Lab Members

Will investigated the evolution of eye coloration in primates during his postdoctoral position. He has continued in academic career as an assistant professor at Texas A&M University–Commerce.

Publication

Whitham, W., Schapiro, S.J., Troscianko, J., & Yorzinski, J.L. 2022. The gaze of a social monkey is perceptible to conspecifics and predators but not prey. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Series 289: 20220194. PDF

Whitham, W., Schapiro, S.J., Troscianko, J., & Yorzinski, J.L. 2022. Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) gaze is conspicuous at ecologically-relevant distances. Scientific Reports 12: 9249. PDF

Yorzinski, J.L., Troscianko, J., Briolat, E., Schapiro, S.J., & Whitham, W. 2022. A songbird can detect the eyes of conspecifics under daylight and artificial nighttime lighting. Environmental Pollution 313: 120000. PDF

Whitham, W., Karstadt, B., Anderson, N.C., Bischof, W.F., Schapiro, S.J., Kingstone, A., Coss, R., Birmingham, E., & Yorzinski, J.L. 2024. Predator gaze captures both human and chimpanzee attention. PLoS One 19(11): e0311673. PDF

Niehorster, D.C., Whitham, W., Lake, B.R., Schapiro, S.J., Andolina, I.M., & Yorzinski, J.L. 2025. Enhancing eye tracking for nonhuman primates and other subjects unable to follow instructions: Adaptive calibration and validation of Tobii eye trackers with the Titta toolbox. Behavior Research Methods 57: 4. PDF

Melanie completed her PhD in 2023 in the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Program investigating the influence of microbiomes on avian behavior. She continued her career as a postdoctoral associate at the National Institute of Health.

Publication

Florkowski, M.R. & Yorzinski, J.L. 2022. Dopamine receptor activation elicits a possible stress-related coping behavior in a songbird. PeerJ 10: e13520. PDF

Florkowski, M.R. & Yorzinski, J.L. 2023. Gut microbiome diversity and composition is associated with exploratory behavior in a wild-caught songbird. Animal Microbiome 5:8. PDF

Florkowski, M.R., Hamer, S. A. & Yorzinski, J.L. 2023. Brief exposure to captivity in a songbird is associated with reduced diversity and altered composition of the gut microbiome. FEMS Microbiology Ecology PDF

Florkowski, M., deBlonk, K., Yorzinski, J.L. 2024. Preening correlates with lower feather bacteria abundance but not feather coloration in a lek-breeding bird. Journal of Avian Biology PDF

Brandy wrote a review paper on the effects of artificial light at night on reproduction to earn her Master’s degree in 2021. She continues to teach high school students in science.

Monica is interested in primate coloration. She earned her undergraduate degree from Texas A&M University in the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences.

Alexis completed her master’s degree in 2019 through the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences. She examined the relationship between female ornamentation and dominance status in a lekking species. After completing her master’s degree, she became a PhD student at Columbia University in the Department of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology.

Publication

Earl, A.D., Simpson, R.K., & Yorzinski, J.L. 2022. Dominant females have brighter ornamentation in a sexually dimorphic lekking species. Ethology 128: 85-93. PDF

Earl, A.D., Kimmitt, A.A., & Yorzinski, J.L. 2022. Circulating hormones and dominance status predict female behavior during courtship in a lekking species. Integrative and Comparative Biology. PDF

Amariani completed her undergraduate degree in 2022 through the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences at Texas A&M University. She examined reward history and attention in peafowl.

Publication

Liao, M.R., Dillard, M.H., Hour, J.L., Barnett, J.A., Whitten, J.S., Valles, A.C., Heatley, J.J., Anderson, B.A., & Yorzinski, J.L. 2023. Reward history modulates visual attention in an avian model. Animal Cognition. PDF

Jerry will be completing his undergraduate degree in 2023 through the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences at Texas A&M University. He examined reward history and attention in peafowl.

Publication

Liao, M.R., Dillard, M.H., Hour, J.L., Barnett, J.A., Whitten, J.S., Valles, A.C., Heatley, J.J., Anderson, B.A., & Yorzinski, J.L. 2023. Reward history modulates visual attention in an avian model. Animal Cognition. PDF

Lilia will be completing her undergraduate degree in 2024 through the Department of Ecology and Conservation Biology at Texas A&M University. She examined reward history and attention in peafowl.

Publication

Liao, M.R., Dillard, M.H., Hour, J.L., Barnett, J.A., Whitten, J.S., Valles, A.C., Heatley, J.J., Anderson, B.A., & Yorzinski, J.L. 2023. Reward history modulates visual attention in an avian model. Animal Cognition. PDF

Mason completed his undergraduate degree in 2021 through the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences at Texas A&M University. He examined reward history and attention in peafowl.

Publication

Liao, M.R., Dillard, M.H., Hour, J.L., Barnett, J.A., Whitten, J.S., Valles, A.C., Heatley, J.J., Anderson, B.A., & Yorzinski, J.L. 2023. Reward history modulates visual attention in an avian model. Animal Cognition. PDF

Samantha completed her undergraduate degree in 2020 through the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences at Texas A&M University. She examined the blinking behavior of great-tailed grackles when they were exposed to windy conditions.

Publication

Yorzinski, J.L. & Argubright, S. 2019. Wind increases blinking behavior in great-tailed grackles (Quiscalus mexicanus). Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 7: 330. PDF

Rebecca completed her undergraduate degree in 2018 through the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences at Texas A&M University. She examined the blinking behavior of great-tailed grackles when they are under threat. After completing her undergraduate degree, she became a M.S. student at Texas State University in the Department of Biology.

Publication

Yorzinski, J.L., Walker, M.K., & Cavalier, R. 2021. A songbird strategically modifies its blinking behavior when viewing human faces. Animal Cognition. PDF

Kailey completed her undergraduate degree in 2016 through the Department of Animal Sciences at Purdue University. She examined the effect of light pollution at night on problem-solving in peafowl. After completing her undergraduate degree, she earned her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from Michigan State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. She is currently working as an associate veterinarian in general practice.

Publication

Yorzinski, J.L., Ordonez, K., & Chema, K. 2017. Does artificial light pollution impair problem-solving success in peafowl? Ethology: 1-7. PDF

Jeanne completed her undergraduate degree in 2015 through the Department of Animal Science at Purdue University. She examined the influence of artificial light at night on vigilance behavior in peafowl. After completing her undergraduate degree, she became a zookeeper and went on to work as a research technician at Charles River Labs.

Publication

Yorzinski, J.L., Chisholm, S., Byerley, S., Coy, J.R., Aziz, A.B., Wolf, J.A., Gnerlich, A. 2015. Artificial light pollution increases nocturnal vigilance in peahens. PeerJ 3: e1174. PDF

Amanda completed her undergraduate degree in 2014 through the Department of Biology at Purdue University. She examined the influence of artificial light at night on vigilance behavior in peafowl. After completing her undergraduate degree, she became an animal care taker at Purdue University and went on to work as a zoo keeper.

Publication

Yorzinski, J.L., Ordonez, K., & Chema, K. 2017. Does artificial light pollution impair problem-solving success in peafowl? Ethology: 1-7. PDF

Amy completed her undergraduate degree in 2020 through the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences at Texas A&M University. She examined the effect of iris color on gaze perception in humans. After completing her undergraduate degree, she became a Ph.D. student at Carnegie Mellon University in the Department of English.

Publication

Yorzinski, J.L., Harbourne, A., & Thompson, W. 2021. Sclera color in humans facilitates gaze perception during daytime and nighttime. PloS One 16(3): e0249137. PDF

Jacob completed his undergraduate degree in 2018 through the Department of Anthropology at Texas A&M University. He examined the influence of sclera color on gaze perception. After completing his undergraduate degree, he worked for the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services and the Social Security Administration.

Publication

Yorzinski, J.L. & Miller, J. 2020. Sclera color enhances gaze perception in humans. PLoS ONE 15(2): e0228275. PDF

Trezze completed her undergraduate degree in 2020 through the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences at Texas A&M University. She examined the effect of iris color on gaze perception in humans.

Publication

Yorzinski, J.L., Thorstenson, C.A., & Nguyen, T.P. 2021. Sclera and iris color interact to influence gaze perception. Frontiers in Psychology 12: 632616. PDF

Russell completed his undergraduate and master’s degrees through the Department of Sociology at University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. He examined the ability of peafowl to discriminate among individual callers. He went on to earn his D.V.M. at North Carolina State University in 2019 and is a laboratory animal medicine resident at the University of Michigan.

Publication

Nichols, M.R. & Yorzinski, J.L. 2016. Peahens can differentiate between the antipredator calls of individual conspecifics. Animal Behaviour 112: 23-27. PDF

Maria completed her undergraduate degree in 2018 through the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences at Texas A&M University. She examined how predator orientation influences attention in humans. After completing her undergraduate degree, she became a veterinary technician.

Publication

Yorzinski, J.L., Tovar, M. E., & Coss, R.G. 2018. Forward-facing predators attract attention in humans (Homo sapiens). Journal of Comparative Psychology PDF

Mary Kate completed her undergraduate degree in 2019 through the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences at Texas A&M University. She examined the blinking behavior of great-tailed grackles when they are under threat. After completing her undergraduate degree, she became an intern at the Dallas Zoo and went on to become an Ambassador Animal Specialist at the Dallas Zoo.

Publication

Yorzinski, J.L., Walker, M.K., & Cavalier, R. 2021. A songbird strategically modifies its blinking behavior when viewing human faces. Animal Cognition. PDF