Gergely Hegyi

Degrees:
– MSc in Biology (1999, Eötvös Loránd University)
– PhD in Ecology (2003, Eötvös Loránd University)
Position: associate professor
E-mail: gergely.hegyi@ttk.elte.hu
Phone: +36-1-372-2500/8765

Research interests

  • Sexual signals in birds: information content and role, structural colours, multiple signal systems, microevolution, comparative studies.
  • Developmental plasticity in birds: compensatory growth in passerines, the proximate determinants and fitness consequences of nestling growth trajectories.
  • Life history evolution in birds: individual optimization, interpretation of fitness-related traits, evolution of mating preferences.

Publications:

Hegyi, G., Laczi, M., Wacha, A., Gyarmathy, H., Klein, Á., Rosivall, B., Sarkadi, F., Szabó, G., Török, J. (2024) Prediction of individual differences in non-iridescent structural plumage colour from nanostructural periodicity and regularity. Royal Society Open Science 11:231804. (DOI: 10.1098/rsos.231804)

Jablonszky, M., Canal, D., Hegyi, G, Herényi, M., Laczi, M., Markó, G., Nagy, G., Rosivall, B., Szöllősi, E., Török, J., Garamszegi, L. Z. (2024). The estimation of additive genetic variance in body size in a wild passerine is sensitive to the method used to estimate relatedness among the individuals. Ecology and Evolution 14:e10981. (DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10981)

Krenhardt, K., Martínez-Padilla, J., Canal, D., Jablonszky, M., Hegyi, H., Herényi, M., Laczi, M., Markó, G., Nagy, G., Rosivall, B., Szász, E., Szöllősi, E., Török, J., Vaskuti, É., Zsebők, S. & Garamszegi, LZ. (2024). The effect of environmental variation on the selection of risk-taking behaviour in a migratory songbird. Journal of Evolutionary Biology 37:566-576. (DOI: 10.1093/jeb/voae046)

Laczi, M., Sarkadi, F., Herényi M., Nagy G., Hegyi, G., Jablonszky, M., Könczey R., Krenhardt, K., Markó, G., Rosivall B., Szász, E., Szöllősi E., Tóth L., Zsebők, S., Török J. (2024). Responses in the breeding parameters of the collared flycatcher to the changing climate. Science of the Total Environment 926:171945. (DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171945)

Hegyi, G., Laczi, M., Szabó, G., Sarkadi, F., Török, J. (2023). Plumage color degradation indicates reproductive effort: an experiment. Scientific Reports 13:18770. (DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-45348-0)

Laczi, M., Herczeg, G., Szabó, G., Gyarmathy, H., Sarkadi, F., Török, J., Hegyi, G. (2023). The great tit abdominal stripe contains a sexually dichromatic colour patch hidden from the human eye. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 11:1263974. (DOI: 103389/fevo.2023.1263974)

Jablonszky, M., Canal, D., Hegyi, G., Herényi, M., Laczi, M., Lao, O., Markó, G., Nagy, G., Rosivall, B., Szász, E., Török, J., Zsebők, S., Garamszegi, L. Z. (2022). Estimating heritability of song considering within-individual variation in a wild songbird: the collared flycatcher. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 10: 975687

Laczi, M., Jablonszky, M., Markó, G., Nagy, G., Szabó, Gy., Zsebők, S., Török, J., Hegyi, G. (2022). White plumage color as an honest indicator: feather macrostructure links reflectance with reproductive effort and success. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 76:125.

Hegyi, G., Laczi, M., Herényi, M., Markó, G., Nagy, G., Rosivall, B., Szász, E., Török, J. (2022). Functional integration of multiple sexual ornaments: signal coherence and sexual selection. American Naturalist 200:486-505. (DOI: :10.1086/720620)

Jablonszky, M., Canal, D., Hegyi, G., Krenhardt, K, Laczi, M., Markó, G., Nagy, G., Rosivall, B., Szász, E., Zsebők, S., Garamszegi, L.Z. (2022). Individual differences in song plasticity in response to social stimuli and singing position. Ecology and Evolution 12:e8883. (DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8883)

Laczi, M., Kopena, R., Sarkadi, F., Kötél, D., Török, J., Rosivall, B., Hegyi, G. (2021). Triparental care in the collared flycatcher (Ficedula albicollis): cooperation of two females with a cuckolded male in rearing a brood. Ecology and Evolution 11:10754-10760. (DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7923)

Laczi, M., Balogh, J., Nardou, X., Török, J., Hegyi, G. (2021). The meaning of purely structural colour: white plumage reflectance indicates feather condition. Ibis 163:407-416. (DOI: 10.1111/ibi.12902)

Culina, A. et al. (2020). Connecting the data landscape of long-term ecological studies: The SPI-birds data hub. Journal of Animal Ecology 90:2147-2160. (DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13388)

Szabó, Gy., Boross, N., Garamszegi, L.Z., Hegyi, G., Jablonszky, M., Krenhardt, K., Laczi, M., Markó, G., Szász, E., Török, J. (2020). Correlation between physiology and behavioural traits in a wild passerine. (in Hungarian with English abstract). Állattani Közlemények 105:71-84.

Zsebők, S., Herczeg, G., Laczi, M., Nagy, G., Vaskuti, É., Hargitai, R., Hegyi, G., Herényi, M., Markó, G., Rosivall, B., Szász, E., Szöllősi, E., Török, J., Garamszegi, L.Z. (2020). Sequential organization of birdsong: relationships with individual quality and fitness traits in collared flycatcher (Ficedula albicollis). Behavioral Ecology 32:82-93 (DOI: 10.1093/beheco/araa104)

Hegyi, G., Laczi, M., Kötél, D., Csörgő, T. (2020). Melanin-based ornament darkness positively correlates with across-season nutritional condition. Ecology and Evolution 10:13084-13097. (DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6898)

Jablonszky, M., Krenhardt, K., Markó, G., Szász, E., Hegyi, G., Herényi, M., Kötél, D., Laczi, M., Nagy, G., Rosivall, B., Török, J., Garamszegi, L.Z. (2020). A behavioural trait displayed in an artificial novel environment correlates with dispersal in a wild bird. Ethology 126:540-552. (DOI: 10.1111/eth.13005)

Laczi, M., Hegyi, G., Nagy, G., Pongrácz, R., Török, J. (2020). Yellow plumage colour of Great Tits Parus major correlates with changing temperature and precipitation. Ibis 162:232-237.

Partecke, J., Hegyi, G., Fitze, P.S., Gasparini, J., Schwabl, H. (2020). Maternal effects and urbanization: Variation of yolk androgens and immunoglobulin in city and forest blackbirds. Ecology and Evolution 10:2213-2224. (DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6058)

Hegyi, G., Jenni-Eiermann, S., Boross, N., Garamszegi, L.Z., Laczi, M., Kötél, D., Krenhardt, K., Jablonszky, M., Markó, G., Nagy, G., Rosivall, B., Szász, E., Török, J. (2019). Ornaments and condition: plumage patch sizes, nutritional reserve state, reserve accumulation and reserve depletion. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 73:89.

Hegyi, G., Laczi, M., Boross, N., Jablonszky, M., Kötél, D., Krenhardt, K., Markó, G., Nagy, G., Rosivall, B., Szász, E., Garamszegi, L.Z., Török, J. (2019). When to measure plumage reflectance: a lesson from collared flycatchers Ficedula albicollis. Ibis 161:27-34. (DOI: 10.1111/ibi.12609)

Laczi, M., Garamszegi, L.Z., Hegyi, G., Herényi, M., Ilyés, G., Könczey, R., Nagy, G., Pongrácz, R., Rosivall, B., Szöllősi, E., Tóth, L., Török, J. (2019). Teleconnections and weather orchestrate reproduction of tit species in the Carpathian Basin. Journal of Avian Biology 50:e02179. (DOI: 10.1111/jav.02179)

Laczi, M., Hegyi G., Kötél, D., Csizmadia, T., Lőw, P., Török, J. (2019). Feather reflectance in relation to macro- and nanostructure in the great tit crown. The Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 127:113-124. (DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blz016)

Laczi, M., Herényi, M., Hegyi, G., Török, J. (2019). First record of true albinism in a natural population of collared flycatchers Ficedula albicollis. Ardea 107:340-343. (DOI: 10.5253/arde.v107i3.a8)

Nagy, G., Garamszegi, L.Z., Hegyi, G., Herényi, M., Laczi, M., Rosivall, B., Szöllősi, E., Török, J. (2019). Digit ratio predicts the number of lifetime recruits in female collared flycatchers. Biology Letters 15:20190051 (DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2019.0051)

Hegyi, G., Laczi, M., Kötél, D., Csizmadia, T., Lőw P., Rosivall, B., Szöllősi E., Török, J. (2018). Reflectance variation in the blue tit crown in relation to feather structure. Journal of Experimental Biology 221:176727.

Jablonszky, M., Szász, E., Krenhardt, K., Markó, G., Hegyi, G., Herényi, M., Laczi, M., Nagy, G., Rosivall, B., Szöllősi, E., Török, J., Garamszegi, L.Z. (2018). Unravelling the relationships between life history, behaviour and condition under the pace-of-life syndromes hypothesis using long-term data from a wild bird. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 72:52.

Laczi, M., Kötél, D., Török, J., Hegyi, G. (2017). Mutual plumage ornamentation and biparental care: consequences for success in different environments. Behavioral Ecology 28:1359-1368.

Szász, E., Szöllősi, E., Hegyi, G., Török, J., Rosivall, B. (2017). Rearing conditions have long-term sex-specific fitness consequences in the collared flycatcher. Behavioral Ecology 28:717-723.

Nagy, G., Blázi, Gy., Hegyi, G., Török, J. (2016). Side-specific effect of yolk testosterone elevation on second-to-fourth digit ratio in a wild passerine. The Science of Nature 103:4.

Hargitai, R., Nagy, G., Herényi, M., Nyiri, Z., Laczi, M., Hegyi, G., Eke, Zs., Török, J. (2016). Darker eggshell spotting indicates lower yolk antioxidant level and poorer female quality in the Eurasian Great Tit (Parus major). The Auk 133:131-146.

Kötél D., Laczi M., Török J., Hegyi G. (2016). Mutual ornamentation and the parental behaviour of male and female Collared Flycatchers Ficedula albicollis during incubation. Ibis 158:796-807.

Szöllősi, E., Garamszegi, L.Z., Hegyi, G., Laczi, M., Rosivall, B., Török, J. (2016). Haemoproteus infection status of collared flycatcher males changes within a breading season. Parasitology Research 115:4663-4672.

Hegyi, G., Laczi, M. (2015). Using full models, stepwise regression and model selection in ecological data sets: Monte Carlo simulations. Annales Zoologici Fennici 52:145-159.

Hegyi, G., Laczi, M., Nagy, G., Szász, E., Kötél, D., Török, J. (2015). Stable correlation structure among multiple plumage colour traits: can they work as a single signal? Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 114:92-108.

Hegyi, G., Kötél, D., Laczi, M. (2015). Direct benefits of mate choice: a meta-analysis of plumage colour and offspring feeding rates in birds. The Science of Nature 102:62.

Hargitai, R., Hegyi, G., Herényi, M., Laczi, M., Nagy, G., Rosivall, B., Szöllősi, E., Török, J. (2014). Winter body condition in the Collared Flycatcher: Determinants and carryover effects on future breeding parameters. The Auk 131(3):257-264.(DOI: 10.1642/AUK-13-158.1)

Szász, E., Garamszegi, L.Z., Hegyi, G., Szöllősi, E., Markó, G., Török, J., Rosivall, B. (2014). Aggressive behavior of the male parent predicts brood sex ratio in a songbird. Naturwissenschaften 101:653–660. (doi: 10.1007/s00114-014-1204-0)

Herényi, M., Garamszegi, L.Z., Hargitai, R., Hegyi, G., Rosivall, B., Szöllősi, E., Török, J. (2014). Laying date and polygyny as determinants of annual reproductive success in male collared flycatchers (Ficedula albicollis): a long-term study. Naturwissenschaften 101:305-312.

Kiss, D., Hegyi, G., Török, J., Rosivall, B. (2013). The relationship between maternal ornamentation and feeding rate is explained by intrinsic nestling quality. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 67:185-192.

Laczi, M., Hegyi, G., Herényi, M., Kiss, D., Markó, G., Nagy, G., Rosivall, B., Szöllősi, E., Török, J. (2013). Integrated plumage colour variation in relation to body condition, reproductive investment and laying date in the collared flycatcher. Naturwissenschaften 100:(10) 983-991.

Hegyi, G., Nagy, G., Török, J. (2013) Reduced compensatory growth capacity in mistimed broods of a migratory passerine. Oecologia 172:279-291.

Markó, G., Azcárate, M., Hegyi, G., Herczeg, G., Laczi, M., Nagy, G., Senar, J.C., Török, J., Garamszegi, L.Z. (2013). Behavioural responses to handling stress in the Great Tit: within-individual consistency and the effect of age, sex and body condition. Ornis Hungarica 21:12-25.

Boross, N., Markó, G., Laczi, M., Garamszegi, L.Z., Hegyi, G., Herényi, M., Kiss, D., Nagy, G., Rosivall, B., Szöllősi, E., Török, J. (2012). Sources of variation in haematocrit in the Collared Flycatcher (Ficedula albicollis). Ornis Hungarica 20:64-72.

Hargitai, R., Hegyi, G., Török, J. (2012). Winter body condition in relation to age, sex, and plumage ornamentation in a migratory songbird. Ibis 154:410-413.

Herényi, M., Hegyi, G., Garamszegi, L. Z., Hargitai, R., Michl, G., Rosivall, B., Török, J. (2012). Lifetime offspring production in relation to breeding lifespan, attractiveness, and mating status in male collared flycatchers. Oecologia 170(4):935-942.

Hegyi, G., Herényi, M., Szöllősi, E., Rosivall, B., Török, J., Groothuis, T.G.G. (2011). Yolk androstenedione, but not testosterone, predicts offspring fate and reflects parental quality. Behavioral Ecology 22:29-38.

Hegyi, G., Garamszegi, L.Z. (2011). Using information theory as a substitute for stepwise regression in ecology and behavior. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 65:69-76.

Hegyi, G., Rosivall, B., Szöllősi, E., Eens, M., Török, J. (2011) Context-dependent effects of nestling growth trajectories on recruitment probability in the collared flycatcher. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 65:1647-1658.

Laczi, M., Török, J., Rosivall, B., Hegyi, G. (2011) Integration of spectral reflectance across the plumage: Implications for mating patterns. PLoS ONE 6(8):e23201.

Hettyey, A., Hegyi, G., Puurtinen, M., Hoi, H., Török, J., Penn, D.J. (2010). Mate choice for genetic benefits: time to put the pieces together. Ethology 116:1-9.

Hegyi, G., Schwabl, H. (2010). Do different yolk androgens exert similar effects on the morphology or behaviour of Japanese quail hatchlings (Coturnix japonica)? Journal of Avian Biology 41:258-265.

Hegyi, G., Szöllősi, E., Jenni-Eiermann, S., Török, J., Eens, M., Garamszegi, L.Z. (2010). Nutritional correlates and mate acquisition role of multiple sexual traits in male collared flycatchers. Naturwissenschaften 97:567-576.

Hegyi, G., Herényi, M., Wilson, A.J., Garamszegi, L.Z., Rosivall, B., Eens, M., Török, J. (2010). Breeding experience and the heritability of female mate choice in collared flycatchers. PLoS ONE 5:e13855.

Bajer, K., Molnár, O., Hegyi, G., Herczeg, G., Laczi, M., Török, J. (2009). Zöld gyíkok színezete és morfológiája: jelzések és funkciók. Állattani Közlemények 94(2):167-176.

Hegyi, G., Møller, A. P., Eens, M., Garamszegi, L.Z. (2009). Prevalence of avian influenza and sexual selection in ducks. Behavioral Ecology 20:1289-1294.

Garamszegi, L.Z., Calhim, S., Dochtermann, N., Hegyi, G., Hurd, P. L., Jørgensen, C., Kutsukake, N., Lajeunesse, M. J., Pollard, K. A., Schielzeth, H., Symonds, M.R.E., Nakagawa, S. (2009). Changing philosophies and tools for statistical inferences in behavioral ecology. Behavioral Ecology 20:1363-1375.

Lakatos, A., Főző, R., Hegyi, G., Török, J. (2008). Tollazati szignálok és anyai hatás vizsgálata széncinegénél (Parus major). Állattani Közlemények 93:17-28.

Hegyi, G., Rosivall, B., Szöllősi, E., Hargitai, R., Eens, M., Török, J. (2008). Phenotypic plasticity in a conspicuous female plumage trait: information content and mating patterns. Animal Behaviour 75:977-989.

Hegyi, G., Garamszegi, L. Z., Eens, M. (2008). The roles of ecological factors and sexual selection in the evolution of white wing patches in ducks. Behavioral Ecology 19:1208-1216.

Hegyi, G., Szigeti, B., Laczi, M., Eens, M., Török, J. (2008). Correlated variation of colour between melanin and carotenoid pigmented plumage areas in great tits. Evolutionary Ecology Research 10:559-574.

Hegyi, G., Garamszegi, L. Z., Eens, M., Török, J. (2008). Female ornamentation and territorial conflicts in collared flycatchers (Ficedula albicollis). Naturwissenschaften 95:993-996.

Bádonyi, K., Hegyi, G., Benke, S., Madarász, B., Kertész, Á. (2008). Talajművelési módok agroökológiai összehasonlító vizsgálata. Tájökológiai Lapok 6:145-164.

Garamszegi, L.Z., Hegyi, G., Szöllősi, E., Rosival, B., Török, J., Eens, M., Møller, A.P. (2007). Phenotypic correlates of digit ratio in a wild bird: implications for the study of maternal effects. Animal Behaviour 74:641-647.

Hegyi, G., Rosivall, B., Szöllősi, E., Hargitai, R., Eens, M., Török, J. (2007). A role for female ornamentation in the facultatively polygynous mating system of collared flycatchers. Behavioral Ecology 18:1116-1122.

Török, J., Hargitai, R., Hegyi, G., Matus, Z., Michl, G., Péczely, P., Rosivall, B., Tóth, G. (2007): Carotenoids in the egg yolks of collared flycatchers (Ficedula albicollis) in relation to parental quality, environmental factors and laying order. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 61:541-550. (DOI 10.1007/s00265-006-0282-1)Hettyey, A., Roberts, J.D. (2007). Sperm traits in the frog Crinia georgiana, a species with plastic alternative mating tactics. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 61:1303-1310.

Garamszegi, L.Z., Török, J. Hegyi, G., Szöllősi, E., Rosival, B., Eens, M. (2007). Age-dependent expression of song in the collared flycatcher, Ficedula albicollis. Ethology 113:246-256.

Hegyi, G., Török, J., Garamszegi, L.Z., Rosivall, B., Szöllősi, E., Hargitai, R. (2007). Dynamics of multiple sexual signals in relation to climatic conditions. Evolutionary Ecology Research 9:905-920.

Szigeti, B., Török, J., Hegyi, G., Rosivall, B., Hargitai, R., Szöllősi, E., Michl, G. (2007). Egg quality and parental ornamentation in the blue tit Parus caeruleus. Journal of Avian Biology 38(1):105-112.

Hegyi, G., Török, J. (2007). Developmental plasticity in a passerine bird: an experiment with collared flycatchers Ficedula albicollis. Journal of Avian Biology 38:327-334.

Hegyi, G., Szigeti, B., Török, J., Eens, M. (2007). Melanin, carotenoid and structural plumage ornaments: information content and role in great tits. Journal of Avian Biology 38:698-708.

Laczi, M., Cserepes, T., M., Hegyi, G., Michl, G., Szigeti, B., Török, J. (2006). A tollazat UV- reflektanciája és a táplálkozás kapcsolata vízimadaraknál. Állattani Közlemények 91(2):117-126.

Garamszegi, L.Z., Rosival, B. Hegyi, G., Szöllősi, E., Török, J., Eens, M. (2006). Determinants of male territorial behavior in a Hungarian collared flycatcher population: roles for plumage traits of residents and challengers. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 60: 663-671.

Hegyi, G., Rosivall, B., Török, J. (2006). Paternal age and offspring growth: separating the intrinsic quality of young from rearing effects. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 60:672-682.

Hargitai, R., Matus, Z., Hegyi, G., Michl, G., Tóth, G., Török, J. (2006). Antioxidants in the egg yolk of a wild passerine: differences between breeding seasons. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology B 143(2):145-152.

Garamszegi, L.Z., Hegyi, G., Heylen, D., Ninni, P., de Lope, F., Eens, M., Møller, A.P. (2006). The design of complex sexual traits in the barn swallow: associations between signal attributes. Journal of Evolutionary Biology 19:2052-2066.

Hegyi, G., Török, J., Tóth, L., Garamszegi, L.Z., Rosivall, B. (2006). Rapid temporal change in the expression and age-related information content of a sexually selected trait. Journal of Evolutionary Biology 19:228-238.

Hargitai, R., Török, J., Tóth, L., Hegyi, G., Rosivall, B., Szigeti, B., Szöllősi E. (2005). Effects of environmental conditions and parental quality on inter- and intraclutch egg-size variation in the Collared Flycatcher (Ficedula albicollis). The Auk 122(2):509-522.

Herényi M., Török J., Garamszegi L.Z., Hargitai R., Hegyi G., Michl G., Rosivall B., Szigeti B., Szöllősi E. (2004). Másodlagos nemi jellegek és utódszám kapcsolata a hím örvös légykapóknál. Állattani Közlemények 89(2):31-41.

Török, J., Hegyi, G., Tóth, L., Könczey, R. (2004). Unpredictable food supply modifies costs of reproduction and hampers individual optimization. Oecologia 141:432-443. (DOI 10.1007/s00442-003-1408-z)

Török, J., Hegyi, G., Garamszegi, L.Z. (2003). Depigmented wing patch size is a condition-dependent indicator of viability in male collared flycatchers. Behavioral Ecology 14:382-388.

Hegyi, G., Török, J., Tóth, L. (2002). Qualitative population divergence in proximate determination of a sexually selected trait in the collared flycatcher. Journal of Evolutionary Biology 15:710-719.