Publication List
Representative work showcasing interdisciplinary research spanning animal movement, urban ecology, and technological innovation in wildlife biology.
Spatio-temporal patterns of juvenile common ravens integrating into a free-flying non-breeder flock
Bapat, Jain et al 2026 iScience
Living in a group offers clear advantages, from better access to food to increased survival. But how animals actually become socially integrated remains poorly understood. Using GPS biologging, we tracked juvenile ravens after they left their natal area to investigate how they approach and join non-breeding groups. By analysing movement patterns in space and time, we tested whether young birds show early signs of social integration before formally becoming part of a group. Juveniles differed from older birds in how they used space, and their movements were influenced by rearing background, with birds raised by wild parents behaving differently from those with a captive background. Familiarity also mattered: ravens released together were more likely to use the same areas, indicating that social bonds shape spatial behaviour.
