PhD Studentship: From Cognition to Conservation: Using Cognitive and Behavioural Research to Enhance Red-billed Chough Reintroductions. NERC GW4+ DTP PhD Studentship for September 2025 Entry Ref 5400

About the Partnership

This project is one of a number that are in competition for funding from the NERC Great Western Four+ Doctoral Training Partnership (GW4+ DTP). The GW4+ DTP consists of the Great Western Four alliance of the University of Bath, University of Bristol, Cardiff University and the University of Exeter plus five Research Organisation partners: British Antarctic Survey, British Geological Survey, Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, the Natural History Museum and Plymouth Marine Laboratory. The partnership aims to provide a broad training in earth and environmental sciences, designed to train tomorrow’s leaders in earth and environmental science. For further details about the programme please see nercgw4plus.ac.uk

Project details

For information relating to the research project please contact the lead Supervisor via alex.thornton@exeter.ac.uk

Project Aims and Methods

As cognition shapes animals’ responses to changing environments, cognitive research is increasingly recognised as a key component of conservation. This PhD project aims to use behavioural and cognitive principles to enhance reintroduction attempts of Britain’s most endangered corvid, the red-billed chough,Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax.

Working with an interdisciplinary supervisory team of cognitive biologists and conservationists (including CASE partners Wildwood Trust, coordinators of the chough reintroduction scheme in Kent), the project will incorporate controlled experiments, behavioural observations and population monitoring on up to 80 captive and released choughs in Kent and Cornwall.

Specific research directions are flexible, but broadly, we aim to:

1. Quantify individual variation in cognitive abilities likely to impact adaptability and survival (e.g. self-control, innovation, social learning, exploration) and
2. Relate this to fitness-relevant measures like body condition, stress responses and reproductive success in captivity and the wild. We will then
3. Use findings to:

1. 1. Establish real-world consequences of cognitive performance on behaviour, survival and reproductive success post-release
   2. Inform release decisions,
   3. Develop targeted pre-release training and
   4. Expand release protocols.

Each objective will be co-developed with the DR, with extensive opportunities for the DR to shape project development according to their interests and the accumulating evidence. 

Project CASE partner: 

The Wildwood Trust have given permission for research to be conducted at their wildlife park as well as the release site in Dover. The Doctoral Researcher (DR) will register as a Wildwood volunteer and be provided with free access to the sites including Wildwood Devon, uniform and PPE (if required), and insurance cover for the duration of the placement. The DR will also have access to all life history and biological records of the birds via the Zoological Information Management System (ZIMS) and the European Endangered Species Programme (EEP) studbook. Elizabeth Corry, Chough Release Supervisor, will be assigned as a co-supervisor and offer full support during and after the placement.

Useful links

Webpage: www.wildcognitionresearch.com

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