Professor Justin Welbergen

My research is concerned with the ways animals respond adaptively to changes in their social, ecological, and physical environment...

Dr Justin Welbergen

Dr Justin Welbergen is a Professor at the Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment (Western Sydney University), and leader of the LAB OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY.

He has strong interests in evolutionary ecology, climate change biology, and conservation. His work and that of his students mainly focuses on birds and bats, but is not limited to these taxonomic groups.

Justin conducted his PhD in Zoology at the University of Cambridge with Professor Nick Davies FRS, and following various prestigious research fellowships in the UK and Australia, he joined the HIE in 2014.

He has published his work in SCIENCE, Nature Climate Change,Current Biology, and Proceedings of the Royal Society, Series B, among others; and he has recently contributed to several high-profile reviews in Annual Reviews in Ecology, Evolution and Systematics, Ecology Letters, and Biological Reviews.

SEE HERE FOR JUSTIN'S FULL ACADEMIC PROFILE.

Current Teaching

Areas of Research

Evolutionary ecology:

Conservation and climate change:

Bushfire Research

Our research also includes the role of fire and its effects on global change. Please see here (opens in a new window) for further details on our bushfire research.

Awards and Recognition

Grants / Current Projects

In the Media

Popular articles:

Interviews:
Since arriving at the HIE in 2014 Justin and his students have been interviewed on many occasions, including for Nine News; live radio (Radio New Zealand, ABC Radio National PM , ABC Sydney, Canberra, Southeast, BBC World Service); various news sites (The Huffington Post, BBC News, ABC Online, The Daily Telegraph, The Herald Sun, The Sydney Morning Herald, Reportage) popular science articles (AAAS, The Verge), and for a documentary by the Climate Reality Project (chaired by Al Gore), among others.

Selected Publications (see here for a complete list)

Journal articles:

Backhouse F, Mirando H, Herwood T, Odom KJ, Dalziell AH, Welbergen JA, (2025) 'Display court ecology in male Albert’s Lyrebirds', Emu, vol.125, no.1, pp 80-87

Bruce T, Amir Z, Allen BL, Alting BF, Amos M, Augusteyn J, Ballard G-A, Behrendorff LM, Bell K, Bengsen AJ, Bennett A, Benshemesh JS, Bentley J, Blackmore CJ, Boscarino-Gaetano R, Bourke LA, Brewster R, Brook BW, Broughton C, Buettel JC, Carter A, Chiu-Werner A, Claridge AW, Comer S, Comte S, Connolly RM, Cowan MA, Cross SL, Cunningham CX, Dalziell AH, Davies HF, Davis J, Dawson SJ, Di Stefano J, Dickman CR, Dillon ML, Doherty TS, Driessen MM, Driscoll DA, Dundas SJ, Eichholtzer AC, Elliott TF, Elsworth P, Fancourt BA, Fardell LL, Faris J, Fawcett A, Fisher DO, Fleming PJS, Forsyth DM, Garza-Garcia AD, Geary WL, Gillespie G, Giumelli PJ, Gracanin A, Grantham HS, Greenville AC, Griffiths SR, Groffen H, Hamilton DG, Harriott L, Hayward MW, Heard G, Heiniger J, Helgen KM, Henderson TJ, Hernandez-Santin L, Herrera C, Hirsch BT, Hohnen R, Hollings TA, Hoskin CJ, Hradsky BA, Humphrey JE, Jennings PR, Jones ME, Jordan NR, Kelly CL, Kennedy MS, Knipler ML, Kreplins TL, L'Herpiniere KL, Laurance WF, Lavery TH, Le Pla M, Leahy L, Leedman A, Legge S, Leitão AV, Letnic M, Liddell MJ, Lieb ZE, Linley GD, Lisle AT, Lohr CA, Maitz N, Marshall KD, Mason RT, Matheus-Holland DF, McComb LB, McDonald PJ, McGregor H, McKnight DT, Meek D, Menon V, Michael DR, Mills CH, Miritis V, Moore HA, Morgan HR, Murphy BP, Murray AJ, Natusch DJD, Neilly H, Nevill P, Newman P, Newsome TM, Nimmo DG, Nordberg EJ, O'Dwyer TW, O'Neill S, Old JM, Oxenham K, Pauza MD, Pestell AJL, Pitcher BJ, Pocknee CA, Possingham HP, Raiter KG, Rand JS, Rees MW, Rendall AR, Renwick J, Reside A, Rew-Duffy M, Ritchie EG, Roach CP, Robley A, Rog SM, Rout TM, Schlacher TA, Scomparin CR, Sitters H, Smith DA, Somaweera R, Spencer EE, Spindler RE, Stobo-Wilson AM, Stokeld D, Streeting LM, Sutherland DR, Taggart PL, Teixeira D, Thompson GG, Thompson SA, Thorpe MO, Todd SJ, Towerton AL, Vernes K, Waller G, Wardle GM, Watchorn DJ, Watson AWT, Welbergen JA, Weston MA, Wijas BJ, Williams SE, Woodford LP, Wooster EIF, Znidersic E, Luskin MS, (2025) 'Large-scale and long-term wildlife research and monitoring using camera traps: a continental synthesis', Biological Reviews, 100(2), pp. 530-555

Dorrestein A, Rust HPR, Macgregor NA, Tiernan B, Jankowski A, Woinarski JCZ, James DJ, Flakus S, Schulz M, Pahor S, Mann A, Desmond B, Welbergen JA, (2025) 'Factors affecting the detection probability of a critically endangered flying-fox: consequences for monitoring and conservation', Wildlife Research, vol.52, no.5, art no. WR24030

Meade J, Martin JM, McKeown A, Turbill C, Walker MJ, Boardman WSJ, Welbergen JA (2025) 'Flight behaviour and short-distance homing by nomadic grey-headed flying-foxes: a pilot study', Movement Ecology, vol.13, art no.22

Meade J, McCarthy ED, Yabsley SH, Grady SC, Martin JM, Welbergen JA, (2025) 'Using Night-Time Drone-Acquired Thermal Imagery to Monitor Flying-Fox Productivity—A Proof of Concept', Remote Sensing, 17(3), art. no. 518

Wu NC, Welbergen JA, Villada-Cadavid T, Lumsden LF, Turbill C, (2025) 'Vulnerability of Southern Hemisphere bats to white-nose syndrome based on global analysis of fungal host specificity and cave temperatures', Conservation Biology, 39(2), art. no. e14390

Backhouse F, Welbergen JA, Robinson BW, Dalziell AH, (2024) 'Performative Manipulation of the Environment by Displaying Albert's Lyrebirds', American Naturalist, vol.204, no.2, pp 181-190

Dorrestein A, Westcott D, Martin JM, Phalen D, Rose K, Welbergen JA (2024) 'Bat mating systems-A review and recategorisation', Ecology and Evolution, vol.14, no.8, art no. e70149

Hanrahan N, Turbill C, Dalziell AH, Armstrong KN, Welbergen JA, (2024) 'Calling up ghosts: acoustic playback of social vocalisations reveals complex communication in a cryptic bat and provides a promising tool for monitoring disturbance-sensitive species', Mammal Research, vol.69, no.1, pp 59 - 69

Mo M, Meade J, Roff A, Timmiss LA, Gibson R, Welbergen JA, (2024) 'Impact assessment of the Australian 2019-20 megafires on roost sites of the vulnerable grey-headed flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus)', Global Ecology and Conservation, vol.50, Article no.e02822

Turbill C, Walker M, Boardman W, Martin JM, McKeown A, Meade J, Welbergen JA, (2024) 'Torpor use in the wild by one of the world's largest bats', Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, vol.291, no.2026, Art no.20241137

Voigt CC, Bernard E, Huang JCC, Frick WF, Kerbiriou C, MacEwan K, Mathews F, Rodríguez-Durán A, Scholz C, Webala PW, Welbergen J, Whitby M, (2024) 'Toward solving the global green-green dilemma between wind energy production and bat conservation', Bioscience, vol.74, no.4, pp 240-252

Hughes EJ, Austin VI, Backhouse F, Maisey AC, Lopez KA, Mikles CS, Odom KJ, Welbergen JA, Dalziell AH, (2023) 'Preferred nesting habitat of the slow-breeding Superb Lyrebird is rare and was disproportionately impacted by Australia's "Black Summer" megafires (2019-2020) within a World Heritage Area', Ornithological Applications, vol.125, no.4, Article duad027

Lloyd-Jones LR, Bravington MV, Armstrong KN, Lawrence E, Feutry P, Todd CM, Dorrestein A, Welbergen JA, Martin JM, Rose K, Hall J, Phalen DN, Peters I, Baylis SM, Macgregor NA, Westcott DA, (2023) 'Close-kin mark-recapture informs critically endangered terrestrial mammal status', Scientific Reports, vol.13, no.1, Article no.12512

Mo M, Minehan M, Hack E, Place V, Welbergen JA, (2023) 'A report of direct mortality in grey-headed flying-foxes (Pteropus poliocephalus) from the 2019-2020 Australian megafires', Australian Mammalogy, vol.44, no.3, pp 419-422

Backhouse F, Dalziell AH, Magrath RD, Welbergen JA, (2022) 'Higher-order sequences of vocal mimicry performed by male Albert's lyrebirds are socially transmitted and enhance acoustic contrast', Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, vol.289, no.1970, Article no.20212498

Dalziell AH, Welbergen JA, (2022) 'Male Superb Lyrebirds (Menura novaehollandiae) perform an ornate multimodal display immediately following copulation', Ibis, vol.164, no.3, pp 809-815

Dalziell AH, Welbergen JA, Magrath RD, (2022) 'Male superb lyrebirds mimic functionally distinct heterospecific vocalizations during different modes of sexual display', Animal Behaviour, vol.188, pp 181 - 196

Hanrahan N, Dalziell AH, Turbill C, Armstrong KN, Welbergen JA, (2022) 'Ethogram of ghost bat (Macroderma gigas) behaviours and associated social vocalisations', Acta Chiropterologica, vol.24, no.1, pp 195-208

Mo M, Roache M, Davies J, Hopper J, Pitty H, Foster N, Guy S, Parry-Jones K, Francis G, Koosmen A, Colefax L, Costello C, Stokes J, Curran S, Smith M, Daly G, Simmons CM, Hansen R, Prophet D, Judge S, Major F, Hogarth T, McGarry CA, Pope L, Brend S, Coxon D, Baker K, Kaye K, Collins L, Wallis M, Brown R, Roberts L, Taylor S, Pearson T, Bishop T, Dunne P, Coutts-McClelland K, Oliver L, Dawe C, Welbergen JA, (2022) 'Estimating flying-fox mortality associated with abandonments of pups and extreme heat events during the austral summer of 2019-20', Pacific Conservation Biology, vol.28, no.2, pp 124-139

Pulscher LA, Peel AJ, Rose K, Welbergen JA, Baker ML, Boyd V, Low-Choy S, Edson D, Todd C, Dorrestein A, Hall J, Todd S, Broder CC, Yan LY, Xu K, Peck GR, Phalen DN, (2022) 'Serological evidence of a pararubulavirus and a betacoronavirus in the geographically isolated Christmas Island flying-fox (Pteropus natalis)', Transboundary and Emerging Diseases, vol.69, no.5, pp E2366-E2377

Todd CM, Westcott DA, Martin JM, Rose K, McKeown A, Hall J, Welbergen JA, (2022) 'Body-size dependent foraging strategies in the Christmas Island flying-fox: implications for seed and pollen dispersal within a threatened island ecosystem', Movement Ecology, vol.10, no.1, Article no.19

Yabsley SH, Meade J, Hibburt TD, Martin JM, Boardman WSJ, Nicolle D, Walker MJ, Turbill C, Welbergen JA, (2022) 'Variety is the spice of life: Flying-foxes exploit a variety of native and exotic food plants in an urban landscape mosaic', Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, vol.10, Article no.907966

Austin VI, Dalziell AH, Langmore NE, Welbergen JA, (2021) 'Avian vocalisations: the female perspective', Biological Reviews, vol.96, no.4, pp 1484-1503

Backhouse F, Dalziell AH, Magrath RD, Rice AN, Crisologo TL, Welbergen JA, (2021) 'Differential geographic patterns in song components of male Albert’s lyrebirds', Ecology and Evolution, vol.11, no.6, pp 2701-2716

Chaumont MHJ, Langmore NE, Welbergen JA, (2021) 'The ghosts of parasitism past: lingering frontline anti-brood parasite defenses in a former host', Current Zoology, vol.67, no.6, pp 573-583

Cox-Witton K, Baker ML, Edson D, Peel AJ, Welbergen JA, Field H, (2021) 'Risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission from humans to bats – An Australian assessment', One Health, vol.13, Article no.100247

Dalziell AH, Maisey AC, Magrath RD, Welbergen JA, (2021) 'Male lyrebirds create a complex acoustic illusion of a mobbing flock during courtship and copulation', Current Biology, vol.31, no.9, pp 1970-1976

Finch JTD, Power SA, Welbergen JA, Cook JM, (2021) 'Staying in touch: how highly specialised moth pollinators track host plant phenology in unpredictable climates', BMC Ecology and Evolution, vol.21, no.1, Article no.161

Meade J, Martin JM, Welbergen JA, (2021) 'Fast food in the city? Nomadic flying-foxes commute less and hang around for longer in urban areas', Behavioral Ecology, vol.32, no.6, pp 1151-1162

Pulscher LA, Gray R, McQuilty R, Rose K, Welbergen JA, Phalen DN, (2021) 'Evidence of chronic cadmium exposure identified in the critically endangered Christmas Island flying-fox (Pteropus natalis)', Science of the Total Environment, vol.766, Article no.144374

Ratnayake HU, Welbergen JA, Van Der Ree R, Kearney MR, (2021) 'Variation in fur properties may explain differences in heat-related mortality among Australian flying-foxes', Australian Journal of Zoology, Article no.ZO20040

Welbergen JA, Law B, Cooper P, (2021) 'Bat research in Australasia-in memory of les Hall, part 2', Australian Journal of Zoology, vol.68, no.6, pp 223 - 225

Yabsley SH, Meade J, Martin JM, Welbergen JA, (2021) 'Human-modified landscapes provide key foraging areas for a threatened flying mammal: The grey-headed flying-fox', PLoS ONE, vol.16, Article no.e0259395

Balland J, Herbert CA, Welbergen JA, Martin JM, (2020) 'Habitat selection in a peri-urban area by a large mammal indicates a low potential for human-wildlife conflict', Wildlife Research, vol.47, no.5, pp 361-371

Law B, Welbergen J, Cooper P, (2020) 'Bat research in Australasia-in memory of les Hall', Australian Journal of Zoology, vol.67, no.6, pp 241 - 242

Pulscher LA, Gray R, McQuilty R, Rose K, Welbergen J, Phalen DN, (2020) 'Investigation into the utility of flying foxes as bioindicators for environmental metal pollution reveals evidence of diminished lead but significant cadmium exposure', Chemosphere, vol.254, Article no.126839

Turbill C, Welbergen JA, (2020) 'Anticipating white-nose syndrome in the Southern Hemisphere: Widespread conditions favourable to Pseudogymnoascus destructans pose a serious risk to Australia's bat fauna', Austral Ecology, vol.45, no.1, pp 89-96

Welbergen JA, Meade J, Field HE, Edson D, McMichael L, Shoo LP, Praszczalek J, Smith C, Martin JM, (2020) 'Extreme mobility of the world's largest flying mammals creates key challenges for management and conservation', BMC Biology, vol.18, no.1, Article no.101

Austin VI, Welbergen JA, Maisey AC, Lindsay MG, Dalziell AH, (2019) 'Destruction of a conspecific nest by a female Superb Lyrebird: evidence for reproductive suppression in a bird with female-only parental care', Behaviour, vol.156, no.15, pp 1459-1469

Dorrestein A, Todd CM, Westcott DA, Martin JM, Welbergen JA, (2019) 'Impacts of an invasive ant species on roosting behavior of an island endemic flying-fox', Biotropica, vol.51, no.1, pp 75-83

Finch JTD, Power SA, Welbergen JA, Cook JM, (2019) 'A non-pollinating moth inflicts higher seed predation than two co-pollinators in an obligate pollination mutualism', Ecological Entomology, vol.44, no.6, pp 780-791

Meade J, van der Ree R, Stepanian PM, Westcott DA, Welbergen JA, (2019) 'Using weather radar to monitor the number, timing and directions of flying-foxes emerging from their roosts', Scientific Reports, vol.9, Article no.10222

Ratnayake HU, Kearney MR, Govekar P, Karoly D, Welbergen JA, (2019) 'Forecasting wildlife die-offs from extreme heat events', Animal Conservation, vol.22, no.4, pp 386-395

Romano AB, Hunt A, Welbergen JA, Turbill C, (2019) 'Nocturnal torpor by superb fairy-wrens: A key mechanism for reducing winter daily energy expenditure', Biology Letters, vol.15, no.6, Article no. 20190211

Edson D, Field H, McMichael L, Mayer D, Martin J, Welbergen J, McLaughlin A, Huth L, Kristoffersen J, Tsoukalas G, Kirkland P, (2018) 'Hematology, plasma biochemistry, and urinalysis of free-ranging grey-headed flying foxes (pteropus poliocephalus) in Australia', Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine, vol.49, no.3, pp 591-598

Todd CM, Westcott DA, Rose K, Martin JM, Welbergen JA, (2018) 'Slow growth and delayed maturation in a Critically Endangered insular flying fox (Pteropus natalis)', Journal of Mammalogy, vol.99, no.6, pp 1510-1521

Meade J, VanDerWal J, Storlie C, Williams S, Gourret A, Krockenberger A, Welbergen JA, (2018) 'Substantial reduction in thermo-suitable microhabitat for a rainforest marsupial under climate change', Biology Letters, vol.14, no.12, Article no.20180189

Dalziell AH, Welbergen JA, Igic B, Magrath RD (2015) 'Avian vocal mimicry: a unified conceptual framework', Biological Reviews, vol.90, no.2, pp 643-668.

Feeney WE, Welbergen JA, Langmore NE (2014) 'Advances in the study of coevolution between avian brood parasites and their hosts', Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics, vol.45, pp 227-246

Warren R, VanDerWal J, Price J, Welbergen JA, Atkinson I, Ramirez-Villegas J, Osborn TJ, Jarvis A, Shoo LP, Williams SE, Lowe J (2013) 'Quantifying the benefit of early climate change mitigation in avoiding biodiversity loss', Nature Climate Change, vol.3, pp 678-682

Davies* NB, Welbergen* JA (2009) 'Social transmission of a host defense against cuckoo parasitism', Science, vol.324, pp 1318-1320 (*authors contributed equally)

Welbergen JA, Davies NB (2009) 'Strategic variation in mobbing as a front line of defence against brood parasitism', Current Biology, vol.19, pp 235-240

Dalziell, AH, Welbergen, JA (2016) 'Mimicry for all modalities'. Ecology Letters , DOI:10.1111/ele.12602 ​

Welbergen JA, Klose SM, Markus N, Eby P (2008) 'Climate change and the effects of temperature extremes on Australian flying-foxes', Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, Series B, vol.275, pp 419-425

Davies NB, Welbergen JA, (2008) 'Cuckoo–hawk mimicry? An experimental test', Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, Series B, vol.275, pp 1817-1822

Welbergen JA, Quader S (2006) 'Mother guarding: how offspring may influence the extra-pair behaviour of their parents', Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, Series B, vol.273, pp 2363-2368

Books:

Book chapters:

Conference proceedings:

Technical reports:

People

Researchers

Research Fellows

Institute Professional Staff

Postgraduate Students

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Honorary and Adjunct Appointments

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