Asking how the developmental environment shapes phenotypic variation in wild populations is one of my primary research interests. Chickadees spend a great deal of time in the nest (22 days) and how they cope with perturbations such as ectoparasite loads or non-ideal thermal conditions is still uncertain. I have used techniques such as measuring glucocorticoids in the tail feathers grown during development and blood differential analysis to investigate how chickadees respond to influences from the parent and the environment. These measures can then be related to their future cognitive performance. 

(Photos: avian blood cells, feather with visible dark and light horizontal growth bars, nest components with ectoparasites.)

I am curious in understanding the flexibility of nest building behavior in mountain chickadees and have tracked nests across four years, including two years with field manipulations to available nest substrate materials.

(Photos: early nest building, large natural nest with owl pellet material, nest containing supplemental wool, another natural nest.)

How many times does a chickadee visit its nestlings during development? 4,000 times! I use radio frequency technology to measure the visitation of parents to our nest box population. I am interested in whether or not older or higher quality (better spatial cognitive performance) males and females may invest differently in their young.

(Photos: male chickadee leaving the nest after a feed, an older generation Eli Bridge RFID board, Video of male feeding young.)