Avian Behavioral Ecologist
Informationscape Ecology · Animal Communication
I investigate how information connects animals with their ecological and social environments—from the cues and signals they produce to the ways they use information to make decisions and interact with others.
I am a PhD candidate in the School of Natural Resources and Environment and the Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation at the University of Florida, advised by Dr. Kathryn E. Sieving. My research focuses on how animals produce, exchange, and use information within dynamic ecological and social environments.
Much of my current work uses birds—particularly chickadees, titmice, and their associated communities—as study systems for understanding how vocal communication and social information shape decision-making. I combine field experiments, behavioral observations, autonomous acoustic monitoring, and quantitative analyses to examine both sides of information exchange: how environmental and social conditions shape the signals animals produce, and how those signals in turn influence the behavior of others.
More broadly, I am interested in how information moves through ecological communities and how these information landscapes shape interactions among individuals, species, and their environments.
My doctoral research examines how birds produce, update, and use information as ecological and social conditions change. Across a series of field experiments, I study Tufted Titmice and Carolina Chickadees in feeder-based systems to connect information gathering and production with how both signalers and receivers use information to guide behavior.
I investigate how parid vocalizations reflect information gathering and updating as foraging events unfold. By tracking changes in vocal production through time, I ask whether vocal behavior provides a window into how titmice and chickadees continually reassess their foraging environment.
I experimentally manipulate food quality at feeders to test whether parids alter their foraging-related vocal behavior. This work examines how resource conditions shape information production and what those vocal changes may convey to nearby birds.
Using experimental playbacks to manipulate perceived competition, I test how the social audience influences parid vocal behavior at feeders. This work examines whether birds adjust the information they produce when they perceive potential competitors nearby.
I test how social information about safety and risk from Tufted Titmice influences feeder use by titmice themselves and by heterospecifics, including Carolina Chickadees and Northern Cardinals. By comparing acoustic cues with the actual presence of Tufted Titmice, I examine how communicated information and immediate social context shape foraging behaviors.
Earlier Research · Taiwan
For my master’s research, I studied habitat use by granivorous birds and their relationship to rice-grain damage in natural farming fields in Wufeng District, Taichung, Taiwan. I combined bird surveys with assessments of crop damage across field contexts to examine how birds use agricultural landscapes and how that use relates to crop loss, with the Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus) as a major focal species.
This work introduced questions that continue to shape my research: how animals respond to spatially and temporally variable resources, how their behavior connects them to broader ecological systems, and how behavioral ecology can inform wildlife management and conservation.
Research outputs from my doctoral and earlier work in animal behavior, communication, and ecology.
Manuscript in preparation
Martin, N. W., Howell, S., Chen, P. A., St. Mary, C., & Sieving, K. E. Freeze, flee, or fact-find: Modeling avian cognitive-mechanistic responses to heterospecific alarm calls while foraging.
I approach teaching and mentoring as complementary parts of scientific training—helping students develop the knowledge, skills, independence, and confidence to ask meaningful questions and engage thoughtfully with science.
My teaching focuses on helping students connect ecological and behavioral concepts with the process of doing science. I use active and inquiry-based learning, real data, field and applied examples, and collaborative problem-solving to build skills in observation, quantitative analysis, critical thinking, and scientific communication. I also aim to create an inclusive learning environment where students can bring different perspectives to complex ecological and conservation questions.
University of FloridaGraduate Teaching Assistant · 2021–2026
National Chung Hsing UniversityGraduate Teaching Assistant · 2015–2018
I approach mentoring as a collaborative process built on trust, communication, and shared growth. I aim to create a supportive environment where students feel comfortable asking questions, exploring ideas, and taking increasing ownership of their work. My approach adapts to each student’s experience and goals—from providing structure and regular feedback for those new to research to fostering critical thinking and scientific independence as they progress. I also emphasize responsible research practices, scientific integrity, and the broader impacts of science.
Student Science Training Program (SSTP)University of Florida · 2024
Mentored two high school students in acoustic data processing, data management, statistical analysis, and scientific presentation.
For a complete record of my education, research experience, publications and presentations, teaching, mentoring, and professional development, please view or download my CV.
I welcome conversations about avian behavioral ecology, animal communication, informationscape ecology, research collaborations, and related opportunities.
© 2026 Po-An Chen