Research assistant

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Jayden van Horik

Jayden van Horik

Details

Name: Jayden van Horik
Position: Research assistant
Email: jayden.van.horik@gmail.com

Autobiography

I have an MSc in Ecology and Biodiversity from Victoria University of Wellington (VUW), New Zealand (2005). My MSc research involved documenting the vocal ethology of the kaka (an NZ parrot); in particular the effects of habitat on the function and transmission of vocalisations. Following my studies I worked as a researcher for VUW investigating food hoarding behaviour in regards to spatial memory and cognition in the NZ robin. I also have extensive experience as an Ornithological Consultant, and as an Ecological Advisor for numerous NZ governmental departments.

Research Activities

I'm enthusiastic about the wonders of natural history, behavioural ecology and the conservation of biodiversity. I am now working with Nat Seddon and Joe Tobias, collecting behavioural and ecological data on a colour-ringed population of warbling antbirds at Los Amigos Research Station in SE Peru.

Selected Recent Papers

van Horik J., Bell B.B., & Burns K.C. 2007. Vocal Ethology of New Zealand Kaka Nestor meridionalis septentrionalis. New Zealand Journal of Zoology 34: 337-345.

van Horik, J. & Burns, K.C. 2007. Cache spacing patterns and reciprocal cache theft in New Zealand robins. Animal Behaviour 73: 1043-1049.

Burns, K.C & van Horik, J. 2007. Sexual differences in food re-caching by New Zealand robins Petroica australis. Journal of Avian Biology 38: 394-398.

Steer J. &van Horik J. 2006. North Island robin (Petrocia australis longipes) food caches are stolen by stitchbirds (Notiomystis cincta) and bellbirds (Anthornis melanura). Notornis 53: 315-316.

Alexander L., Duthie C., Fyfe J., Haws Z., Hunt S., Montoya I., Ochoa C., Siva A., Stringer L., van Horik J., & Burns K.C. 2005. An experimental evaluation of food hoarding by North Island robins Petrocia australis longipes. Notornis 52: 138-142.