Benjamin Mirin

I focus on songbird competitions, in which wild birds are trapped and sold to sing for human amusement. My proposed research uses bioacoustic and cultural data to investigate how birds win singing competitions based on human and natural definitions of vocal fitness, and integrates that research into a music-based environmental education curriculum. My goal is to investigate how music connects students to nature, to critically evaluate its use as a tool for inspiring conservation through education and outreach.

Advisor: Holger Klinck