I have worked on the reproductive biology of birds for the last 12 years. As a MScF student, I studied age-related body condition and reproductive performance of Spruce Grouse Dendragapus canadensis in boreal Canada (University of Toronto) and then, as a DPhil student, I investigated the mechanisms of micronutrient (calcium and water) uptake and utilisation during reproduction in the Zebra Finch Taeniopygia guttata (University of Oxford). Following this I worked as Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Archbold Biological Station in south-central Florida where I examined the reproductive physiology and endocrinology of cooperatively breeding Florida Scrub-Jays Aphelocoma coerulescens in relation to macronutrient (fat and protein) availability.

Since I came to the University of Birmingham in March 2003 I have continued my interests in the importance of nutrients to reproduction in birds. Currently, I collaborate with:

• Drs Andy Gosler (EGI, University of Oxford) and Phil Cassey (University of Birmingham) studying the functional significance of eggshell pigments in passerines;
• Dr Kim Fernie (Canadian Wildlife Service, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada) studying the impacts of high-voltage powerlines on breeding performance of birds;
• Professor Raivo Mänd and Dr Vallo Tilgar (University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia) investigating life history of Great Tits (Parus major);
• Drs Jon Sadler (University of Birmingham) and Rob Fuller (British Trust for Ornithology) examining how birds use urban green spaces
• Dr Stu Bearhop (University of Exeter, Cornwall campus) studying the effects of protracted winter feeding on breeding biology of small passerines.

I have 3 PhD students (co-supervised with Prof. Graham Martin) investigating various effects of supplementary feeding in spring and early summer on the breeding biology of British garden bird species. The British Trust for Ornithology and C J Wildlife are CASE partners in these NERC-funded studentships. Professor Graham Martin and I supervise another PhD student who works on the population dynamics of Sooty Terns on Ascension Island. With Graham I teach on the part-time MSc programme in Ornithology. I am an Associate Editor of Ibis, the international journal of avian science published by the British Ornithologists’ Union and have recently served on two BOU committees.

Reynolds, S.J., S.J. Schoech and R. Bowman. 2003. Nutritional quality of prebreeding diet influences breeding performance of the Florida scrub-jay. Oecologia (Berlin) 134: 308–316.

Fernie, K.J. and S.J. Reynolds. 2005. Effects of electromagnetic fields from power lines on avian reproductive biology and physiology: a review. Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health Part B. Critical Reviews 8: 127–140.     

Reynolds, S.J., G.R. Martin, L.L. Wallace, C. Wearn and B.J. Hughes.  2008. Sexing sooty terns (Onychoprion fuscata) on Ascension Island from morphometric measurements. Journal of Zoology 274: 2–8.

Jones, D.N. and S.J. Reynolds. 2008. Feeding birds in our towns and cities: a global research opportunity. Journal of Avian Biology 39: 265–271.

Robb, G.N., R.A. McDonald, D.E. Chamberlain, S.J. Reynolds, T.J.E. Harrison and S. Bearhop. 2008. Winter feeding of birds increases productivity in the subsequent breeding season. Biology Letters 4: 220–223.

Tilgar, V., P. Kilgas, A. Viitak and S.J. Reynolds. 2008. The rate of bone mineralization in birds is directly related to alkaline phosphatase activity. Physiological and Biochemical Zoology 81: 106–111.