DrAnne Aulsebrook

I am a behavioural ecologist exploring how animals, particularly birds, balance rest with activity. Although most of us appreciate the importance of rest and sleep in our own lives, we rarely consider how sleep loss affects wildlife. I am particularly interested in the extent to which animals shift their activity patterns in response to changes in their environment. For example, when, where and how do birds sleep in cities, where they are exposed to high levels of light pollution, noise pollution and other forms of human disturbance? In more natural contexts, how much do activity patterns vary seasonally? Are some populations and species more fixed in the daily timing of their behaviour than others? My research combines field research with experimental studies of captive birds, often utilising miniature accelerometers to quantify activity.