Dr Chima Nwaogu

Publications

Papers

  • Nwaogu, C.J. & Cresswell, W. (2021) Local timing of rainfall predicts the timing of moult within a single locality and the progress of moult among localities that vary in the onset of the wet season in a year-round breeding tropical songbird. Journal of Ornithology 162: 265–276.

  • Nwaogu, C.J., Tieleman, B.I. & Cresswell, W. (2020) Geographic variation in baseline innate immune function does not follow variation in aridity along a tropical environmental gradient. Scientific Reports 10: 5909.

  • Nwaogu, C.J., Galema, A., Dietz, M.W., Cresswell, W. & Tieleman, B.I. (2020) A fruit diet rather than an invertebrate diet maintains a robust innate immunity without a deterioration of body condition. Journal of Animal Ecology 89: 867-883.

  • Nwaogu, C.J., Cresswell, W., Versteegh, M.A. & Tieleman, B.I. (2018) Environment explains seasonal differences in baseline innate immune function better than annual cycle stages in a natural tropical songbird population.  Journal of Animal Ecology 88: 537-553.

  • Nwaogu, C.J., Tieleman, B.I., Bitrus K.Z. & Cresswell, W. (2018) Temperature and aridity determine body size conformity to Bergmann’s rule independent of latitudinal differences in a tropical environment.  Journal of Ornithology 159: 1053-1062.

  • Nwaogu, C.J.; Tieleman, B.I. & Cresswell, W (2018) Weak breeding seasonality of a songbird in a seasonally arid tropical environment arises from individual flexibility and strongly seasonal moult. Ibis 161: 533 – 545.

  • Nwaogu, C.J., Dietz, M.W., Tieleman, B.I. & Cresswell, W (2017) Breeding limits foraging time: evidence of interrupted foraging response from body mass variation in a tropical environment – Journal of Avian Biology 48: 565-569.
  • Nwaogu, C.J. & Cresswell, W. (2016) Body reserves in intra-African migrants. Journal of Ornithology 157: 125-135.

Other articles

      • Nwaogu C.J. & Ivande S.T. (2017). Greater Honeyguide Indicator indicator brood parasitism and presence of a developmental bill hook in the Rosy Bee-eater Merops malimbicus Bulletin of African Bird Club 24(2): 204-208.

      • Nwaogu C.J.; Agbo B.O.; Bitrus K.Z.; Ottosson U. & Manu S. A. (2017) Status of the Rosy Bee-eater Merops malimbicus on the Niger River, north-central Nigeria – Bulletin of African Bird Club 24(2): 171-181.

 

News

New paper on imperfect egg mimicry

Our paper “Combined measures of mimetic fidelity explain imperfect mimicry in a brood parasite-host system” has just been published in the journal Biology Letters. This study was led by Tanmay Dixit, and carried out together with Gary Choi, Salem al-Mosleh, Jess Lund, Jolyon Troscianko, Collins Moya, L Mahadevan, and Claire Spottiswoode, as part of a collaboration between our group and Prof. Mahadevan and his lab at Harvard University. Together we combined mathematical tools and field experiments in Zambia to quantify a key difference – “squiggle” markings – between the eggs of hosts (tawny-flanked prinias) and parasites (cuckoo finches). We showed that suboptimal behaviour on the part of prinias allows cuckoo finches to get by with an imperfect copy of prinia eggs.

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New paper on host aggression and hawk mimicry

Our paper “Aggressive hosts are undeterred by a cuckoo’s hawk mimicry, but probably make good foster parents” has just been published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B. In the paper, we investigate the costs and benefits to the African cuckoo of specializing on a highly aggressive host species, the fork-tailed drongo.

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African Cuckoos Team at the Pan-African Ornithological Congress

The African Cuckoos Team had a fantastic time at the Pan-African Ornithological Congress (PAOC15), this year held in Vic Falls, Zimbabwe. Dr Chima Nwaogu gave a plenary talk on “Differing Priorities in the Timing of Annual Life History Events”, while Professor Claire Spottiswoode and Silky Hamama presented during a roundtable session on communities in conservation and research. Silky also presented a poster, with Claire, Jess Lund, Mairenn Attwood and Cameron Blair each giving research talks as well. 

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