how group-living affects the ontogeny and expression of cognitive behaviour, and what the consequences of variation in cognitive ability are.
Ongoing research in my lab focusses on aspects of social living, including factors affecting investment in cooperation, inter versus intragroup dynamics, cognition and sociality, and vocal communication. Recent research in my lab has looked at the impact of cliamte change on cooperative breeding behaviour and group dynamics.
Funding overview
2011 ARC Future Fellowship 'Group dynamics, critical group size effects and population regulation in cooperative breeders'
2014 ARC Discovery Grant 'The benefits of sociality: understanding the relationship between cognition, cooperation and fitness'
2019 ARC Discovery Grant "Understanding the relationship between sociality and cognition"
2021 ARC Discovery Grant "Understanding the impact of heat stress on cognition in a changing world"
Previous positions
2009-2012 Lecturer, Macquarie University
2005-2009 Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of Cape Town
2004-2005 Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Cambridge University
2005-2009 Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of Cape Town
2004-2005 Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Cambridge University
Current projects
Understanding communicative complexity in highly social speices (Pied Babbler Research Project, Western Magpie Research Project, and a collaboration with Dr Stephanie King of the Shark Bay Dolphin Research Project).
Long-term population dynamics, population regulation and critical group size effects in cooperative breeders (Pied and Arabian Babbler Research Projects)
The effect of extreme climate events on behaviour and cognition (Pied and Arabian Babbler Research Projects, Western Magpie Research Project)
The relationship between sociality and cognition (Western Magpie Research Project and Pied Babbler Research Project)
The fragile dynamic between intra-group cooperation and conflict (Western Magpie Research Project and Pied Babbler Research Project)
Determining the social versus environmental drivers of cognition (Western Magpie Research Project)
Teaching overview
Wildlife Conservation & Management ANIM3353 (coordinator)
Behavioural Ecology ANIM3365 (lectures)
Darwinian Revolution ANIM2001 (guest lecture)
Graduate Research Coordinator, School of Biological Sciences
Research
My main interests lie in the field of behavioural ecology. I am particularly interested in the evolution and dynamics of cooperative breeding behaviour. My research involves understanding the causes of helping behaviour, and the costs and consequences of such behaviour. I have an increasing interest in long-term population dynamics, host-brood parasite interactions in cooperative systems, and the complexity of interspecific interactions. I also work at the interface between behavioural ecology and conservation biology - using behavioural information to provide more informed conservation decisions.
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
Research expertise keywords
- Behavioural ecology
- Evolutionary biology
- Cooperative breeding
- Social evolution
- Conservation and climate change
Fingerprint
Dive into the research topics where Mandy Ridley is active. These topic labels come from the works of this person. Together they form a unique fingerprint.
- 1 Similar Profiles
Network
Recent external collaboration on country/territory level. Dive into details by clicking on the dots or
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Multi-level combinatoriality in magpie non-song vocalizations
Walsh, S. L., Engesser, S., Townsend, S. W. & Ridley, A. R., 1 Feb 2023, In: Journal of the Royal Society Interface. 20, 199, 20220679.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access -
Repeated testing does not confound cognitive performance in the Western Australian magpie (Cracticus tibicen dorsalis)
Sollis, J. G., Ashton, B. J., Speechley, E. M. & Ridley, A. R., Mar 2023, In: Animal Cognition. 26, 2, p. 579-588 10 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Association patterns in a high-elevation chimpanzee community in Rwanda
Grueter, C. R. C., Ridley, A. R. R., Kaplin, B. A. A. & Matthews, J. K. K., 17 Dec 2022, (E-pub ahead of print) In: ETHOLOGY ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION. 17 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access -
Australian Magpies discriminate between the territorial calls of intra- and extra-group conspecifics
Blackburn, G., Ridley, A. R. & Dutour, M., 27 Oct 2022, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Ibis. 6 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access1 Citation (Scopus) -
Does trappability and self-selection influence cognitive performance?
Ashton, B. J., Thornton, A., Speechley, E. M. & Ridley, A. R., 14 Sept 2022, In: Royal Society Open Science. 9, 9, 220473.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access
Datasets
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Data from: Cognitive performance is linked to group size and affects fitness in Australian magpies
Ashton, B. (Creator), Ridley, M. (Creator), Edwards, E. K. (Creator) & Thornton, A. (Creator), DRYAD, 7 Feb 2018
DOI: 10.5061/dryad.ph3h8, https://datadryad.org/resource/doi:10.5061/dryad.ph3h8
Dataset
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Data From: Multi-level combinatoriality in magpie non-song vocalizations
Walsh, S. (Creator), Ridley, M. (Supervisor), Townsend, S. W. (Supervisor), Engesser, S. (Supervisor) & Dutour, M. (Data Collector), The University of Western Australia, 9 Sept 2022
DOI: 10.26182/s77t-hw04
Dataset
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Data from: Individual dispersal decisions in a cooperative breeder: ecological constraints, the benefits of philopatry, and the social queue for dominance
Nelson-Flower, M. J. (Creator), Wiley, E. M. (Creator), Flower, T. P. (Creator) & Ridley, M. (Creator), DRYAD, 6 Feb 2019
DOI: 10.5061/dryad.517c56h, http://datadryad.org/stash/dataset/doi:10.5061/dryad.517c56h
Dataset
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High temperatures drive offspring mortality in a cooperatively breeding bird
Bourne, A. (Contributor), Cunningham, S. (Creator), Spottiswoode, C. (Creator) & Ridley, M. (Contributor), DRYAD, 7 Aug 2020
DOI: 10.5061/dryad.7pvmcvdqf, http://datadryad.org/stash/dataset/doi:10.5061/dryad.7pvmcvdqf
Dataset
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Data for: Kinship, dear enemies, and costly combat: The effects of relatedness on territorial overlap and aggression in a cooperative breeder
Nelson-Flower, M. (Creator), Humphries, D. (Creator), Bell, M. (Creator), Finch, F. (Creator) & Ridley, M. (Creator), DRYAD, 22 Mar 2023
DOI: 10.5061/dryad.v6wwpzgx3, https://zenodo.org/record/7761403
Dataset
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The ontogeny of complex communication; a comparative investigation of a songbird and cetacean.
Ridley, M., King, S. & Mason, S.
8/08/22 → 8/08/23
Project: Research
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Understanding the impact of heat stress on cognition in a changing world
Ridley, M., Thornton, A. & Ashton, B.
1/03/22 → 10/06/25
Project: Research
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Understanding the relationship between sociality and cognition
Ridley, M. & Thornton, A.
1/01/20 → 30/09/23
Project: Research
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Effects of Environmental Change on Tropical Montane Forest Amphibian and Birds in Peninsular Malaysia
Peh, K., Mitchell, N. & Ridley, M.
1/01/16 → 31/12/16
Project: Research
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Towards an understanding of the evolution of language: sociality and syntactic complexity in a cooperative bird
Ridley, M. & Townsend, S.
1/01/15 → 31/12/15
Project: Research
Prizes
Activities
- 1 Collaboration on community projects
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Annual update regarding magpie research in the Guildford area
Amanda Ridley (Speaker) & Elizabeth Marie Speechley (Speaker)
16 Apr 2019Activity: Service and engagement › Collaboration on community projects
Courses
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ANIM3353 Wildlife Conservation & Management
Mandy Ridley & Renee Firman 27/07/20 → 24/11/20
Course
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Press/Media
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Even desert adapted birds in the Kalahari cannot cope with a warming climate
Amanda Bourne, Susan Cunningham, Claire N. Spottiswoode & Mandy Ridley
31/07/20
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Press / Media
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Male and female magpies have different warbles
6/07/20
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Press / Media
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Female magpies are louder and chattier than males, researchers have found
2/07/20
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Press / Media
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Magpie song research reveals difference between the sexes
2/07/20
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Press / Media