Professor Robert Heinsohn

Contacts

Contact email:robert.heinsohn@anu.edu.au
Contact phone:+61 2 6125 2100
Link:ANU Researchers profile
Professor
Fenner School of Environment & Society

My primary research interests lie in conservation biology and landscape and evolutionary ecology of vertebrates, with a focus on birds. To date, I have completed four major ARC/NSF funded field projects, three on the behavioural ecology and conservation biology of birds (White-winged Choughs, 1985-1997, Eclectus Parrots, 1997-2005, waterfowl movements in northern Australia, 2007-2010) and the other on mammals (Serengeti lions, 1990-1995), and I have contributed to a variety of published collaborations on over 40 vertebrate species (eg. social organisation of Kookaburras, breeding biology of Buff-breasted Paradise Kingfishers, population dynamics of rodents, theoretical investigations of reproductive skew theory in birds, population viability analysis of Speckled Warblers, Palm Cockatoos, and Dugongs, migration in Swift Parrots, spectroradiometry of colours in birds and reptiles, population genetics of cooperatively breeding birds, cuckoo-host interactions, ecology of avian  influenza, waterfowl systematics). Increasingly, I am directing my research at the landscape level as I seek to identify the broad-scale processes shaping conservation problems. The bird species I choose to work with are often large and wide-ranging, and make excellent tools for investigations of habitat use over large areas. Most recently I have been working with collaborators at Charles Sturt University to study bird migration and avian borne diseases in northern Australia and south-east Asia (ARC Linkage Grant) and in 2011 will be commencing research with Dr Langmore on the impact of climate change on cuckoo-host dynamics (ARC Discovery Grant).

Research interests

My primary research interests lie in conservation biology and evolutionary ecology of vertebrates, with a non-exclusive focus on birds. Students and post-docs in my research group focus on practical research aimed at saving endangered bird species from extinction (see Difficult Bird Research Group), the ecology of African mammals, and behavioural ecology including social behavour, cooperative breeding, and tool use. Major long term projects to date include the behavioural ecology of lions in the Serengeti, and white-winged choughs in the Canberra region, Eclectus parrots, palm cockatoos and green pythons on Cape York Peninsula, and the conservation and behaviour of swift parrots, regent honeyeaters, and Norfolk Island green parrots. Increasingly, my research focusses at the landscape level as I seek to identify the broad-scale processes shaping conservation problems. The bird species I choose to work with are wide-ranging, and make excellent tools for investigations of habitat use over large areas. I have a special fondness for parrots, the bird order with the highest proportion of endangered species. I find this research particularly stimulating because it combines my strong background in behavioural and evolutionary ecology with my more recent passion for conservation biology. My students conduct projects in many parts of Australia (e.g Tasmania, Cape York, Norfolk Island) and New Guinea, and also Africa (e.g. lions, baboons, elephants) and South America (e.g. macaws).

For further details of the activities of my group see https://robheinsohn.weebly.com/ and https://www.difficultbirds.com/about-us

Current major research projects include:

1. Tool use and conservation biology of Palm Cockatoos

2. Evolutonary/conservation impacts of extreme predation on female swift parrots

3. Conservation of Regent Honeyeaters, 40 Spotted Pardalotes, Orange-bellied
Parrots, and Norfolk Island Green Parrots

Groups

  • Appleby, D, Tripovich, J, Langmore, N et al. 2023, 'Zoo-bred female birds prefer songs of zoo-bred males: Implications for adaptive management of reintroduction programs', Biological Conservation, vol. 284, pp. 9pp.
  • Alves de Amorim, F, Banks, S, Edworthy, A et al. 2023, 'Using conservation genetics to prioritise management options for an endangered songbird', Heredity, vol. 130, pp. 289-301.
  • Crates, R, Watson, D, Albery, G et al. 2022, 'Mistletoes could moderate drought impacts on birds, but are themselves susceptible to drought-induced dieback', Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series B: Biological Sciences, vol. 289, no. 1978, pp. 10pp.
  • Alves de Amorim, F, Potts, J, Round, V et al. 2022, 'Modelling the distribution of a key habitat feature to guide future on-ground habitat assessment for an endangered specialist songbird', Austral Ecology, vol. 47, no. 6, pp. 1350-1361.
  • Stojanovic, D, Rayner, L, Tulloch, A et al. 2022, 'A range-wide monitoring programme for a critically endangered nomadic bird', Austral Ecology, vol. 47, no. 2, pp. 251-260.
  • Crates, R, Rayner, L, Stojanovic, D et al. 2022, 'Poor-quality monitoring data underestimate the impact of Australia's megafires on a critically endangered songbird', Diversity and Distributions, vol. 28, no. 3, pp. 506-514.
  • Ortiz-Catedral, L, Wallace, C, Heinsohn, R et al. 2022, 'A PCR-Based Retrospective Study for Beak and Feather Disease Virus (BFDV) in Five Wild Populations of Parrots from Australia, Argentina and New Zealand', Diversity, vol. 14, no. 2, pp. 1-8.
  • Heinsohn, R, Lacy, R, Elphinstone, A et al. 2022, 'Population viability in data deficient nomadic species: What it will take to save regent honeyeaters from extinction', Biological Conservation, vol. 266, pp. 1-11.
  • Keighley, M, Haslett, S, Zdenek, C et al. 2021, 'Slow breeding rates and low population connectivity indicate Australian palm cockatoos are in severe decline', Biological Conservation, vol. 253, pp. 1-9.
  • Stojanovic, D, Neeman, T, Hogg, C et al. 2021, 'Differences in wing shape of captive, critically endangered, migratory orange-bellied parrots Neophema chrysogaster relative to wild conspecifics', Emu - Austral Ornithology, vol. 121, no. 3, pp. 178-186.
  • Stojanovic, D, McEvoy, J, Alves de Amorim, F et al. 2021, 'Parental care does not compensate for the effects of bad years on reproductive success of a vagile bird', Journal of Zoology, vol. 314, no. 4, pp. 256-265.
  • Keighley, M, Haslett, S, Zdenek, C et al. 2021, 'Slow breeding rates and low population connectivity indicate Australian palm cockatoos are in severe decline', Biological Conservation, vol. 253.
  • Heinsohn, R, Au, J, Kokko, H et al. 2021, 'Can an introduced predator select for adaptive sex allocation?', Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series B: Biological Sciences, vol. 288, no. 1949.
  • Gautschi, D, Heinsohn, R, Murphy, L et al. 2021, 'Landscape-scale distribution of nest predators and its relationship with regent honeyeater nest success', Austral Ecology, vol. 46, no. 8, pp. 1322-1334.
  • Crates, R, Langmore, N, Ranjard, L et al. 2021, 'Loss of vocal culture and fitness costs in a critically endangered songbird', Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series B: Biological Sciences, vol. 288, no. 1947, pp. 1-9.
  • Stojanovic, D, Rayner, L, Cobden, M et al. 2021, 'Suitable nesting sites for specialized cavity dependent wildlife are rare in woodlands', Forest Ecology and Management, vol. 483.
  • Stojanovic, D, Owens, G, Young, C et al. 2021, 'Do nest boxes breed the target species or its competitors? A case study of a critically endangered bird', Restoration Ecology, vol. 29, no. 3, pp. 5pp.
  • Olah, G, Stojanovic, D, Webb, M et al. 2021, 'Comparison of three techniques for genetic estimation of
    effective population size in a critically endangered parrot', Animal Conservation, vol. 24, no. 3, pp. 491-498.
  • Pires, S, Olah, G, Nandika, D et al. 2021, 'What drives the illegal parrot trade? Applying a criminological model to market and seizure data in Indonesia', Biological Conservation, vol. 257.
  • Olah, G, Smith, B, Joseph, L et al. 2021, 'Advancing genetic methods in the study of parrot biology and conservation', Diversity, vol. 13, no. 11.
  • Stojanovic, D, Owens, G & Heinsohn, R 2021, 'Evaluation of lethal control of introduced sugar gliders as a tool to relieve bird nest predation', Pacific Conservation Biology, vol. 27, pp. 231-235.
  • Gautschi, D, Heinsohn, R, Crates, R et al. 2021, 'Utilization of modified and artificial nests by endemic and introduced parrots on Norfolk Island', Restoration Ecology, vol. 30, no. 5.
  • Alves, F, Langmore, N, Heinsohn, R et al. 2021, ''Self-fumigation' of nests by an endangered avian host
    using insecticide-treated feathers increases reproductive success more than tenfold', Animal Conservation, vol. 24, no. 2, pp. 239-245.
  • Cobden, M, Alves, F, Robinson, S et al. 2021, 'Impact of removal on occupancy patterns of the invasive rainbow lorikeet (Trichoglossus moluccanus) in Tasmania', Austral Ecology, vol. 46, no. 1, pp. 31-38.
  • Nandika D, Agustina D, Heinsohn R, Olah G 2021, 'Wildlife trade influencing natural parrot populations on a biodiverse Indonesian island', Diversity, vol. 13, no. 10.
  • Stojanovic, D, Potts, J, Troy, S et al. 2020, 'Spatial bias in implementation of recovery actions has not improved survival of Orange-bellied Parrots Neophema chrysogaster', Emu - Austral Ornithology, vol. 120, no. 3, pp. 263-268.
  • Cisterne, A, Crates, R, Bell, P et al. 2020, 'Occupancy patterns of an apex avian predator across a forest landscape', Austral Ecology, vol. 45, no. 6, pp. 825-833.
  • Troup, G, Doran, B, Au, J et al. 2020, 'Movement tortuosity and speed reveal the trade-offs of crop raiding for African elephants', Animal Behaviour, vol. 168, no. -, pp. 97-108.
  • Stojanovic, D, Young, C, Troy, S et al. 2020, 'Evaluation of intervention aimed at improving reproductive success in Orange-bellied Parrots Neophema chrysogaster: Lessons, barriers and successes', Ecological Management and Restoration, vol. 21, no. 3, pp. 205-210.
  • Owens, G, Heinsohn, R, Eyles, S et al. 2020, 'Automated broadcast of a predator call did not reduce predation pressure by Sugar Gliders on birds', Ecological Management and Restoration, vol. 21, no. 3, pp. 247-249.
  • Stojanovic, D, Alves de Amorim, F, Webb, M et al. 2020, 'Nestling growth and body condition of critically endangered orange-bellied parrots Neophema chrysogaster', Emu - Austral Ornithology, vol. 120, no. 2, pp. 135-141.
  • Neeman, T, Stojanovic, D & Heinsohn, R 2020, 'Overlap in the wing shape of migratory, nomadic and sedentary grass parrots', Journal of Avian Biology, vol. 51, no. 12, pp. 1-8.
  • Stojanovic, D, Neeman, T, Crates, R et al. 2020, 'Short-term impacts of prescribed burning on Orange-bellied Parrot (Neophema chrysogaster) food plant abundance', Ecological Management and Restoration, vol. 21, no. 3, pp. 211-217.
  • Keighley, M, Langmore, N, Penalba, J et al. 2020, 'Modelling dispersal in a large parrot: a comparison of landscape resistance models with population genetics and vocal dialect patterns', Landscape Ecology, vol. 35, pp. 129-144.
  • Crates, R, Rayner, L, Webb, M et al. 2020, 'Sustained and delayed noisy miner suppression at an avian hotspot', Austral Ecology, vol. 45, no. 5, pp. 636-643.
  • Stojanovic, D, Eyles, S, Cook, H et al. 2019, 'Photosensitive automated doors to exclude small nocturnal predators from nest boxes', Animal Conservation, vol. 22, no. 3, pp. 297-301.
  • Crates, R, Olah, G, Adamski, M et al. 2019, 'Genomic impact of severe population decline in a nomadic songbird', PLOS ONE (Public Library of Science), vol. 14, no. 10, pp. 1-19pp.
  • Heinsohn, R, Olah, G, Webb, M et al. 2019, 'Sex ratio bias and shared paternity reduce individual fitness and population viability in a critically endangered parrot', Journal of Animal Ecology, vol. 88, no. 4, pp. 502-510.
  • Webb, M, Heinsohn, R, Sutherland, W et al. 2019, 'An empirical and mechanistic explanation of abundance-occupancy relationships for a critically endangered nomadic migrant', The American Naturalist, vol. 193, no. 1, pp. 59-69.
  • Keighley, M, Heinsohn, R, Langmore, N et al 2019, 'Genomic population structure aligns with vocal dialects in Palm Cockatoos (Probosciger aterrimus); evidence for refugial late-Quaternary distribution?', Emu - Austral Ornithology, vol. 119, no. 1, pp. 24-37pp.
  • Stojanovic, D, Cook, H, Sato, C et al. 2019, 'Pre-emptive action as a measure for conserving nomadic species', Journal of Wildlife Management, vol. 83, no. 1, pp. 64-71.
  • Edworthy, A, Langmore, N & Heinsohn, R 2019, 'Native fly parasites are the principal cause of nestling
    mortality in endangered Tasmanian pardalotes', Animal Conservation, vol. 22, no. 1, pp. 96-103pp.
  • Igag, P, Mack, A, Legge, S et al. 2019, 'Breeding biology of three large, sympatric rainforest parrots in New Guinea: Palm Cockatoo, Pesquet's Parrot and Eclectus Parrot', Emu - Austral Ornithology, vol. 119, no. 3, pp. 196-204.
  • Stojanovic, D, Young, C, Hogg, C et al. 2019, 'Body mass is not a useful measure of adaptation to captivity in the Orange-bellied Parrot Neophema chrysogaster', Emu - Austral Ornithology, vol. 120, no. 2, pp. 162-167.
  • Alves, F, Lopez‐Iborra, G, Stojanovic, D et al. 2019, 'Occupancy and density of a habitat specialist and a
    sympatric generalist songbird species in Tasmania', Austral Ecology, vol. 44, pp. 1430-1437.
  • Webb, M, Alves, F, Tulloch, A et al. 2019, 'All the eggs in one basket: Are island refuges securing an endangered passerine?', Austral Ecology, vol. 44, no. 3, pp. 523-533.
  • Zdenek, C, Heinsohn, R & Langmore, N 2018, 'Vocal individuality, but not stability, in wild palm cockatoos (Probosciger aterrimus)', Bioacoustics, vol. 27, no. 1, pp. 27-42.
  • Stirnemann, R, Stirnemann, I, Abbot, D et al 2018, 'Interactive impacts of by-catch take and elite consumption of illegal wildlife', Biodiversity and Conservation, vol. 27, no. 4, pp. 931-946.
  • Stojanovic, D, Olah, G, Peakall, R et al. 2018, 'Genetic evidence confirms severe extinction risk for
    critically endangered swift parrots: implications for
    conservation management', Animal Conservation, vol. 21, no. 4, pp. 313-323.
  • Radley, M, Davis, R, Dekker, W et al 2018, 'Vulnerability of megapodes (Megapodiidae, Aves) to climate change and related threats', Environmental Conservation, vol. 45, no. 4, pp. 396-406.
  • Crates, R, Rayner, L, Stojanovic, D et al. 2018, 'Contemporary breeding biology of critically endangered Regent Honeyeaters: implications for conservation', IBIS, vol. 161, no. 3, pp. 521-532.
  • Crates, R, Terauds, A, Rayner, L et al. 2018, 'Spatially and temporally targeted suppression of despotic noisy miners has conservation benefits for highly mobile and threatened woodland birds', Biological Conservation, vol. 227, pp. 343-351.
  • Olah, G, Theuerkauf, J, Legault, A et al. 2018, 'Parrots of Oceania - a comparative study of extinction risk', Emu - Austral Ornithology, vol. 118, no. 1, pp. 94-112.
  • Heinsohn, R, Buchanan, K & Joseph, L 2018, 'Parrots move to centre stage in conservation and evolution', Emu - Austral Ornithology, vol. 118, no. 1, pp. 1-6pp.
  • Webb, M, Stojanovic, D & Heinsohn, R 2018, 'Policy failure and conservation paralysis for the critically endangered swift parrot', Pacific Conservation Biology, vol. 25, no. 2, pp. 116-123.
  • Allen, M, Webb, M, Alves, F et al. 2018, 'Occupancy patterns of the introduced, predatory sugar glider in Tasmanian forests', Austral Ecology, vol. 43, no. 4, pp. 470-475pp.
  • Keighley, M, Langmore, N, Zdenek, C et al 2017, 'Geographic variation in the vocalizations of Australian palm cockatoos (Probosciger aterrimus)', Bioacoustics, vol. 26, no. 1, pp. 91-108pp.
  • Olah, G, Smith, A, Asner, G et al. 2017, 'Exploring dispersal barriers using landscape genetic resistance modelling in scarlet macaws of the Peruvian Amazon', Landscape Ecology, vol. 32, no. 2, pp. 445-456.
  • Crates, R, Terauds, A, Rayner, L et al. 2017, 'An occupancy approach to monitoring regent honeyeaters', Journal of Wildlife Management, vol. 81, no. 4, pp. 669-677pp.
  • Olah, G, Heinsohn, R, Brightsmith, D et al. 2017, 'The application of non-invasive genetic tagging reveals new insights into the clay lick use by macaws in the Peruvian Amazon', Conservation Genetics, vol. 18, no. 5, pp. 1037-1046pp.
  • Heinsohn, R, Zdenek, C, Cunningham, R et al 2017, 'Tool-assisted rhythmic drumming in palm cockatoos shares key elements of human instrumental music', Science Advances, vol. 3, no. 6, pp. 1-7.
  • Webb, M, Terauds, A, Tulloch, A et al. 2017, 'The importance of incorporating functional habitats into conservation planning for highly mobile species in dynamic systems', Conservation Biology, vol. 31, no. 5, pp. 1018-1028.
  • Stojanovic, D, Rayner, L, Webb, M et al. 2017, 'Effect of nest cavity morphology on reproductive success of a critically endangered bird
    ', Emu - Austral Ornithology, vol. 117, no. 3, pp. 247-253.
  • Crates, R, Rayner, L, Stojanovic, D et al 2017, 'Undetected Allee effects in Australia's threatened birds: implications for conservation', Emu - Austral Ornithology, vol. 117, no. 3, pp. 207-221pp.
  • Stojanovic, D, Alves, F, Cook, H et al. 2017, 'Further knowledge and urgent action required to save Orange-bellied Parrots from extinction', Emu - Austral Ornithology, vol. 118, no. 1, pp. 126-134pp.
  • Langmore, N, Bailey, L, Heinsohn, R et al 2016, 'Egg size investment in superb fairy-wrens: Helper effects are modulated by climate', Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series B: Biological Sciences, vol. 283, no. 1843, pp. 20161875-20161875.
  • Saunders, D, Cunningham, R, Wood, J et al. 2016, 'Responses of Critically Endangered migratory Swift Parrots to variable winter drought', Emu - Austral Ornithology, vol. 116, no. 4, pp. 350-359pp.
  • Webb, M, Holdsworth, M, Stojanovic, D et al. 2016, 'Immediate action required to prevent another Australian avian extinction: the King Island Scrubtit', Emu - Austral Ornithology, vol. 116, no. 3, pp. 223-229.
  • Olah, G, Heinsohn, R, Brightsmith, D et al. 2016, 'Validation of non-invasive genetic tagging in two large macaw species (Ara macao and A-chloropterus) of the Peruvian Amazon', Conservation Genetics Resources, vol. 8, no. 4, pp. 499-509pp.
  • Olah, G, Butchart, S, Symes, A et al. 2016, 'Ecological and socio-economic factors affecting extinction risk in parrots', Biodiversity and Conservation, vol. 25, no. 2, pp. 205-223.
  • Stojanovic, D, Webb (nee Voogdt), J, Webb, M Heinsohn R 2016, 'Loss of habitat for a secondary cavity nesting bird after wildfire', Forest Ecology and Management, vol. 360, pp. 235-241.
  • Zdenek, C, Heinsohn, R & Langmore, N 2015, 'Vocal complexity in the palm cockatoo (Probosciger aterrimus)', Bioacoustics, vol. 24, no. 3, pp. 253-267.
  • Heinsohn, R, Webb, M, Lacy, R et al. 2015, 'A severe predator-induced population decline predicted for endangered, migratory swift parrots (Lathamus discolor)', Biological Conservation, vol. 186, pp. 75-82.
  • Cliff, O, Fitch, R, Sukkarieh, S et al. 2015, 'Online Localization of Radio-Tagged Wildlife with an Autonomous Aerial Robot System', Robotics Science and Systems Conference 2015, ed. Lydia E. Kavraki, David Hsu, and Jonas Buchli, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, pp. 1-9.
  • Olah, G, Heinsohn, R, Espinoza, J, Brightsmith, D, and Peakall, R, 2015, 'An evaluation of primers for microsatellite markers in Scarlet Macaw (Ara macao) and their performance in a Peruvian wild population', Conservation Genetics Resources, vol. 7, pp. 157-159.
  • Stojanovic, D, Terauds, A, Westgate, M et al 2015, 'Exploiting the richest patch has a fitness pay-off for the migratory swift parrot', Journal of Animal Ecology, vol. Online, pp. 1-8.
  • Stojanovic, D, Webb, M, Alderman, R et al. 2014, 'Discovery of a novel predator reveals extreme but highly variable mortality for an endangered migratory bird', Diversity and Distributions, vol. 20, no. 10, pp. 1200-1207.
  • Carter, A, Marshall, H, Heinsohn, R et al 2014, 'Personality predicts the propensity for social learning in a wild primate', PeerJ, vol. 2, no. 1, pp. 1-22.
  • Webb, M, Wotherspoon, S, Stojanovic, D et al. 2014, 'Location matters: Using spatially explicit occupancy models to predict the distribution of the highly mobile, endangered swift parrot', Biological Conservation, vol. 176, pp. 99-108.
  • Stojanovic, D, Koch, A, Webb, M et al. 2014, 'Validation of a landscape-scale planning tool for cavity-dependent wildlife', Austral Ecology, vol. 39, no. 5, pp. 579-586.
  • Castles, M, Heinsohn, R, Marshall, H et al. 2014, 'Social networks created with different techniques are not comparable', Animal Behaviour, vol. 96, pp. 59-67.
  • Driscoll, D.A., Banks, S.C., Barton, P.S., Ikin, K., Lentini, P., Lindenmayer, D.B., Smith, A.L., Berry, L.E., Burns, E.L., Edworthy, A., Evans, M.J., Gibson, R., Heinsohn, R., Howland, B., Kay, G., Munro, N., Scheele, B.C., Stirnemann, I., Stojanovic, D., Sweaney, N., Villaseñor, N.R. & Westgate, M.J. (2014). The trajectory of dispersal research in conservation biology. Systematic review. PLoS ONE, 9, e95053.
  • Olah, G, Vigo, G, Heinsohn, R, and Brightsmith, D, 2014, 'Nest site selection and efficacy of artificial nests for breeding success of Scarlet Macaws (Ara macao macao) in lowland Peru', Journal for Nature Conservation, vol. 22, no. 2, pp. 176-185.
  • Carter, A, Feeney, W, Marshall, H et al 2013, 'Animal personality: what are behavioural ecologists measuring?', Biological Reviews, vol. 88, no. 2, pp. 465-475.
  • Le Souef, A, Stojanovic, D, Burbridge, A et al 2013, 'RETENTION OF TRANSMITTER ATTACHMENTS ON BLACK COCKATOOS CALYPTORHYNCHUS SPP', Pacific Conservation Biology, vol. 19, no. 1, pp. 55-57.
  • Carter, A, Marshall, H, Heinsohn, R et al. 2013, 'Personality predicts decision making only when information is unreliable', Animal Behaviour, vol. 86, no. 3, pp. 633-639.
  • Feeney, W, Medina Guzman, I, Somveille, M et al 2013, 'Brood Parasitism and the Evolution of Cooperative Breeding in Birds', Science, vol. 342, no. 6165, pp. 1506-1508.
  • Dhami, K, Joseph, L, Roshier, D et al 2013, 'Multilocus phylogeography of Australian teals (Anas spp.): A case study of the relationship between vagility and genetic structure', Journal of Avian Biology, vol. 44, no. 2, pp. 169-178.
  • Carter, A, Marshall, H, Heinsohn, R et al 2012, 'Evaluating animal personalities: do observer assessments and experimental tests measure the same thing?', Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, vol. 66, no. 1, pp. 153-160.
  • Carter, A, Heinsohn, R, Goldizen, A et al. 2012, 'Boldness, trappability and sampling bias in wild lizards', Animal Behaviour, vol. 83, no. 4, pp. 1051-1058.
  • Heinsohn, R 2012, 'The lengths birds will go to avoid incest', Journal of Animal Ecology, vol. 81, no. 4, pp. 735-737.
  • Stojanovic, D, Webb, M, Roshier, D et al. 2012, 'Ground-based survey methods both overestimate and underestimate the abundance of suitable tree-cavities for the endangered Swift Parrot', Emu - Austral Ornithology, vol. 112, no. 4, pp. 350-356.
  • Roshier, D, Heinsohn, R, Adcock, G et al 2012, 'Biogeographic models of gene flow in two waterfowl of the Australo-Papuan tropics', Ecology and Evolution, vol. 2, no. 11, pp. 2803-2814.
  • Carter, A, Goldizen, A & Heinsohn, R 2012, 'Personality and plasticity: temporal behavioural reaction norms in a lizard, the Namibian rock agama', Animal Behaviour, vol. 84, no. 2, pp. 471-477.
  • Carter, A, Marshall, H, Heinsohn, R et al. 2012, 'How not to measure boldness: Novel object and antipredator responses are not the same in wild baboons', Animal Behaviour, vol. 84, no. 3, pp. 603-609.
  • Gardner, J, Kearney, M, Peters, A et al. 2011, 'Mechanisms and consequences of changing body size: reply to Bickford et al. and McCauley and Mabry', Trends in Ecology and Evolution, vol. 26, no. 11, pp. 555-556.
  • Landstrom, M, Heinsohn, R & Langmore, N 2011, 'Does clutch variability differ between populations of cuckoo hosts in relation to the rate of parasitism?', Animal Behaviour, vol. 81, no. 1, pp. 307-312.
  • Blackmore, C, Peakall, R & Heinsohn, R 2011, 'The absence of sex-biased dispersal in the cooperatively breeding grey-crowned babbler', Journal of Animal Ecology, vol. 80, no. 1, pp. 69-78.
  • Langmore, N, Stevens, M, Maurer, G et al 2011, 'Visual mimicry of host nestlings by cuckoos', Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series B: Biological Sciences, vol. 278, no. 1717, pp. 2455-2463.
  • Heinsohn, R, Langmore, N, Cockburn, A et al 2011, 'Adaptive Secondary Sex Ratio Adjustments via Sex-Specific Infanticide in a Bird', Current Biology, vol. 21, no. 20, pp. 1744-1747.
  • Blackmore CJ, Peakall R. and Heinsohn R (2011) Population genetic structure and the absence of sex-biased dispersal in the cooperatively breeding grey-crowned babbler. Journal of Animal Ecology 80:69-78
  • Gardner, J.L., Peters, A, Kearney, M.R., Joseph, L., Heinsohn, R. 2011, 'Declining body size: A third universal response to warming?', Trends in Ecology and Evolution, vol. 26, no. 6, pp. 285-291.
  • Heinsohn R, Langmore N, Cockburn A & Kokko H 2011 Adaptive Secondary Sex Ratio Adjustments via Sex-Specific Infanticide in a Bird. Current Biology 21, 1-4
  • Landstrom MT, Heinsohn R, Langmore NE (2011) Does clutch variability differ between populations of cuckoo hosts in relation to the rates of parasitism? Animal behaviour 81: 307-312
  • Langmore, N, Stevens M, Maurer G, Heinsohn R, Hall M, Peters A, Kilner R. (2011) Visual mimicry of host nestlings by cuckoos. Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B (doi:10.1098/rspb.2010.2391)
  • Heinsohn, R, Zeriga, T, Murphy, S et al 2009, 'Do Palm Cockatoos (Probosciger aterrimus) have long enough lifespans to support their low reproductive success?', Emu - Austral Ornithology, vol. 109, pp. 183-191.
  • Landstrom, M, Heinsohn, R & Langmore, N 2010, 'Clutch variation and egg rejection in three hosts of the pallid cuckoo, Cuculus pallidus', Behaviour, vol. 147, no. 1, pp. 19-36.
  • Gardner, J, Heinsohn, R & Joseph, L 2009, 'Shifting latitudinal clines in avian body size correlate with global warming in Australian passerines', Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series B: Biological Sciences, vol. 276, no. 1674, pp. 3845-3852.
  • Heinsohn, R 2009, 'White-Winged Choughs: The Social Consequences of Boom and Bust', in Libby Robin, Robert Heinsohn, Leo Joseph (ed.), Boom and Bust: Bird Stories for a Dry Country, CSIRO Publishing, Canberra, Australia, pp. 223-239.
  • Heinsohn, R, Zeriga, T, Murphy, S et al 2009, 'Do Palm Cockatoos (Probosciger aterrimus) have long enough lifespans to support their low reproductive success?', Emu - Austral Ornithology, vol. 109, pp. 183-191.
  • Joseph, L, Adcock, G, Linde, C et al 2009, 'A tangled tale of two teal: population history of the grey Anas gracilis and chestnut teal A. castanea of Australia', Journal of Avian Biology, vol. 40, pp. 430-439.
  • Heinsohn, R 2009, Eclectus' True Colors Revealed, BirdTalk.
  • Robin, Libby, Heinsohn, R & Joseph, L, eds, 2009, Boom and Bust: Bird Stories for a Dry Country, CSIRO Publishing, Canberra.
  • Heinsohn, R 2008, 'Ecology and Evolution of the Enigmatic Eclectus parrot (Eclectus roratus)', Journal of Avian Medicine and Surgery, vol. 22, no. 2, pp. 146-150.
  • Saunders, D & Heinsohn, R 2008, 'Winter habital use by the endangered, migratory Swift Parrot (Lathamus discolor) in New South Wales', Emu - Austral Ornithology, vol. 108, no. 1, pp. 81-89.
  • McCallum, H, Roshier, D, Tracey, J et al 2008, 'Will Wallace's Line Save Australia from Avian Influenza?', Ecology and Society, vol. 13, no. 2, pp. 41-57.
  • Heinsohn, R 2008, 'The ecological basis of unusual sex roles in reverse-dichromatic Eclectus parrots', Animal Behaviour, vol. 76, pp. 97-103.
  • Heinsohn, R 2008, Life in the Cape York Rainforest, CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne Australia.
  • Blackmore, C & Heinsohn, R 2008, 'Variable mating strategies and incest avoidance in cooperating breeding grey-crowned babblers', Animal Behaviour, vol. 75, no. 1, pp. 63-70.
  • Beck, N, Peakall, R & Heinsohn, R 2008, 'Social constraint and an absence of sex-biased dispersal drive fine-scale genetic structure in white-winged choughs', Molecular Ecology, vol. 17, pp. 4346-4358.
  • Heinsohn, R, Roshier, D & Joseph, L 2008, NOTHING TO BE SNEEZED AT Avian influenza: what is bird flu and what dangers does it present for us and our birds?, Wingspan.
  • Hill, B, Reid, J & Heinsohn, R 2008, Development of a Translocation Protocol for the Endangered Cocos Buff-banded Rail through the Application and Refinement of Wildlife Management Techniques â?? Report on Field Trips, AG Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts.
  • Wilson, D & Heinsohn, R 2007, 'Geographic range, population structure and conservation status of the green python (Morelia viridis), a popular snake in the captive pet trade', Australian Journal of Zoology, vol. 55, pp. 147-154.
  • Wilson, D, Heinsohn, R & Endler, J 2007, 'The adaptive significance of ontogenetic colour change in a tropical python', Biology Letters, vol. 3, pp. 40-43.
  • Blackmore, C & Heinsohn, R 2007, 'Reproductive success and helper effects in the cooperatively breeding grey-crowned babbler (Pomatostomus temporalis)', Journal of Zoology, vol. 273, no. 3, pp. 326-332.
  • Gardner, J & Heinsohn, R 2007, 'Probable consequences of high female mortality for speckled warblers living in habitat remnants', Biological Conservation, vol. 135, pp. 473-483.
  • Fischer, J, Manning, A, Steffen, W et al. 2007, 'Mind the sustainability gap', Trends in Ecology and Evolution, vol. 22, no. 12, pp. 621-624.
  • Gardner, J, Richard, P, Trueman, J et al. 2007, 'Story-telling: an essential part of science', Trends in Ecology and Evolution, vol. 22, no. 10, p. 510.
  • Heinsohn, R, Ebert, D, Legge, S et al. 2007, 'Genetic evidence for cooperative polyandry in reverse dichromatic Eclectus parrots', Animal Behaviour, vol. 74, pp. 1047-1054.
  • Heinsohn, R 2006, 'Coloured Perceptions the unimaginably colourful, hidden world of birds', Wingspan, vol. 16, no. 2, pp. 20-25.
  • Wilson, D, Heinsohn, R & Legge, S 2006, 'Age- and sex-related differences in the spatial ecology of a dichromatic tropical python (Morelia viridis)', Austral Ecology, vol. 31, pp. 577-587.
  • Beck, N & Heinsohn, R 2006, 'Group composition and reproductive success of cooperatively breeding white-winged choughs (Corcorax melanorhamphos) in urban and non-urban habitat', Austral Ecology, vol. 31, pp. 588-596.
  • Wilson, D, Heinsohn, R & Wood, J 2006, 'Life-history traits and ontogenetic colour change in an arboreal tropical python, Morelia viridis', Journal of Zoology, vol. 270, pp. 399-407.
  • Adcock, G, Hodges, K, Boland, C et al. 2006, 'Microsatellite loci for behavioural studies of rainbow bee-eaters (Merops ornatus:Aves)', Molecular Ecology Notes (electronic), vol. 6, pp. 734-736.
  • Starling, M, Heinsohn, R, Cockburn, A et al. 2006, 'Cryptic gentes revealed in pallid cuckoos Cuculus pallidus using reflectance spectrophotometry', Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series B: Biological Sciences, vol. 273, pp. 1929-1934.
  • Blackmore, C, Adcock, G, Ebert, D et al 2006, 'Microsatellite loci for population and behavioural studies of grey-crowned babblers (Pomatostomus temporalis: Aves)', Molecular Ecology Notes (electronic), vol. 6, pp. 412-414.
  • Hazell, D, Heinsohn, R & Lindenmayer, D 2005, 'Ecology', in R.Q.Grafton, L.Robin & RJ Wasson (ed.), Understanding the environment: bridging the disciplinary divides, UNSW Press, Sydney, pp. 97-112.
  • Heinsohn, R, Legge, S & Endler, J 2005, 'Extreme Reversed Sexual Dichromatism in a Bird Without Sex Role Reversal', Science, vol. 309, pp. 617-619.
  • Adcock, G, Heinsohn, R, Ebert, D et al. 2005, 'Microsatellite loci for behavioural studies of Eclectus parrot (Eclectus roratus: Aves)', Molecular Ecology Notes (electronic), vol. 5, pp. 616-618.
  • Legge, S, Heinsohn, R & Garnett, S 2004, 'Availability of nest hollows and breeding population size of eclectus parrots, Eclectus roratus on Cape York Peninsula, Australia', Wildlife Research, vol. 31, pp. 149-161.
  • Heinsohn, R, Lacy, R, Lindenmayer, D et al. 2004, 'Unsustainable harvest of dugongs in Torres Strait and Cape York (Australia) waters: two case studies using population viability analysis', Animal Conservation, vol. 7, pp. 1-9.
  • Heinsohn, R 2004, 'Parental care, load-lightening, and costs', in Walter Koenig and Janis Dickinson (ed.), Ecology and Evolution of Cooperative Breeding in Birds, Cambridge University Press, UK, pp. 67-80.
  • Heinsohn, R & Double, M 2004, 'Cooperate or speciate: new theory for the distribution of passerine birds', Trends in Ecology and Evolution, vol. 19, no. 2, pp. 55-57.
  • Magrath, R, Heinsohn, R & Johnstone, R 2004, 'Reproductive skew', in Walter Koenig and Janis Dickinson (ed.), Ecology and Evolution of Cooperative Breeding in Birds, Cambridge University Press, UK, pp. 157-176.
  • Beck, N, Peakall, R & Heinsohn, R 2003, 'Isolation and characterization of polymorphic microsatellite markers in the white-winged chough (Corcorax melanorhamphos)', Molecular Ecology Notes, vol. 3, pp. 586-588.
  • Murphy, S, Legge, S & Heinsohn, R 2003, 'The breeding biology of palm cockatoos (Probosciger aterrimus: a case of a slow life history', Journal of Zoology, vol. 261, pp. 327-339.
  • Legge, S, Heinsohn, R, Blackman, C et al 2003, 'Predation by Rufus Owls on Eclectus Parrots and other animals at Iron Range National Park, Cape York', Corella, vol. 27, pp. 45-46.
  • Heinsohn, R, Murphy, S & Legge, S 2003, 'Overlap and competition for nest holes among eclectus parrots, palm cockatoos and sulphur-crested cockatoos', Australian Journal of Zoology, vol. 51, pp. 81-94.
  • Heinsohn, R & Legge, S 2003, 'Breeding biology of the reverse-dichromatic, co-operative parrot Eclectus roratus', Journal of Zoology, vol. 259, pp. 197-208.
  • Heinsohn, R & Legge, S 2001, 'Seeing red: a parrot's perspective', Nature Australia, vol. 27, no. 1, pp. 32-41.
  • Legge, S, Heinsohn, R, Double, M et al 2001, 'Complex sex allocation in the laughing kookaburra', Behavioral Ecology, vol. 12, no. 5, pp. 524-533.
  • Legge, S & Heinsohn, R 2001, 'Kingfishers in paradise: the breeding biology of Tanysiptera sylvia at the Iron Range National Park, Cape York', Australian Journal of Zoology, vol. 49, pp. 85-98.
  • Heinsohn, R, Dunn, P, Legge, S et al 2000, 'Coalitions of relatives and reproductive skew in cooperatively breeding white-winged choughs', Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series B: Biological Sciences, vol. 267, pp. 243-249.
  • Magrath, R & Heinsohn, R 2000, 'Reproductive skew in birds: models, problems and prospects', Journal of Avian Biology, vol. 31, pp. 247-258.
  • Heinsohn, G & Heinsohn, R 1999, 'Long-term dynamics of a rodent community in an Australian tropical rainforest', Wildlife Research, vol. 26, no. 2, pp. 187-198.
  • Heinsohn, R & Legge, S 1999, 'The cost of helping', Trends in Ecology and Evolution, vol. 14, no. 2, pp. 53-57.