Shalini Jain

Current Focus

I am a second year PhD student with Dr. (Echo) Yu-Hsun Hsu in the Department of Life Sciences at the National Cheng Kung University (NCKU), Taiwan. My broad research interests lie in behavioural ecology, and evolutionary biology. I am fascinated by diverse mating systems and their evolution in shorebirds. For my Ph.D., I plan to look at detailed investigations of a model species, Greater Painted-Snipe Rostratula benghalensis using demographic and evolutionary approaches. I also plan to look at relative importance of climate change and population dynamics of this species by linking demographic and evolutionary data to the temporal variations in environmental factors and climatic conditions. The ultimate aim of this interdisciplinary research is to harness collected information intelligently in support of the conservation efforts for shorebirds and their habitats.

For Ph.D. project, I recently finished the fieldwork in India (between March and June 2023), and in Taiwan (between September and December 2022). This fieldwork was undertaken with the primary objective of investigating potential breeding habitats and knowing the current breeding population status of Greater Painted-Snipe across various habitats. This information will serve as a foundation for establishing long-term field sites for further research and conservation efforts.

I am also working jointly with ÉLVONAL SHOREBIRD SCIENCE, Hungary. My current involvement includes data analysis and preparation of a manuscript for study of incubation behaviour of Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus in Belarus. As part of this project, I’ve been responsible coding the behavioral patterns observed in the videos recorded by the Belarusian Team during their fieldwork of 2020 and 2021.

I also worked professionally with the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), India, where my focus was on the study of migratory shorebirds, flamingos, gulls, terns, and other waterbirds. This research project aimed to understanding their abundances and spatio-temporal distribution, as well as to assess the impact of anthropogenic activities on their behaviour. During my tenure at BNHS, I was involved in various surveys for monitoring waterbird populations and distributions, behaviour sampling and analysis, bird ringing, tagging, and biometric measurements.

LINKS

Previous Research and Other Interests

Curriculum Vitae

Education

  • 2022-Current: PhD in Life Sciences, National Cheng Kung University, Taiwan

  • 2014-2016: MSc in Wildlife Science, Aligarh Muslim University, India

  • 2011-2013: BSc in Zoology, Botany & Chemistry, India

Appointments

  • 2021-Current: Volunteer, ÉLVONAL Shorebird Science, Hungary

  • 2017-2021: Junior Research Fellow (Ornithology), Bombay Natural History Society, India

  • Aug-Nov 2017: Teaching Assistant, SSLD Varshney Institute of Engineering and Management, India

  • 2016-2017: Teaching Assistant, Gagan College of Management & Technology Aligarh, India

Publications

Shukla, M., Jain, S. (2023). An Oriental Pratincole Glareola maldivarum egg in a Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus nest. Indian BIRDS 19(1), 20. 📄

Balachandran, S., Jain, S. (2022). Moult, biometrics, age composition and migration of Terek Sandpipers Xenus cinereus wintering at two sites along the southeast coast of India. Wader Study 129(1). DOI: 10.18194/ws.00266 📄

Jain, S., Shukla, M., Chaudhuri, N. (2021). An unusual plumaged Lesser Flamingo Phoeniconaias minor in Navi Mumbai. Indian BIRDS 17 (3), 86.📄

Blogs

Jain, S. (16 January 2023). Want to save Indian waterbirds? Protect these two wetlands! Link