 Since 1977, Dawn, with Clifford B. Frith, has studied various aspects of tropical rainforest avifauna in Australia, New Guinea and elsewhere for over three decades.Her studies have resulted in many scientific publications (84 to date) on the behaviour, nesting biology, mating systems, and systematics of bowerbirds, birds-of-paradise, and other rainforest-dwelling bird species.Her systematic scientific studies have resulted in a major "definitive" ornithological text book - "The Bowerbirds