Professor Hugh Ford

• Dr Stephen Debus, Postdoctoral Fellow UNE
• Professor Wolfgang and Dr Roswitha Wiltschko, Frankfurt University, Germany
• Dr Ursula Munro, UTS, Sydney

Research Associates

• Life Histories of Honeyeaters
• Conservation of Woodland Birds (e. g. Robins) in Fragmented Habitat

Current Research Projects (see also current postgraduate students)

• Jarrad Cousin (PhD) – Landscape Ecology and Habitat Selection in Robins in New England
• Greg Clancy (PhD) – Ecology and Conservation of Black-necked Stork in NSW
• Greg Lollback (PhD) – Ecology of Black-chinned Honeyeater in New England
• Annette Harrison (PhD) – Impact of disturbance on breeding and foraging of oystercatchers in northern New South Wales.
• Adam Smith (PhD) – Effect of opening floodgates on birds in the Clarence River floodplain

Current Research Students

• Habitat preferences and foraging behaviour of declining woodland birds, such as Jacky Winter, Restless Flycatcher, Diamond Firetail, Speckled Warbler, robins, babblers, woodswallows. (PG, H)
• Impact of nest predation on open-nesting woodland birds, and means of reducing predation rate. (PG, H)
• Reproductive behaviour and population dynamics of robins in extensive areas of woodland and open forest. (PG)
• Effect of thinning of dense Callitris pine regrowth on woodland birds. (PG)
• Use by birds of regenerating and replanted woodland in New England and North West Slopes of NSW. (H, PG)
• Life histories of honeyeaters, especially differences between species and within species between different places. (PG, H)
• Patterns of distribution and change in related woodland birds in a fragmented landscape – effect of habitat choice and inter-specific competition. (PG)
• Movements, habitat selection and foraging of Regent Honeyeaters, especially in the non-breeding season. (PG, H)
• Impact of honeybees on nectar-feeding birds. (H)
• Foraging behaviour and habitat choice of migratory waders, and impact of human disturbance. (PG, H)

• Feeding behaviour and habitat preference of Sharp-tailed Sandpipers at a freshwater lagoon. (H)

  (Note that in some cases Honours projects are better when started in August rather than February)

Recently Completed Postgraduate Theses

Richard Maloney (PhD – 2005) Survival, breeding and movements of reintroduced Asiatic Houbara in Mahazat As-Sayd Reserve, Saudi Arabia.

Matthew Cameron (PhD – 2004) Ecology of the Glossy Black-Cockatoo in central New South Wales.

Stephen Debus (PhD – 2004) The impact of habitat fragmentation on woodland birds: a test of some hypotheses in New England.

Andrew Huggett (PhD – 2000) An experimental study of the impact of gaps and clusters silviculture on insectivorous birds in a continuous forest landscape.

Kihoko Tokue (MSc – 2004) Food limitation or predation? Life history variation between Red Wattlebirds and Noisy Friarbirds near Armidale, New South Wales.

Tshering Dorji (MSc – 2003) Impact of livestock grazing on bird communities in eucalypt woodland in Australia and pine and broadleaf forests in Bhutan.

Fiona Berridge (BSc (Hons) – 2005) Urbanisation effects on aggression and vigilance of the Willie Wagtail.

Greg Lollback (BSc(Hons) – 2002)   The effects of habitat fragmentation on Rufous Whistlers in New England.

Annette Templeton (BSc(Hons) – 2001) Distribution and behaviour of declining woodland birds in a fragmented and degraded rural landscape.

Graham Fulton (BSc(Hons) – 2000) Avian nest predation and the role of territorial Pied Currawongs: an artificial nest experiment.

Books

Ford, H. A. (1989) Ecology of Birds: an Australian Perspective. Surrey Beatty: Chipping Norton, NSW.

Ford, H. A. and Paton, D. C. 1986. The Dynamic Partnership: Birds and Plants in Southern Australia. Government Printer, Adelaide, South Australia.

Keast, J. A., Recher, H. F., Ford, H. A. and Saunders, D. A. 1985. Birds of Eucalypt Forests and Woodlands: Ecology, Conservation, Management. Surrey Beatty: Chipping Norton, NSW.

Recent Book Chapters

Ford, H. A. 2001. Why does the distribution of the Honeyeaters (Meliphagidae) conform so well to Wallace's Line? Pp 147-152 in Faunal and floral migrations and evolution in South East Asia and Australasia. Balkema, Lisse, Netherlands.

Ford, H. A. 2001. Family Meliphagidae: Honeyeaters and Australian Chats. Pp 457-462 in Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds, Volume 5. Oxford University Press, Melbourne.

Recent Journal Articles

Tokue, K. and Ford, H. A. In press. Influence of food and nest predation on the life histories of two large honeyeaters. Emu.

Hendry, A, Grant P. R., Grant, R., Ford, H., Brewer, M. and Podos, J. 2006. Possible human impacts on adaptive radiation: beak size bimodality in Darwin's finches. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B.

Debus, S. J. S., Ford, H. A. and Page, D. 2006. Bird communities in remnant woodland on the New England Tablelands, New South Wales. Pacific Conservation Biology 12: 50-63.

Southerton, S. G., Birt, P., Porter, J. and Ford H. A. 2004. Review of gene movement by bats and birds and its potential significance for eucalypt plantation forestry. Australian Forestry 67: 45-54.

Fitri, L, and Ford, H. A. 2003. Breeding biology of Hooded Robins Melanodryas cucullata in the Northern Tablelands of New South Wales. Corella 27: 68-74.

Fitri, L, and Ford, H. A. 2003. Foraging behaviour of Hooded Robins Melanodryas cucullata in the Northern Tablelands of New South Wales. Corella 27: 61-67.

Fulton, G. R., and Ford, H. A. 2003. Quail eggs, modelling clay eggs, imprints and small mammals in an Australian woodland. Emu 103: 255-258.

Wiltschko, W., Munro, U., Ford, H. A. and Wiltschko, R. 2003. Magnetic orientation in birds: non-compass responses under monochromatic light of increased intensity. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B, 270: 2133-2140.

Wiltschko, W., Munro, U., Ford, H. A. and Wiltschko, R. 2003. Lateralisation of magnetic compass orientation in silvereyes, Zosterops lateralis. Australian Journal of Zoology 51: 597-602.

Cooper, C. B., Walters, J. R. and Ford, H. A. 2002. Effects of remnant size and connectivity on the response of Brown Treecreepers to habitat fragmentation. Emu 102: 249-256.

Date, E. M., Ford, H., and Recher, H. F. 2002. Impacts of logging, fire and grazing regimes on bird species assemblages of the Pilliga woodlands of New South Wales. Pacific Conservation Biology 8: 177-195.

Ford, H. A., Barrett, G. W., Saunders, D. A. and Recher, H. F. 2001. Why have birds in the woodlands of southern Australia declined? Biological Conservation 97: 71-88.

Fulton, G. R., and Ford, H. A. 2001. Stomach contents of parental and young Pied Currawongs Strepera graculina. Corella 25: 94-96.

Fulton, G. R., and Ford, H. A. 2001. The Pied Currawong's role in avian nest predation: a predator removal experiment. Pacific Conservation Biology 7: 154-160.

Fulton, G. R., and Ford, H. A. 2001 The conflict between animal welfare and conservation. Pacific Conservation Biology 7: 152-153.

Wiltschko, R., Munro, U., Ford, H. and Wiltschko, W. 2001. Orientation in migratory birds: time-associated relearning of celestial cues. Animal behaviour 62: 245-250.

Wiltschko, W., Munro, U., Ford, H. and Wiltschko, R. 2001. Time-associated relearning of celestial cues in migratory birds. Orientation and Navigation – Birds, Humans and other Animals 13: 108.

Recent Journal Articles by my Postgraduate Students

Cameron, M. 2005. Group size and feeding rates of Glossy Black-Cockatoos in central New South Wales. Emu 105: 299-304.

Clancy, G. 2005. Feeding behaviour of the Osprey Pandion haliaetus on the north coast of New South Wales. Corella 29: 91096.

Clancy, G. 2005. The diet of the Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) on the north coast of New South Wales. Emu 105: 87-91.

Debus, S. J. S and Lollback, G. 2005. Breeding behaviour of the Restless Flycatcher near Armidale, New South Wales. Australian Field Ornithology 22: 22-28.

Debus, S. J. S. 2005. Spring diet of Pied Currawongs at Imbota Nature Reserve, Armidale, New South Wales. Corella 29: 19-21.