Promoter: Sam Van Wassenbergh
Co-promoters: Prof. Marcel Eens, Irene Montañez Rivera; Prof. Pauline Provini (MNHN, Paris).
​Subject: Starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) produce complex songs containing diverse acoustic elements, including whistles and rapid rattling sequences, often accompanied by visual displays. The kinematics of beak and throat during song production, and the extent to which these movements relate to the acoustic structure of the song, remain poorly characterized. This project will investigate beak movement patterns and performance during song production in starlings using high-speed videography synchronized with sound recordings, ideally from multiple camera views. A first challenge will be to develop and optimize a recording setup that captures singing behaviour at sufficient spatial and temporal resolution, requiring the student to assist with identifying suitable recording locations, camera orientations and lighting conditions to obtain high-quality recordings of the birds in their aviary. The student will subsequently quantify beak gape and throat kinematics during different song elements, with particular attention to rattling sequences, which may be associated with bill-clacking behaviour (). If recording conditions permit, the student may also explore whether song-related kinematics differ depending on the social context, particularly the presence or absence of a female. The findings will provide new insights into beak movement performance during singing and offer a basis for comparative studies of song production in other songbirds.
​Techniques: high-speed videography; kinematic analysis; sound recording and acoustic analysis; quantitative data analysis and visualisation.
Note: Video data collection should start in the spring of 2027