James Kennerley

Hi! I’m James, I’ve been captivated by birds for as long as I can remember which has led to my current position as a Rose Postdoctoral Fellow at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology (USA).

Prior to joining Cornell, I gained my PhD in Zoology from the University of Cambridge (UK), where I was supported by a Whitten Scholarship, and I later worked as the Science Program Manager for Rocky Point Bird Observatory (Canada).

My research focuses on two intriguing avian phenomena: brood parasitism and moult. Brood parasites, such as cuckoos and cowbirds, lay their eggs in the nests of other birds, deceiving the unknowing foster parents into raising their young. I study how these deceptive tactics have evolved and persist, especially in systems where multiple species of brood parasites coexist and target cooperatively breeding birds.

Equally fascinating to me is the process of moult which, along with movement (i.e. migration) and breeding, is one of the three key life-history events in a bird’s annual cycle. My research explores how moult fits into the annual cycle, particularly in tropical birds where seasonal changes have less influence on behaviour than in temperate species.

In my spare time, I’m an avid birder and keen naturalist, and enjoy spending as much time as I can outside with my binoculars, camera, sound recording gear, and the eBird app running.