Publications

2022

​BACKHOUSE, F., WELBERGEN, J. A. , MAGRATH, R. D. & DALZIELL, A. H. (in press) Depleted cultural richness of an avian vocal mimic in fragmented habitat. Diversity and Distributions
CRISOLOGO T. L. DZIELSKI, S. A., PURCELL, J. R., WEBSTER, M. R, WELBERGEN, J. A., DALZIELL, A. H. (2022). Selective alarm call mimicry in the sexual display of the male superb lyrebird (Menura novaehollandiae). Evolutionary Ecology, doi: 10.1007/s10682-022-10200-w
YABSLEY, S. H., MEADE, J., HIBBURT, T., MARTIN, J. M., BOARDMAN, W. S. J., NICOLLE, D., WALKER, M., TURBILL, C & WELBERGEN, J. A. (2022). Variety is the spice of life: flying-foxes exploit a variety of native and exotic food plants in an urban landscape mosaic. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 10:907966​
MCCARTHY, E. D., MARTIN, J. M., BOER, M. M. & WELBERGEN (2022). Ground-based counting methods underestimate true numbers of a threatened colonial mammal: an evaluation using drone-based thermal surveys as a reference. ​Wildlife Research, doi: ​10.1071/WR21120
​HANRAHAN, N., TURBILL, C, DALZIELL, A. H., ARMSTRONG, K. N. & WELBERGEN, J. A.  (2022). Ethogram of ghost bat (Macroderma gigas) behaviours and associated social vocalisations. Acta Chiropterologica, 24:195-208
PULSCHER, L. A., PEEL, A. J., ROSE, K., WELBERGEN, J. A., BAKER, M. L., BOYD V., LOW-CHOY S., EDSON D., TODD, C., DORRESTEIN A., HALL, J., TODD S., BRODER C. C., YAN, L., XU, K., PECK, G. R. & PHALEN, D. N. (2022) Serological evidence of a pararubulavirus and a betacoronavirus in the geographically isolated Christmas Island flying-fox (Pteropus natalis). Transboundary and Emerging Diseases, doi: ​10.1111/tbed.14579
DALZIELL, A. H., WELBERGEN, J. A. & MAGRATH, R. D. (2022). Male superb lyrebirds mimic functionally distinct heterospecific vocalisations during different modes of sexual display. Animal Behaviour doi: ​10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.04.002
TODD, C. M., WESTCOTT, D.A., MARTIN, J. M., ROSE, K., MCKEOWN, A., HALL, J & WELBERGEN, J.A. (2022). Body-size dependent foraging strategies in the Christmas Island flying-fox: implications for seed and pollen dispersal within a threatened island ecosystem. Movement Ecology, ​10:19
MO, M., MINEHAN, M., HACK, E., PLACE, V. & WELBERGEN J. A. (2022) A report of direct mortality in grey-headed flying-foxes (Pteropus poliocephalus) from the 2019-20 Australian megafires. Australian Mammalogy, doi:​ ​10.1071/AM21041
​BACKHOUSE, F., DALZIELL, A. H., MAGRATH, R. D. & WELBERGEN, J. A. (2022) Higher-order sequences of vocal mimicry performed by male Albert's lyrebirds are socially transmitted and enhance acoustic contrast. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, Series B, 289: 20212498
MO, M., MEADE, J., PRICE J. C., MAISEY, J. C. & WELBERGEN J. A. (2022). Synchronous abortion events in the grey-headed flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus). Pacific Conservation Biology, doi: 10.1071/PC21060
​

2021

YABSLEY, S. H., MEADE, J., MARTIN, J. M., & WELBERGEN, J. A. (2021). Human-modified landscapes provide key foraging areas for a threatened flying mammal: The grey-headed flying-fox. Plos One, 16: e0259395.
FINCH, J. T., POWER, S. A., WELBERGEN, J. A., & COOK, J. M. (2021). Staying in touch: how highly specialised moth pollinators track host plant phenology in unpredictable climates. BMC Ecology and Evolution, 21: 161 
​MEADE, J., MARTIN, J. M., & WELBERGEN, J. A. (2021). Fast food in the city? Nomadic flying-foxes commute less and hang around for longer in urban areas. Behavioral Ecology, 32: 1151-1162
​FINCH, J. T., POWER, S. A., WELBERGEN, J. A., & COOK, J. M. (2021). Testing for apomixis in an obligate pollination mutualism. Journal of Pollination Ecology, 29: 167-178.
​MO, M., ROACHE, M., DAVIES, J., HOPPER, J., PITTY, H., FOSTER, N., ... & WELBERGEN, J. A. (2021). Estimating flying-fox mortality associated with abandonments of pups and extreme heat events during the austral summer of 2019–20. Pacific Conservation Biology. ​doi: 10.1071/PC21003
PULSCHER, L. A., DIERENFELD, E. S., WELBERGEN, J. A., ROSE, K. A., & PHALEN, D. N. (2021). A comparison of nutritional value of native and alien food plants for a critically endangered island flying-fox. Plos One, 16: e0250857.
MCCARTHY, E. D., MARTIN, J. M., BOER, M. M. & WELBERGEN (2021). Drone-based thermal remote sensing provides an effective new tool for monitoring the abundance of roosting fruit bats. Remote Sensing in Ecology and Conservation, 7: 461-474
COX-WITTON, K., BAKER, M. L., EDSON, D., PEEL, A. J., WELBERGEN, J. A. & FIELD, H. (2021) Risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission from humans to bats – An Australian assessment. One Health, 13: 100247
WELBERGEN, J. A. LAW, B. & COOPER, P. (2021) ​Bat research in Australasia – in memory of Les Hall (part 2). ​Australian Journal of Zoology, 68: 223-225
LAW, B., WELBERGEN, J. A. & COOPER, P. (2021) ​Bat research in Australasia – in memory of Les Hall (part 1). ​Australian Journal of Zoology, 67: 241-242
RATNAYAKE, H. U., WELBERGEN J.A., VAN DER REE, R & KEARNEY, M. R. (2021) Variation in fur properties may explain differences in heat-related mortality among Australian flying-foxes. ​Australian Journal of Zoology, 68:285-295
AUSTIN, V. I., DALZIELL, A. H., LANGMORE, N. E. & WELBERGEN, J. A. (2021). Avian vocalisations: the female perspective. Biological Reviews, 96: ​1484-1503
DALZIELL, A. H., MAISEY, A. C., MAGRATH, R. D. & WELBERGEN, J. A. (2021). Male lyrebirds create a complex acoustic illusion of a mobbing flock during courtship and copulation. Current Biology, 31: 1970-1976
​CHAUMONT, M. H., LANGMORE, N. E. & WELBERGEN, J. A. (2021). The ghosts of parasitism past: lingering frontline anti-brood parasite defences in a former host. Current Zoology, 67: 573-583
BACKHOUSE, F., DALZIELL, A. H., MAGRATH, R. D., RICE, A. N., CRISOLOGO, T. L. & WELBERGEN, J. A. (2021). Differential geographic patterns in song components of male Albert’s lyrebirds. Ecology and Evolution, 11:2701-2716
HANRAHAN, N., TURBILL, C., ARMSTRONG, K. N., DALZIELL, A. H., & WELBERGEN, J. A. (2021) Ghost bats exhibit informative daily and seasonal temporal patterns in the production of social vocalisations. Australian Journal of Zoology, 67:305-315
TIMMISS, L. A., MARTIN, J. M., MURRAY, N. J., WELBERGEN, J. A., WESTCOTT, D., MCKEOWN, A., & KINGSFORD, R. T. (2021). Threatened but not conserved: flying-fox roosting and foraging habitat in Australia. Australian Journal of Zoology, ​68:226–233

2020

PULSCHER, L. A., GRAY, R., MCQUILTY, R., ROSE, K., WELBERGEN, J., & PHALEN, D. N. (2020). Evidence of chronic cadmium exposure identified in the critically endangered Christmas Island flying-fox (Pteropus natalis). Science of The Total Environment, 144374.
WELBERGEN, J. A., MEADE, J., FIELD, H., EDSON, D., McMICHAEL, L., SHOO, L. P., PRASZCZALEK, J., SMITH, C., MARTIN, J. (2020) Extreme mobility of the world's largest flying mammals creates key challenges for management and conservation. BMC Biology, 18: 101
​PULSCHER, L. A., GRAY, R., MCQUILTY, R., ROSE, K., WELBERGEN, J. & PHALEN, D. N. 2020. Investigation into the utility of flying foxes as bioindicators for environmental metal pollution reveals evidence of diminished lead but significant cadmium exposure. Chemosphere, 254: 126839.
BALLAND, J., HERBERT, C. A., WELBERGEN, J. A. & MARTIN, J. M. 2020. Habitat selection in a peri-urban area by a large mammal indicates a low potential for human–wildlife conflict. Wildlife Research, 47: 381-390

2019

​MEADE, J., VAN DER REE, R., STEPANIAN, P. M., WESTCOTT, D. A. & WELBERGEN, J. A., 2019. Using weather radar to monitor the number, timing and directions of flying-foxes emerging from their roosts. Scientific Reports, 9(1):10222.
​AUSTIN, V. I., WELBERGEN, J. A., MAISEY, A. C., LINDSAY, M. G. & DALZIELL, A. H. 2019. Destruction of a conspecific nest by a female Superb Lyrebird: evidence for reproductive suppression in a bird with female-only parental care. Behaviour, 1:1-11.
​STEPKOVITCH, B., MARTIN, J.M., DICKMAN, C.R. & WELBERGEN, J.A. 2019. Urban lifestyle supports larger red foxes in Australia: an investigation into the morphology of an invasive predator. Journal of Zoology. DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12723
​ROMANO, A.B., HUNT, A., WELBERGEN, J.A. & TURBILL, C. 2019. Nocturnal torpor by superb fairy-wrens: a key mechanism for reducing winter daily energy expenditure. Biology letters, 15(6), p.20190211. DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2019.0211
FINCH, J. T., POWER, S. A., WELBERGEN, J. A. & COOK, J. M., 2019. A non‐pollinating moth inflicts higher seed predation than two co‐pollinators in an obligate pollination mutualism. Ecological Entomology, DOI: 10.1111/een.12754
LENTINI, P. & WELBERGEN, J. A. (2019). Managing tensions around urban flying‐fox roosts. Austral Ecology, 44 (2): 380-385. DOI: 10.1111/aec.12738 (HOT TOPIC)
​DORRESTEIN, A., TODD, C., WESTCOTT, D., MARTIN, J. & WELBERGEN, J. A. (2019) Impacts of an invasive ant species on roosting behaviour of an island endemic flying-fox. Biotropica, 51(1): 75-83 
RATNAYAKE, H. U., KEARNEY, M, R., GOVEKAR, P., KAROLY, D. & WELBERGEN, J. A. (2019) Forecasting wildlife die-offs from extreme heat events. Animal Conservation, 22(4): 386-395. DOI: ​10.1111/acv.12476

2018

MEADE, J., VANDERWAL, J., STORLIE, J., WILLIAMS, S., GOURRET, A., KROCKENBERGER, A. & WELBERGEN, J. A. (2018). Substantial reduction in thermo-suitable microhabitat for a rainforest marsupial under climate change. Biology Letters, DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2018.0189
FINCH, J. T. D., POWER, S. A., WELBERGEN, J. A. & COOK, J. M. (2018) Two’s company, three’s a crowd: co-occurring pollinators and parasite species in Breynia oblongifolia (Phyllanthaceae). BMC Evolutionary Biology, DOI: 10.1186/s12862-018-1314-y
TODD, C. M., WESTCOTT, D. A., ROSE, K., MARTIN, J. M., & WELBERGEN, J. A. (2018). Slow growth and delayed maturation in a Critically Endangered insular flying fox (Pteropus natalis). Journal of Mammalogy, 99(6), 1510-1521. DOI: doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyy11
EDSON, D., FIELD, H., MCMICHAEL, L., MAYER, D., MARTIN, J., WELBERGEN, J., MCLAUGHLIN, A., HUTH, L., KRISTOFFERSEN, J., TSOUKALAS, G. AND KIRKLAND, P., 2018. Hematology, plasma biochemistry, and urinalysis of free-ranging grey-headed flying foxes (Pteropus poliocephalus) in Australia. Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine, 49(3): 591-598.

2016

DALZIELL, A. H. & WELBERGEN, J. A. (2016) Mimicry for all modalities. Ecology Letters,  DOI:  10.1111/ele.12602 ​
DALZIELL, A. H. & WELBERGEN, J. A. (2016) Elaborate mimetic vocal displays by female superb lyrebirds. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2016.00034

2015

KEPPEL, G., MOKANY, K., WARDELL-JOHNSON, G. W., PHILLIPS, B. L. WELBERGEN, J. A. & RESIDE, A. E. (2015) The capacity of refugia for conservation planning under climate change. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment,  13(2): 106–112​
DALZIELL, A. H., WELBERGEN, J. A., IGIC, B. & MAGRATH, R. D. (2015) Avian vocal mimicry: a unified conceptual framework. Biological Reviews, 90:643-668. DOI: 10.1111/brv.12129

2014

FEENEY, W., WELBERGEN, J. A. & LANGMORE, N. E. (2014) Advances in the study of coevolution between avian brood parasites and their hosts. Annual Reviews in Ecology, Evolution and Systematics, 45: 227-246. DOI: 10.1146/annurev-ecolsys-120213-091603
STORLIE, C., MERINO-VITERI, PHILLIPS, B., VANDERWAL, J., WELBERGEN, J. A. & WILLIAMS, S. (2014) Stepping inside the niche: microclimate data are critical for accurate assessment of species’ vulnerability to climate change. Biology Letters, 10: 20140576. DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2014.0576
RESIDE, A. E., WELBERGEN, J. A. PHILLIPS, B. L. WARDELL-JOHNSON, G. W., KEPPEL, G., FERRIER, S., WILLIAMS, S. E. & VANDERWAL, J. (2014) Characteristics of climate change refugia for Australian biodiversity. Austral Ecology, 39: 887-897. DOI: 10.1111/aec.12146

2013

WARREN, R., VANDERWAL, J., PRICE, J., WELBERGEN, J. A., ATKINSON, I., RAMIREZ-VILLEGAS, J., OSBORN, T. J., JARVIS, A., SHOO, L. P., WILLIAMS, S. E., & LOWE, J. (2013) Quantifying the benefit of early climate change mitigation in avoiding biodiversity loss. Nature Climate Change, DOI: 10.1038/NCLIMATE1887

2012

​WELBERGEN, J. A. & DAVIES N. B. (2012) Direct and indirect assessment of parasitism risk by a cuckoo host. Behavioural Ecology, 23, 783-789
​BROOKE, M. de L., FLOWER, T.P., CAMPBELL, E., MAINWARING, M. C., DAVIES, S. & WELBERGEN, J. A. (2012) Rainfall-related population growth and sex ratio change in the Critically Endangered Raso lark Alauda razae. Animal Conservation 15, 466–471
​FEENEY, W., WELBERGEN, J. A. & LANGMORE, N. E. (2012). The front-line of avian brood parasite-host coevolution. Animal Behavior  84, 3-12

2011 and before

​WELBERGEN, J. A. & DAVIES N. B. (2011) A parasite in wolf’s clothing: hawk mimicry reduces mobbing of cuckoos by hosts. Behavioral Ecology 22, 574-579
​BROOKE, M. de L., WELBERGEN, J. A., MAINWARING, M. M., VAN DER VELDE, M., HARTS, A. M. F., KOMDEUR, J. & AMOS, W., (2010) Widespread translocation from autosomes to sex chromosomes preserves genetic variability in an endangered lark. Journal of Molecular Evolution 70, 242-6
​DAVIES N. B. & WELBERGEN J. A. (2009) Social transmission of a host defense against cuckoo parasitism. SCIENCE 324, 1318-1320 (authors contributed equally to this work)
WELBERGEN, J. A. & DAVIES N. B. (2009) Strategic variation in mobbing as a front line of defence against brood parasitism. Current Biology 19, 235-240
​KLOSE, S., WELBERGEN, J. A., & KALKO, E. (2009) Testosterone is associated with harem maintenance ability in free-ranging grey-headed flying-foxes, Pteropus poliocephalus. Biology Letters 5, 758-761
​KLOSE, S., WELBERGEN, J., GOLDIZEN, A. & KALKO, E., (2009) Spatiotemporal vigilance architecture of an Australian flying-fox colony. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 63, 371-380
​WELBERGEN, J. A. & DAVIES, N. B. (2008) Reed warblers discriminate cuckoos from sparrowhawks with graded alarm signals that attract mates and neighbours. Animal Behaviour 76, 811-822
​DAVIES, N. B. & WELBERGEN, J. A. (2008) Cuckoo–hawk mimicry? An experimental test. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, Series B 275, 1817-1822
​WELBERGEN, J. A., KLOSE, S. M., MARKUS, N. & EBY, P. (2008) Climate change and the effects of temperature extremes on Australian flying-foxes. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, Series B 275, 419-425
​WELBERGEN, J. A. & QUADER, S. (2006) Mother guarding: how offspring may influence the extra-pair behaviour of their parents. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, Series B 273, 2363-2368
​BERG, M. L., BEINTEMA, N. H., WELBERGEN, J. A. & KOMDEUR, J. (2006) The functional significance of multiple nest-building in the Australian Reed Warbler Acrocephalus australis. Ibis 148, 395-404
​BERG, M. L., BEINTEMA, N. H., WELBERGEN, J. A. & KOMDEUR, J. (2005) Singing as a handicap: the effects of food availability and weather on song output in the Australian Reed Warbler Acrocephalus australis. Journal of Avian Biology 36, 102-109
Theses:
​
​​​WELBERGEN, J. A. (2005) The social organisation of the grey-headed flying-fox, Pteropus poliocephalus. Pp.265, PhD Thesis, University of Cambridge, UK. ***CLICK HERE FOR COPY***
Conference proceedings:

WELBERGEN, J. A. (2012) Impacts of extreme events on biodiversity – lessons from die-offs in flying-foxes. Proceedings of the International Symposium on the importance of Bats as Bioindicators. Granollers, Barcelona. ISBN: 978-84-87790-69-0

EBY, P., JONES, V. & WELBERGEN 2001 Social structure and the dynamics of mixed sex groups in migratory Pteropus poliocephalus. Proceedings 12th International Bat Research Conference, Bangi, Malaysia.

Scholarly books:

GARNETT, S.,  FRANKLIN, D., PAVEY, C., VANDERWAL, J., EHMKE, G., WELBERGEN, J.A., RESIDE, A., PERKINS, G., BUTCHART, S. & WILLIAMS, S. E. (2014). Climate change adaptation strategies for Australian birds. Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency & the National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility (NCCARF)

RESIDE, A. E., VANDERWAL, J., PHILLIPS, B. L., SHOO, L. P., ROSAUER, D. F., ANDERSON, B. J., WELBERGEN, J. A., MORITZ, C., FERRIER, S., HARWOOD, T. D.,  WILLIAMS, K. J., MACKEY, B., HUGH, S. & WILLIAMS, S. E. (2014). Climate change refugia for terrestrial biodiversity: Defining areas that promote species persistence and ecosystem resilience in the face of global climate change. Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency & the National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility (NCCARF)

Scholarly book chapters:

CAMPOBELLO, D., SEALY, S.G. & WELBERGEN J.A.  (2018) Anti-brood parasite defences: the role of individual and social learning. In M. Soler (ed) Avian Brood Parasitism: Behaviour, Ecology, Evolution and Coevolution. Springer International Publishing AG. ISBN: 9783319731377

FRANKLIN, D. & WELBERGEN, J. A. (2014) The sensitivity of Australian birds to climate change. In Garnett, S.  et al. (ed.). Climate change adaptation strategies for Australian birds. Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency & the National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility (NCCARF)

Technical reports:

WELBERGEN J. A., MEADE, J., STORLIE, C., VANDERWAL, J., DALZIELL, A. H., HODGSON, L., LARSON, J., KROCKENBERGER, A. & WILLIAMS, S. E. (2015) Climate change and the impacts of extreme events on Australia’s Wet Tropics biodiversity. Report to the National Environmental Research Program. Reef and Rainforest Research Centre Limited, Cairns (71 pp.). ISBN: 9781925088595

WELBERGEN, J. A., WILLIAMS, S. E. & GOOSEM S. (2011) Gap analysis of environmental research needs in the Wet Tropics. Cairns; Reef & Rainforest Research Centre Ltd, Cairns (130 pp.)

CARMODY, J., MURPHY, H., HILL, R., CATTERALL, C., GOOSEM, S., DALE, A., WESTCOTT, D., WELBERGEN, J., SHOO, L., STOECKL, N. & ESPARON, M. (2015) The importance of protecting and conserving the Wet Tropics: A synthesis of NERP Tropical Ecosystems Hub Tropical Rainforest Outputs 2011-2014. Report to the National Environmental Research Program. Reef and Rainforest Research Centre Limited, Cairns (64pp.).

Articles in The Conversation:
BACKHOUSE, F., ​DALZIELL, A., MAGRATH, R. & WELBERGEN, J. A. Listen to the Albert’s lyrebird: the best performer you’ve never heard of. The Conversation, 14-4-2022

DALZIELL, A. H. and WELBERGEN J. A. ‘Bloody fool!’: why Ripper the musk duck, and many other talkative Aussie birds, are exciting biologists. The Conversation, 17-9-2021

MARTIN, J, WALDIEN, D., NOVERA, J, WELBERGEN J. A., OEDIN, M., HANRAHAN, N., KINGSTON, T.  and LAVERY, T.  Pacific Island bats are utterly fascinating, yet under threat and overlooked. Meet 4 species. 25-8-2021

WELBERGEN, J. A., PREECE, N. D. & VAN OOSTERZEE, P. Our laws failed these endangered flying-foxes at every turn. On Saturday, Cairns council will put another nail in the coffin. The Conversation, 1-7-2020

LENTINI, P., PEEL, A., FIELD, H. & WELBERGEN, J. A. No, Aussie bats won’t give you COVID-19. We rely on them more than you think. The Conversation, 30-4-2020

TURBILL, C. & WELBERGEN, J. A. Australia’s threatened bats need protection from a silent killer: white-nose syndrome. The Conversation, 20-1-2020

WELBERGEN, J.A. & ARMSTRONG, K.  Why we shouldn’t be so quick to demonise bats. The Conversation, 22-12-17

​WELBERGEN, J.A. & EBY, P. Not in my backyard? How to live alongside flying-foxes in urban Australia. The Conversation, 27-5-16

WELBERGEN J. A., BOOTH, C. and MARTIN, J. Killer climate: tens of thousands of flying foxes dead in a day. The Conversation, 24-2-14

DALZIELL, A. H. and WELBERGEN J. A. The mimics among us — birds pirate songs for personal profit. The Conversation, 19-8-14

​KATSIS, A., WELBERGEN J.A., ELLIS, W. and KEARNEY, M. Tree-hugging koalas beat the summer heat. The Conversation, 4-6-14