Mixed-Species Groups of Animals

Eben Goodale teaches at Guangxi University in China and is a field ornithologist who has studied mixed-species bird flocks in South and East Asia and Melanesia. Originally an animal behaviourist, his studies on interactions between species in flocks have led him into issues of community ecology and conservation biology, and he has published more than 20 peer-reviewed articles specifically on mixed groups. Guy Beauchamp is a behavioural ecologist specializing on social foraging in birds. He has written over 100 articles in peer-reviewed journals. He has been studying sandpipers for the last 10 years. He currently works as a research officer at the Veterinary College of the University of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Graeme Ruxton has worked on animal behaviour for approximately 30 years, and authored more than 300 papers on the subject; group living has been a particular focus throughout that time, and he is joint author of the 2002 monograph “Living in Groups,” which is still widely cited.

• 1. Introduction2. A Diversity of Mixed-Species Associations3. Moving Mixed-Species Groups in Different Taxa4. Adaptive Implications of Mixed-Species Grouping: Foraging, Physical, and Reproductive Factors5. Adaptive Implications of Mixed-Species Grouping: Predators and Other Antagonists6. Communication7. Leadership and Sentinel Behavior8. Mixed-Species Groups and Conservation9. Conclusions

"In summary, this is a thorough and concise book on mixed-species animal groups, and functions as a single resource for anyone who is interested in the study of this topic. It is very useful for both undergraduates and post-graduates, as well as for those outside of academia, and so I would thoroughly recommend it for a university library and for anyone who is considering research within this area." --Primate Eye "...it is a rich, although not exhaustive, source of information on MSGs. ...I enjoyed reading it and learned a lot, and fully recommend it to everybody interested in mixed-species groups." --The Quarterly Review of Biology"I found the book fascinating in its breadth and now have a much broader and deeper appreciation of mixed-species groups. The authors present frameworks that can be used to guide future research, highlight future research questions, and point out how new methods may enhance our knowledge of both mechanism and function." --Primates"It will be useful to a broad readership, from students who look for a thorough introduction to the phenomenon to researchers and university lecturers who want to have a single resource on mixed-species troops at hand…I enjoyed reading it and learned a lot, and fully recommend it to everybody interested in mixed-species groups." --Primates