Dr Andrew McGowan
Lecturer in Zoology

Research

Research interests

Principally, I am field based behavioural ecologist who uses avian models to test evolutionary theories. To date my research has centred on: family group living; cooperative breeding; mechanisms of kin recognition; the alternative strategies of individuals in cooperative groups and their fitness consequences; and the influence of relatedness and nepotism on delayed dispersal. Currently, I have on going research in roost formation and the associated costs and benefits of specific positions with regards to the trade offs between starvation and predation. I also have an on going collaboration with Dr M.J. Wood, University of Oxford on parasites and their effects on expression of sexual traits.

Research projects

My conservation related research has been primarily concerned with the monitoring of the status of marine turtle populations and has recently diversified into tropical seabird populations. I am currently employed as a PDRA conducting follow up fieldwork, data analysis and manuscript preparation for continuation of a Darwin Initiative grant assessing Coastal Biodiversity in the British Virgin Islands (www.seaturtle.org/mtrg/projects/anegada). This post commenced in October 2003 and is an extensive collaborative project with UK and International based conservation organisations (RSPB, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Marine Turtle Research Group, Seaturtle.Org) as well as all the local biodiversity stakeholders in the BVI. I run all aspects of this project and conduct field monitoring and research into the birds, plants and marine turtles of Anegada, BVI.