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Keith C Hamer

@keithchamer.bsky.social

280 followers 210 following 1 posts

Ecologist and seabird biologist, now happily retired

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Environmental science 52%

Biology 16%

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Reposted by Keith C. Hamer

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution @whoi.edu · 1d

Why does a pigeon-sized bird purposely throw itself into hurricane-force winds?

With the help of lightweight GPS trackers, WHOI biologist Francesco Ventura has unlocked the Desertas petrel’s secret to success: cyclones!

📲 Find out what surprised researchers the most from BBC: go.whoi.edu/Petrel

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Reposted by Keith C. Hamer

Niels de Winter @nielsjdewinter.bsky.social · 4d

Such a sad story, but good that it can be told in full in museums now.
doi.org/10.1126/scie...

Fate of the last female great auk is finally solved

DNA and historical sleuthing have traced the extinct bird’s remains to a museum in Ohio

doi.org

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Reposted by Robin J. Pakeman, Keith C. Hamer

Xavier Lambin @lambin-ecology.bsky.social · 6d

For 101 years, ecologists have sought to explain the 3-4 years multi-annual cycles of voles and lemmings. In our paper, doi.org/10.1073/pnas..., we find that Density-dependent recruitment, but not survival drives cyclic dynamics in a field vole population, overturning accepted wisdom.

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Reposted by Keith C. Hamer

Raptor Persecution UK @raptorpersuk.bsky.social · 7d

29 'missing' Hen Harriers & nearly 40 birds of prey poisoned, trapped or shot in Yorkshire Dales National Park since 2015.

Not so much a National Park - more of a National Disgrace.

#RaptorResearch #WildlifeCrime #Ornithology #Yorkshire

raptorpersecutionuk.org/2025/10/04/2...

29 ‘missing’ Hen Harriers & nearly 40 birds of prey poisoned, trapped or shot in Yorkshire Dales National Park since 2015

Media attention has been drawn to the Yorkshire Dales National Park this week, following the RSPB’s press release on the suspicious disappearance of a satellite-tagged Hen Harrier named &#821…

raptorpersecutionuk.org

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Reposted by Keith C. Hamer

BOU @bou.org.uk · 8d

Temporal Variation in Early-Life Conditions Impacts on Later-Life Levels of Infection in Sex Specific Ways | doi.org/10.1002/ece3... | Ecology and Evolution | #ornithology 🪶

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Reposted by Keith C. Hamer

Raptor Persecution UK @raptorpersuk.bsky.social · 9d

Natural England confirms ongoing & relentless illegal persecution is reason why Hen Harriers are still rare in England.

#RaptorResearch #WildlifeCrime #Ornithology

raptorpersecutionuk.org/2025/10/02/h...

Hardly any Hen Harrier nesting attempts on English grouse moors for second year running

Natural England has finally got around to publishing the data for the 2025 Hen Harrier breeding season, which demonstrate very clear differences between areas managed for conservation and those man…

raptorpersecutionuk.org

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Reposted by Keith C. Hamer

Dugdale Research Group @hannahdugdale.bsky.social · 22d

Come & work with us - fully funded 4 year PhD on Social Ageing: Social environment effects on senescence, using an epigenetic clock www.rug.nl/about-ug/wor... @rug.nl @david-s-richardson.bsky.social @keesvanoers.bsky.social @seychelleswarbler.bsky.social photo: @charlisdavies.bsky.social

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Reposted by Marco Festa‐Bianchet, Marcel E. Visser, Keith C. Hamer , and 1 more Marco Festa‐Bianchet, Marcel E. Visser, Keith C. Hamer, Cecilia Nilsson

Stu Bearhop @stubearhop.bsky.social · 23d

Fully funded PhD working on insectivorous bird declines with a broad range of stakeholders. Starting ASAP #ornithology #zoology #biodiversity #science #ecology
www.exeter.ac.uk/study/fundin...

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Reposted by Keith C. Hamer

BOU @bou.org.uk · 24d

Prevalence and implications of sex reversal in free-living birds | royalsocietypublishi... | Biology Letters | #ornithology 🪶

Prevalence and implications of sex reversal in free-living birds | Biology Letters

The ability to unequivocally identify the sex and reproductive status of individuals is crucial across many fields of study. Recent evidence indicates that avian sex determination is more flexible than once believed, with sex-reversed individuals ...

royalsocietypublishing.org

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Reposted by Keith C. Hamer

Journal of Animal Ecology @animalecology.bsky.social · Sep 10

🐧Early-growth trajectories affect juvenile survival, age at first reproduction and lifetime fitness in a long-lived seabird, the little penguin ➡️ buff.ly/vfGiKL8

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Reposted by Keith C. Hamer

BOU @bou.org.uk · Sep 4

Over on #theBOUblog, science writer Dr Ashleigh Marshall discusses combining disparate data streams to derive survival estimates for Whimbrels: bou.org.uk/blog-afm-...

From this recent #IBISjournal paper: doi.org/10.1111/ibi.... | #ornithology

Where there's a Whimbrel there's a way

LINKED PAPER Disparate data streams together yield novel survival estimates of Alaska-breeding Whimbrels. Ruthrauff, D. R., Harwood, C. M., Tibbitts, T. L., Patil, V. P. 2024. IBIS. DOI: 10.1111/ibi.13273. VIEW Science is rarely straightforward, and ecological data, especially that collected

bou.org.uk

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Reposted by Keith C. Hamer, Jane K. Hill

Leverhulme Centre for Anthropocene Biodiversity @anthropocenebio.bsky.social · Sep 4

A lively and light hearted moth vs butterfly discussion on The Infinite Monkey Cage with @janehillyork.bsky.social, @chrisjiggins.bsky.social, Katy Brand, @profbriancox.bsky.social & Robin Ince.

Are you team butterfly or team moth 🦋💡?

Listen to the episode in full: www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

The Infinite Monkey Cage - Series 33 - Moths v Butterflies - Katy Brand, Jane Hill and Chris Jiggins - BBC Sounds

Brian Cox and Robin Ince adjudicate a fluttery face off!

www.bbc.co.uk

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Reposted by Keith C. Hamer

Adrift Lab (Marine Science) @adriftlab.bsky.social · Sep 4

New #AdriftLab paper celebrates what can be achieved through #LongTermMonitoring & #banding studies (send us a DM if you'd like a PDF) #NewPaper #seabirds #shearwaters #BreedingEcology #demography doi.org/10.1080/0158...
@seabirdsentinel.bsky.social
@thelabandfield.bsky.social

Age at first return of Sable Shearwaters (Ardenna carneipes)

Long-term datasets are fundamental to the accurate estimation of demographic parameters for long-lived species. This is particularly the case for declining species where there is an imperative to i...

doi.org

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Reposted by Keith C. Hamer

ForestPlots @forestplots.bsky.social · Sep 3

A very cool story! Expelled by Antarctic Ice: Evolutionary History of the Cunonieae Tribe (Cunoniaceae).
How an extraordinary group of trees emerging in Antarctica went on to tropical success, now dominating many high Andean forests in Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador and Colombia.
doi.org/10.1111/jse....

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Reposted by Ben C. Sheldon, Joseph A. Tobias, Keith C. Hamer , and 1 more Ben C. Sheldon, Joseph A. Tobias, Keith C. Hamer, Márk E. Hauber

Matthew Cobb @matthewcobb.bsky.social · Sep 3

Amazing! Full article here: www.nature.com/articles/s41...

‘Almost unimaginable’: these ants are different species but share a mother

Ant queens of one species clone ants of another to create hybrid workers that do their bidding.

www.nature.com

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Reposted by Brendan J. Godley, Keith C. Hamer

Ruth Dunn @ruthedunn.bsky.social · Aug 7

New research led by @alicetrevail.bsky.social combines tracking data to show the value of large marine protected areas in encompassing diverse megafauna movements 🐢

doi.org/10.1111/1365...

@jappliedecology.bsky.social @iomarinescience.bsky.social @exetermarine.bsky.social @zslofficial.bsky.social

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Reposted by Julie L. Lockwood, Keith C. Hamer

Ruth Dunn @ruthedunn.bsky.social · Aug 6

"Commuting in crosswinds and foraging in fast winds: the foraging ecology of a flying fish specialist" 💨🐦🐟

New @iomarinescience.bsky.social research out now in @royalsocietypublishing.org: doi.org/10.1098/rspb...

📸 @robinfreeman.bsky.social

🧪🌍🪶

Composite image of the Proceedings B journal title, the manuscript title and the author list, alongside an image of a red-footed booby flying amongst palm trees. Some text reads: "Winds shape the behavioural decisions of red-footed boobies, impacting their foraging commutes and feeding behaviour".

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Reposted by Keith C. Hamer

North Yorks Bird News @nybirdnews.bsky.social · Jul 30

Thirsk ducks in the news again 🦆🐥 www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Duck wardens return to Thirsk to protect birds

The volunteers patrol route between river and car park to stop the ducks being hit by cars.

www.bbc.co.uk

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Reposted by Ben C. Sheldon, Keith C. Hamer, Márk E. Hauber

Oxford Biology @biology.ox.ac.uk · Jul 30

Wild great tits signal ‘divorce’ long before the breeding season — even in the winter, months before the couples rebreed with different partners in the following spring

New study with @universityofleeds.bsky.social in @royalsocietypublishing.org 👇
bit.ly/4lRt7TN
@sheldonbirds.bsky.social

Great tits show early signs of splitting up: researchers uncover social clues to bird 'divorce'

bit.ly

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Reposted by Keith C. Hamer

BOU @bou.org.uk · Jul 30

Manipulating Individual State During Migration: Carry-Over Effects of Cumulative Stress on Survival | doi.org/10.1002/ece3... | Ecology and Evolution | #ornithology 🪶

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Reposted by Keith C. Hamer

Duncan Borman @dunc76.bsky.social · Jan 13

And pin 916 is home safe.

She added a little extra time as she escorted an injured competitor while they waited for support crew to arrive.

Amazing effort. I am in awe. @heyjooode.bsky.social

#winterspine #spinerace

Remember she’s supporting cave rescue- www.justgiving.com/page/cro-win...

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Reposted by Keith C. Hamer

BOU @bou.org.uk · Jun 20

In the LATEST ISSUE of IBIS

Using model-based distance sampling to estimate decadal population change in Northern Gannets (Morus bassanus) across periods spanned by different at-sea survey methods | onlinelibrary.wiley....

T.J. Clark-Wolf et al | #ornithology 🪶

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Reposted by Keith C. Hamer

Mark Tutton @marktutton.bsky.social · Jun 14

A late stage Purple Emperor caterpillar perfectly mimicking half a Sallow leaf - the veins even line up. Fully fattened and about to perform the miracle of pupation, converting to a liquid soup in the pupa and then reassembling into a magnificent butterfly - amazing.

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Reposted by Keith C. Hamer

Steve Dudley @stevedudley.bsky.social · Jun 13

I live on an island which is not just bird-rich but also covered in free-roaming cats. And some folk here like to tell me cats don't have impacts. Or bring in few birds. What the cat brings in isn't all the cat kills. Just look at the estimate from the US!

From www.3billionbirds.org/findings 🪶

Graphic showing the estimated causes of bird deaths in the US

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Reposted by Keith C. Hamer

BOU @bou.org.uk · Jun 13

No evidence for a trade-off between reproduction and survival in a meta-analysis across birds | elifesciences.org/ar... | eLife | #ornithology 🪶

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Reposted by Ben C. Sheldon, Ana S. L. Rodrigues, Keith C. Hamer , and 1 more Ben C. Sheldon, Ana S. L. Rodrigues, Keith C. Hamer, Ben Phalan

Stu Butchart @stubutchart.bsky.social · Jun 11

We've just launched AviList! - the new unified global taxonomic checklist for the world's birds, developed through the Working Group on Avian Classification, including BirdLife, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, IOC and others @birdlifeglobal.bsky.social @birdsoftheworld.bsky.social www.avilist.org

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Reposted by Keith C. Hamer

David Steel @steelyseabirder.bsky.social · Jun 2

ORCA!!! Seen distantly from the Isle of May in last hour - four animals (at least one bull) beside Bass Rock heading west into Firth of Firth. Big concentration of Gannets around them. Epic!

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Reposted by Keith C. Hamer

Scottish Seabird Centre @seabirdcentre.bsky.social · May 24

From this, we estimated the total number of AOS (apparently occupied sites) on Bass Rock in 2024 to be around 46,045. This indicates a 6.7% decrease compared with the last survey completed in 2023 & comparison of the estimated total population between 2023 & 2024 indicates a decrease of around 11%.

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Reposted by Keith C. Hamer, Jane K. Hill

Colin Beale @cmbeale.bsky.social · May 20

Great to see @charles-cunningham.bsky.social's paper out on the impacts of woodland connectivity on the presence of woodland species in the UK. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/... Although ecologists talk about connectivity being important to maintain, the evidence that this is true is weak. 1/

A figure showing how different invertebrate species show impacts in relation to woodland covr. Overall the connectivity effect is small, but all groups show it.

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Reposted by Keith C. Hamer

Keith McMahon @mcmahok.bsky.social · May 18

Freeze frame. Record scratch. You might but wondering how I got here.

The eagled eyed among you might notice that there are 2 blue tits in amongst this brood of great tits.
Mini 🧵

2 photos of a tit nest
The first picture is of some great tits and two blue tits in a nest box.
One blue tit is far left with head down, the other top right corner looking at the camera. The rest of the birds are great tits.
The second picture is a close of the blue tit chick looking sheepish

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