Miles' research investigates the use of animal behaviour for conservation science in the palm cockatoo (Probosciger aterrimus) from far north Queensland where there has also been extensive land clearing for Bauxite Mining. Because this species was found to be in decline, he aims to find out whether local populations receive support by dispersal from distant populations, ultimately to determine the true status of the species in Australia. Using vocal and behavioural recordings, he has documented extensive geographic variation in vocal behaviour across Cape York Peninsula and is comparing these patterns to genetic relatedness and habitat distribution in the search for information about interaction among their populations.