Professor Ben J Hatchwell

School of Biosciences

Professor of Evolutionary Ecology

Ben Hatchwell
Profile picture of Ben Hatchwell
b.hatchwell@sheffield.ac.uk
+44 114 222 4625

Full contact details

Professor Ben J Hatchwell
School of Biosciences
B91
Alfred Denny Building
Western Bank
Sheffield
S10 2TN
Profile
  • Professor of Evolutionary Ecology, University of Sheffield (2007-present)
  • Reader, University of Sheffield (2004 - 2006)
  • Senior Lecturer in Zoology, University of Sheffield (2002-2004)
  • Lecturer in Zoology, University of Sheffield (1993-2002)
  • Post-doc, University of Oxford (1991-1993)
  • Post-doc, University of Cambridge (1988-1991)
  • PhD (1988), University of Sheffield
  • BA (1984), University of Oxford
Research interests

Social Evolution

My principal research interest is in social evolution and reproductive strategies in birds. The main approach of my research is to use field observations and experiments to test evolutionary theory. I have been studying cooperative breeding in long-tailed tits since 1994, and have also collaborated recently on other projects on cooperative behaviour in sociable weavers, riflemen and monk parakeets. Specific research interests include:

  • The ecological and demographic factors that promote the evolution of cooperation in animal societies.
  • The influence of individual dispersal decisions on the genetic structure of populations and the consequences for cooperative behaviour
  • The fitness consequences of alternative reproductive strategies of individuals in cooperative groups
  • Mechanisms of kin recognition in social animals
  • Proximate and ultimate causes of variation in parental investment

Population Ecology

I am also interested in pure and applied aspects of avian population ecology, including long-term studies of seabirds, parrot conservation and the ecology of urban bird populations. Recent projects include studies of guillemots, blackbirds and three species of parrot. Specific areas of interest include:

  • The population dynamics of guillemots on Skomer Island
  • Population biology of vulnerable parrot populations
  • The relationship between urban and rural bird populations
  • Invasion biology of monk parakeets in Europe
Publications

Show: Featured publications All publications

Journal articles

All publications

Journal articles

Chapters

Conference proceedings papers

  • Adams M, Robinson M & Hatchwell B (2013) Their genes are your environment: Social genetics of breeding behavior in birds. BEHAVIOR GENETICS, Vol. 43(6) (pp 505-505) RIS download Bibtex download

Preprints

Research group

Dr Alexandra Jebb de Calais
UKRI-funded Post-doctoral Research Associate (2023-2027). Constraints on adaptation in social animals: kin recognition mechanisms and the fitness consequences of discrimination rules. PI - BJH.
Dr Jennifer Morinay
UKRI-funded Post-doctoral Research Associate (2023-2027). Constraints on adaptation in social animals: kin recognition mechanisms and the fitness consequences of discrimination rules. PI - BJH.
Sarah Biddiscombe
UKRI-funded Technician (2022-2027). Constraints on adaptation in social animals: kin recognition mechanisms and the fitness consequences of discrimination rules. PI - BJH.
Dr Mickaël Jacquier
UKRI-funded Technician (2023-2027). Constraints on adaptation in social animals: kin recognition mechanisms and the fitness consequences of discrimination rules. PI - BJH.
Luke Nelson
UKRI-funded Technician (2023-2027). Constraints on adaptation in social animals: kin recognition mechanisms and the fitness consequences of discrimination rules. PI - BJH.
Tom Lewis
UKRI-funded Research Assistant (2023). Constraints on adaptation in social animals: kin recognition mechanisms and the fitness consequences of discrimination rules. PI - BJH.
Chay Halliwell
NERC-funded ACCE2 PhD student (2019-2023). Cooperation, conflict and the coordination of care in a social bird. Lead supervisor - BJH, co-supervisors - Dr Sam Patrick (University of Liverpool) and Dr Andrew Beckerman.
Fionnuala McCully
NERC-funded ACCE2 PhD student (2019-2023). How do Arctic seabirds coordinate care in a changing climate? Lead supervisor – Dr Sam Patrick (University of Liverpool), co-supervisor - BJH.
Natalia Borray
Independently funded PhD student (2022-2025). Population genetic structure and contemporary evolution in monk parakeets. Lead supervisor – Dr Juan Carlos Senar (Natural Sciences Museum of Barcelona; University of Barcelona), co-supervisor - BJH.
Joey Baxter
UKRI-funded PhD student (2023-2027). Are olfactory cues used to recognise kin in social birds? Lead-supervisor – BJH, co-supervisor – Dr Chris Cooney.

Teaching activities

I have been fascinated by natural history since I was young and becoming a behavioural ecologist was a natural progression from that early obsession. In common with my colleagues in Biosciences, my teaching is research-led, with the ambition of communicating my enthusiasm and knowledge about animal behaviour to students.

At Level 2, I teach on a field course in southern France, including guided exercises and independent project work in a stunning Mediterranean landscape. At Level 3, I coordinate Cooperation & Conflict (APS357, 10 credits), and I also run and/or teach on field courses to Portugal and Borneo (APS356, 20 credits). The aim of APS357 is to demonstrate how theory provides the framework that allows us to make sense of the extraordinarily diverse social behaviour that exists in the natural world, including our own behaviour. Field courses are highlights of the teaching year because of the quality of the projects conducted by students, and more importantly, because the opportunity to engage in research offered by such courses is often a critical moment in students’ development as scientists. At Level 4, I usually supervise two MBiolSci students per year. They are embedded within my research group, working alongside my PhD students, post-docs and other researchers on novel questions relating to some aspect of the behaviour and ecology of birds, involving field observations, experiments and analysis of long-term data. I also supervise MRes students in their research projects, typically one student per year.
 

Professional activities and memberships
  • International Society for Behavioral Ecology: President-elect (2014-2016), President (2016-2018) and Past-President (2018-2020)
  • External examiner: MSc in Applied Ecology, University of Exeter (Falmouth)
  • Editor: Behavioral Ecology (2010-2013)
  • Editor: Animal Behaviour (2005-2008)
  • Member of Council: Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour (2006-2009)
  • Member of Council: British Ornithologists’ Union (1999-2003)
  • Leverhulme Research Fellowship (2008-2009)