WALLA WALLA UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
Joseph G. Galusha D.Phil., Professor and Graduate Dean
What I'm interested in:Theoretical social behavior, coloniality, behavioral ecology of birds I am interested in theoretical aspects of social behavior; especially that taking place in large seabird colonies. Currently my students and I are describing the differences in the daily behavior of resident adult and juvenile glaucous-winged gulls living in different habitats and family sizes. Preliminary results suggest that the ideal place for gulls to nest is in short grass habitats with some tall grass patches interspersed. Adult gulls can detect predators and intruders easier while standing in short grass than in tall grass but the later provide shade during the heat of midday. Adult gulls seem equally able to raise families containing 1, 2, 3, or 4 chicks. Differences in the frequencies of key behaviors may indicate varying levels of stress involved, however.These observations will be compared with detailed quantitative observations of the social behavior of Indian peafowl also breeding on this island. A comparison of the different demands, putative causes, and presumed benefits to each of these species will be integrated into a model of group dynamics during the breeding season. We are also studying the impact of bald eagle disturbance and predation on gulls and other seabirds nesting on an island in the Puget Sound: Protection Island, Washington. Adult and juvenile eagles behave differently when flying over the gull colony. We are quantifying the direction, altitude, number of predation attempts by these two classes of eagles and associating them with temporal and climatological parameters. |
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Peer-Reviewed Publications:1993. Analysis of great horned owl pellets with rhinoceros auklet remains. Auk
110(1): 133-135.
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Classes I teach:BIOL 384 - Sociobiology |
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Contact Information:Department of Biological Sciences |
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