Available: Master’s thesis on Self Aggrandizing Displays in Common ravens (Corvus corax)
Supervisor: Prof. Thomas Bugnyar
Advisors: Stephan Reber, Andrius Pasukonis, Martina Schiestl
Background:
Common ravens show a variety of Self Aggrandizing Displays (SADs) composed of vocalizations and accompanying body postures. Although SADs are also produced when alone, they are often directed towards rivals or potential mates in vagrant individuals, and towards the mate in paired birds. Ravens seem to develop their own repertoire of SADs during their ontogeny, which makes the categorization of raven calls particularly challenging. Using playback experiments we will investigate whether ravens perceive different types of SADs, produced by a single familiar individual, as an autonomous display and whether ravens can discriminate among individuals within a single SAD type.
The position:
Parts of the data have already been collected but not analyzed yet. Further experimental work is needed. The successful applicant will become part of a research group mainly working at the Haidlhof research station in Bad Vöslau, Austria (run by the University of Vienna and the University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna).
During this project, the student will gain experience in:
- Sound recording and basic acoustic analysis using Praat
- Playback stimuli composition using Adobe Audition or Praat
- Playback experiments using the Habituation-Dishabituation paradigm
- Video recording and video coding using Solomon coder
- Basic statistical analysis
Previous knowledge of these capacities would be of advantage but is not mandatory.
Requirements:
- Independence!
- Fluent in spoken and written English
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in Biology or Cognitive Sciences
- Able to work in a team
- Capable, willing, and motivated to work with non-domestic animals
- Physically capable to work outdoors in winter time
Women will be given preferential treatment over equally qualified male candidates.
If you are interested in this position, please send a one-page CV and a one-page motivation letter to: stephan.reber@univie.ac.at
Start of the position:
As soon as possible!!