Dhanya Bharath

I am a senior undergraduate at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore and a 2019 Khorana scholar.
My work at the Nowicki lab at Duke University involved exploring the effects of categorical colour perception on mate choice in zebra finches. Realistic animations of videos of singing males were used in a two-choice experimental set-up to determine the preference of females under highly controlled conditions. Data were also collected to investigate the role of luminance in categorical colour perception in these birds. I also picked up fieldwork techniques such as misnetting and banding/ tagging, essential for an ecologist. In addition, birdcare (handling and rearing of bird populations in the lab) comprised a major part of my learning experience in the lab. I was also exposed to the rich field of bird-song, another primary area of research in the lab. My work would help further current understanding of how animals perceive the world and influence our knowledge of the evolution of colour-based signals in the animal kingdom.