Centre for Research on Ecology, Cognition and Behaviour of Birds
@ecobird.bsky.social
Centre for Research on Ecology, Cognition and Behaviour of Birds 🐣
Ghent University, Belgium
Posts by @fredverb.bsky.social & @katywillcox.bsky.social
Ghent University, Belgium
Posts by @fredverb.bsky.social & @katywillcox.bsky.social
Pinned
Postdoctoral fellow
www.ugent.be
🐦 EcoBird is hiring a Postdoc in animal cognition!
Join us + @themanybirds.bsky.social to investigate innovation & problem-solving in birds.
📅 Start: as early as Jan 2026
🌍 Funded through UGent’s international mobility scheme
More info & how to apply ↓
www.ugent.be/en/work/scie...
Join us + @themanybirds.bsky.social to investigate innovation & problem-solving in birds.
📅 Start: as early as Jan 2026
🌍 Funded through UGent’s international mobility scheme
More info & how to apply ↓
www.ugent.be/en/work/scie...
Reposted by Centre for Research on Ecology, Cognition and Behaviour of Birds
New paper out!
Early-life social instability increases aggression in chickens, but does not affect response inhibition 🐤
We discuss what this means for developmental links between social environments, cognition, and social behaviour, highlighting strong context dependence
Full text: rdcu.be/eYOzC
Early-life social instability increases aggression in chickens, but does not affect response inhibition 🐤
We discuss what this means for developmental links between social environments, cognition, and social behaviour, highlighting strong context dependence
Full text: rdcu.be/eYOzC
January 13, 2026 at 2:37 PM
New paper out!
Early-life social instability increases aggression in chickens, but does not affect response inhibition 🐤
We discuss what this means for developmental links between social environments, cognition, and social behaviour, highlighting strong context dependence
Full text: rdcu.be/eYOzC
Early-life social instability increases aggression in chickens, but does not affect response inhibition 🐤
We discuss what this means for developmental links between social environments, cognition, and social behaviour, highlighting strong context dependence
Full text: rdcu.be/eYOzC
Reposted by Centre for Research on Ecology, Cognition and Behaviour of Birds
Very grateful to co-authors @vernouilleta.bsky.social @birgitszabo.bsky.social An Martel, Luc Lens & @fredverb.bsky.social, & other members of @ecobird.bsky.social for their support! Also pleased for this paper to be part of an exciting collection in acta ethologica link.springer.com/collections/...
Client Challenge
link.springer.com
January 13, 2026 at 2:39 PM
Very grateful to co-authors @vernouilleta.bsky.social @birgitszabo.bsky.social An Martel, Luc Lens & @fredverb.bsky.social, & other members of @ecobird.bsky.social for their support! Also pleased for this paper to be part of an exciting collection in acta ethologica link.springer.com/collections/...
Reposted by Centre for Research on Ecology, Cognition and Behaviour of Birds
Please repost: 🚨Field assistant position 🐧
We offer a 14-months field assistant position through the French Polar Institute to work on king penguin ecophysiology and behavioral ecology.
Requirements: EU citizen < 30yo having experience with harsh fieldwork & wild bird/mammal handling/sampling.
We offer a 14-months field assistant position through the French Polar Institute to work on king penguin ecophysiology and behavioral ecology.
Requirements: EU citizen < 30yo having experience with harsh fieldwork & wild bird/mammal handling/sampling.
January 5, 2026 at 1:37 PM
Please repost: 🚨Field assistant position 🐧
We offer a 14-months field assistant position through the French Polar Institute to work on king penguin ecophysiology and behavioral ecology.
Requirements: EU citizen < 30yo having experience with harsh fieldwork & wild bird/mammal handling/sampling.
We offer a 14-months field assistant position through the French Polar Institute to work on king penguin ecophysiology and behavioral ecology.
Requirements: EU citizen < 30yo having experience with harsh fieldwork & wild bird/mammal handling/sampling.
Reposted by Centre for Research on Ecology, Cognition and Behaviour of Birds
Doing some cool but challenging sciencing in the Gambia 🐦📡
Testing out the detection range for a #MotusWTS installation 🤞
So many cool species seen as well, lots of ideas for projects! @ecobird.bsky.social @fwovlaanderen.bsky.social
Testing out the detection range for a #MotusWTS installation 🤞
So many cool species seen as well, lots of ideas for projects! @ecobird.bsky.social @fwovlaanderen.bsky.social
November 25, 2025 at 8:53 PM
Doing some cool but challenging sciencing in the Gambia 🐦📡
Testing out the detection range for a #MotusWTS installation 🤞
So many cool species seen as well, lots of ideas for projects! @ecobird.bsky.social @fwovlaanderen.bsky.social
Testing out the detection range for a #MotusWTS installation 🤞
So many cool species seen as well, lots of ideas for projects! @ecobird.bsky.social @fwovlaanderen.bsky.social
Reposted by Centre for Research on Ecology, Cognition and Behaviour of Birds
Adventure time! Off to Kartong Bird Observatory in the Gambia to test out #MotusWTS using a mobile #Sensorgnome and @lotektelemetry.bsky.social Nanotag!
Me and my load of tech and trusty duct tape will be repping @ecobird.bsky.social funded by @fwovlaanderen.bsky.social.
🐦📡
Me and my load of tech and trusty duct tape will be repping @ecobird.bsky.social funded by @fwovlaanderen.bsky.social.
🐦📡
November 20, 2025 at 5:20 PM
Adventure time! Off to Kartong Bird Observatory in the Gambia to test out #MotusWTS using a mobile #Sensorgnome and @lotektelemetry.bsky.social Nanotag!
Me and my load of tech and trusty duct tape will be repping @ecobird.bsky.social funded by @fwovlaanderen.bsky.social.
🐦📡
Me and my load of tech and trusty duct tape will be repping @ecobird.bsky.social funded by @fwovlaanderen.bsky.social.
🐦📡
Reposted by Centre for Research on Ecology, Cognition and Behaviour of Birds
New study on the way 📣
I am currently raising cute quails 🐥 to study the effects of enrichment on the development of the brain, cognition, behaviour, and health! I am learning loads of new skills @ecobird.bsky.social
I am currently raising cute quails 🐥 to study the effects of enrichment on the development of the brain, cognition, behaviour, and health! I am learning loads of new skills @ecobird.bsky.social
November 17, 2025 at 11:43 AM
New study on the way 📣
I am currently raising cute quails 🐥 to study the effects of enrichment on the development of the brain, cognition, behaviour, and health! I am learning loads of new skills @ecobird.bsky.social
I am currently raising cute quails 🐥 to study the effects of enrichment on the development of the brain, cognition, behaviour, and health! I am learning loads of new skills @ecobird.bsky.social
🐦 EcoBird is hiring a Postdoc in animal cognition!
Join us + @themanybirds.bsky.social to investigate innovation & problem-solving in birds.
📅 Start: as early as Jan 2026
🌍 Funded through UGent’s international mobility scheme
More info & how to apply ↓
www.ugent.be/en/work/scie...
Join us + @themanybirds.bsky.social to investigate innovation & problem-solving in birds.
📅 Start: as early as Jan 2026
🌍 Funded through UGent’s international mobility scheme
More info & how to apply ↓
www.ugent.be/en/work/scie...
Postdoctoral fellow
www.ugent.be
November 13, 2025 at 2:23 PM
🐦 EcoBird is hiring a Postdoc in animal cognition!
Join us + @themanybirds.bsky.social to investigate innovation & problem-solving in birds.
📅 Start: as early as Jan 2026
🌍 Funded through UGent’s international mobility scheme
More info & how to apply ↓
www.ugent.be/en/work/scie...
Join us + @themanybirds.bsky.social to investigate innovation & problem-solving in birds.
📅 Start: as early as Jan 2026
🌍 Funded through UGent’s international mobility scheme
More info & how to apply ↓
www.ugent.be/en/work/scie...
Reposted by Centre for Research on Ecology, Cognition and Behaviour of Birds
It took almost a year to write this review on causes and consequences of ranging in chicken 🐔! This was a huge collaborative effort by @ecobird.bsky.social @pec-exeter.bsky.social and @vitorhbf.bsky.social ! I am very proud of the outcome. You can check out the preprint here: doi.org/10.32942/X22...
Understanding individual range use in free-range chickens - a systematic review
doi.org
October 31, 2025 at 9:21 AM
It took almost a year to write this review on causes and consequences of ranging in chicken 🐔! This was a huge collaborative effort by @ecobird.bsky.social @pec-exeter.bsky.social and @vitorhbf.bsky.social ! I am very proud of the outcome. You can check out the preprint here: doi.org/10.32942/X22...
Waiting at Sofia Airport for my flight back to Brussels after an amazing trip to Bulgaria 🇧🇬. The visit was part of our new vulture conservation project with KMDA/ZOO Planckendael, and also connected to the documentary by Lode Desmet (and produced by ASSOCIATE DIRECTORS) on our ECoBird research.
October 30, 2025 at 1:30 PM
Waiting at Sofia Airport for my flight back to Brussels after an amazing trip to Bulgaria 🇧🇬. The visit was part of our new vulture conservation project with KMDA/ZOO Planckendael, and also connected to the documentary by Lode Desmet (and produced by ASSOCIATE DIRECTORS) on our ECoBird research.
Reposted by Centre for Research on Ecology, Cognition and Behaviour of Birds
New preprint out on bioRxiv
🌳 doi.org/10.1101/2025... 🌳
Using data from 19 forest plots in Flanders, we found that forest structural complexity isn’t a consistent predictor of multidiversity and responses across taxa were mostly weak or inconsistent.
@ecobird.bsky.social | @fornalab.bsky.social
🌳 doi.org/10.1101/2025... 🌳
Using data from 19 forest plots in Flanders, we found that forest structural complexity isn’t a consistent predictor of multidiversity and responses across taxa were mostly weak or inconsistent.
@ecobird.bsky.social | @fornalab.bsky.social
Multitaxon assessment reveals inconsistent biodiversity responses to forest structural complexity in temperate forests
Increasing forest structural complexity is a key objective of future-proof forest management, with potential benefits for biodiversity. However, empirical evidence for consistent biodiversity-structur...
doi.org
October 29, 2025 at 12:55 PM
New preprint out on bioRxiv
🌳 doi.org/10.1101/2025... 🌳
Using data from 19 forest plots in Flanders, we found that forest structural complexity isn’t a consistent predictor of multidiversity and responses across taxa were mostly weak or inconsistent.
@ecobird.bsky.social | @fornalab.bsky.social
🌳 doi.org/10.1101/2025... 🌳
Using data from 19 forest plots in Flanders, we found that forest structural complexity isn’t a consistent predictor of multidiversity and responses across taxa were mostly weak or inconsistent.
@ecobird.bsky.social | @fornalab.bsky.social
Wonderful to see this project published! We were glad to contribute a small part to this impressive collaborative effort through ECoBird.
🐦 Exciting news! Our new paper is out in PLOS Biology:
“A large-scale study across the avian clade identifies ecological drivers of neophobia.”
Led by the #ManyBirds Project - 129 researchers, 82 institutions, 24 countries 🌍
🔗 journals.plos.org/plosbiology/...
@themanybirds.bsky.social
“A large-scale study across the avian clade identifies ecological drivers of neophobia.”
Led by the #ManyBirds Project - 129 researchers, 82 institutions, 24 countries 🌍
🔗 journals.plos.org/plosbiology/...
@themanybirds.bsky.social
A large-scale study across the avian clade identifies ecological drivers of neophobia
Neophobia (the aversive response to novelty) varies considerably across species and individuals, and can impact adaptability and survival. This study assesses neophobia in 1400 subjects from 136 bird ...
journals.plos.org
October 15, 2025 at 6:42 AM
Wonderful to see this project published! We were glad to contribute a small part to this impressive collaborative effort through ECoBird.
Reposted by Centre for Research on Ecology, Cognition and Behaviour of Birds
#ISBE2026 Call for Abstracts is now open! Submit your abstract by 15 December 2025 on www.isbe2026.com
@behavecol.bsky.social
@behavecol.bsky.social
October 2, 2025 at 7:20 AM
Reposted by Centre for Research on Ecology, Cognition and Behaviour of Birds
Congratulations @alixkristiansen.bsky.social on your first paper from your PhD - it's out!
@ecobird.bsky.social
journals.plos.org/plosone/arti...
@ecobird.bsky.social
journals.plos.org/plosone/arti...
Home range and activity budget in the Falkland Steamer Duck (Tachyeres brachypterus)
The Falkland Islands support globally important populations of seabirds and coastal birds, underscoring their value for international conservation efforts. However, substantial knowledge gaps impede t...
journals.plos.org
October 8, 2025 at 5:13 AM
Congratulations @alixkristiansen.bsky.social on your first paper from your PhD - it's out!
@ecobird.bsky.social
journals.plos.org/plosone/arti...
@ecobird.bsky.social
journals.plos.org/plosone/arti...
🚨 Calling researchers, students, technicians in cognition 🚨
We’re running a 10-min anonymous survey on how animal cognition is defined and studied across disciplines (from ecology, ethology, psychology, neurology, etc). 🧠✨
Scan the QR code & share widely
#AnimalCognition #ResearchSurvey #Science
We’re running a 10-min anonymous survey on how animal cognition is defined and studied across disciplines (from ecology, ethology, psychology, neurology, etc). 🧠✨
Scan the QR code & share widely
#AnimalCognition #ResearchSurvey #Science
September 10, 2025 at 12:00 PM
🚨 Calling researchers, students, technicians in cognition 🚨
We’re running a 10-min anonymous survey on how animal cognition is defined and studied across disciplines (from ecology, ethology, psychology, neurology, etc). 🧠✨
Scan the QR code & share widely
#AnimalCognition #ResearchSurvey #Science
We’re running a 10-min anonymous survey on how animal cognition is defined and studied across disciplines (from ecology, ethology, psychology, neurology, etc). 🧠✨
Scan the QR code & share widely
#AnimalCognition #ResearchSurvey #Science
Reposted by Centre for Research on Ecology, Cognition and Behaviour of Birds
🚨 Calling researchers, students, technicians in cognition 🚨
We’re running a 10-min anonymous survey on how animal cognition is defined and studied across disciplines (from ecology, ethology, psychology, neurology, etc). 🧠✨
Scan the QR code & share widely
#AnimalCognition #ResearchSurvey #Science
We’re running a 10-min anonymous survey on how animal cognition is defined and studied across disciplines (from ecology, ethology, psychology, neurology, etc). 🧠✨
Scan the QR code & share widely
#AnimalCognition #ResearchSurvey #Science
September 10, 2025 at 9:01 AM
🚨 Calling researchers, students, technicians in cognition 🚨
We’re running a 10-min anonymous survey on how animal cognition is defined and studied across disciplines (from ecology, ethology, psychology, neurology, etc). 🧠✨
Scan the QR code & share widely
#AnimalCognition #ResearchSurvey #Science
We’re running a 10-min anonymous survey on how animal cognition is defined and studied across disciplines (from ecology, ethology, psychology, neurology, etc). 🧠✨
Scan the QR code & share widely
#AnimalCognition #ResearchSurvey #Science
Reposted by Centre for Research on Ecology, Cognition and Behaviour of Birds
Voortaan dr. Charlotte Van Driessche verdedigde vrijdag met succes haar doctoraat ‘Implementation of eDNA metabarcoding as an innovative tool for biomonitoring fish communities in lotic waters’, met @universiteitgent.bsky.social en @fwovlaanderen.bsky.social.
Beluister 📻 bit.ly/PhDCharlotte
Beluister 📻 bit.ly/PhDCharlotte
September 10, 2025 at 11:51 AM
Voortaan dr. Charlotte Van Driessche verdedigde vrijdag met succes haar doctoraat ‘Implementation of eDNA metabarcoding as an innovative tool for biomonitoring fish communities in lotic waters’, met @universiteitgent.bsky.social en @fwovlaanderen.bsky.social.
Beluister 📻 bit.ly/PhDCharlotte
Beluister 📻 bit.ly/PhDCharlotte
Reposted by Centre for Research on Ecology, Cognition and Behaviour of Birds
Had an amazing week in Kolkata at #Behaviour2025! Very grateful for the opportunity to present my work 🐥 Also super glad I got to explore the city and see some of it's wildlife, and to chat cool science with so many nice people!
September 5, 2025 at 6:37 AM
Had an amazing week in Kolkata at #Behaviour2025! Very grateful for the opportunity to present my work 🐥 Also super glad I got to explore the city and see some of it's wildlife, and to chat cool science with so many nice people!
Reposted by Centre for Research on Ecology, Cognition and Behaviour of Birds
🔥Wildfire tragedy in Portugal
The Cinereous Vultures (𝐴𝑒𝑔𝑦𝑝𝑖𝑢𝑠 𝑚𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑐ℎ𝑢𝑠) need our help. A massive wildfire destroyed not only their nests, but also the breeding and acclimatisation centre in Douro International Nature Park in the North of Portugal.
#birds #wildfire
📸Yves Adams
The Cinereous Vultures (𝐴𝑒𝑔𝑦𝑝𝑖𝑢𝑠 𝑚𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑐ℎ𝑢𝑠) need our help. A massive wildfire destroyed not only their nests, but also the breeding and acclimatisation centre in Douro International Nature Park in the North of Portugal.
#birds #wildfire
📸Yves Adams
August 27, 2025 at 12:15 PM
Reposted by Centre for Research on Ecology, Cognition and Behaviour of Birds
We had 4 talks, and two posters so great representation of @ecobird.bsky.social from Ghent University.
August 22, 2025 at 2:55 PM
We had 4 talks, and two posters so great representation of @ecobird.bsky.social from Ghent University.
Reposted by Centre for Research on Ecology, Cognition and Behaviour of Birds
Successful @ecobird.bsky.social #EOU2025 trip. Great presentations by @cesarepacioni.bsky.social, Jolien Van Malderen, Caoimhe Abdul-Wahab, Mélibée Morel and me! Well done team 👏 Loads of fun, and surprisingly good Welsh weather 😇
August 22, 2025 at 2:55 PM
Successful @ecobird.bsky.social #EOU2025 trip. Great presentations by @cesarepacioni.bsky.social, Jolien Van Malderen, Caoimhe Abdul-Wahab, Mélibée Morel and me! Well done team 👏 Loads of fun, and surprisingly good Welsh weather 😇
Reposted by Centre for Research on Ecology, Cognition and Behaviour of Birds
@ecobird.bsky.social at #EOU2025 🐦 Looking forward to sharing our work and connecting with the European ornithology community
Caoimhe Abdul-Wahab | Poster S1
@lucyjmitchell.bsky.social | Symp 11
Mélibée Morel | Oral 17
@cesarepacioni.bsky.social | Oral 8
Jolien Van Malderen | Symp 2 & Poster S1
Caoimhe Abdul-Wahab | Poster S1
@lucyjmitchell.bsky.social | Symp 11
Mélibée Morel | Oral 17
@cesarepacioni.bsky.social | Oral 8
Jolien Van Malderen | Symp 2 & Poster S1
August 18, 2025 at 3:44 PM
@ecobird.bsky.social at #EOU2025 🐦 Looking forward to sharing our work and connecting with the European ornithology community
Caoimhe Abdul-Wahab | Poster S1
@lucyjmitchell.bsky.social | Symp 11
Mélibée Morel | Oral 17
@cesarepacioni.bsky.social | Oral 8
Jolien Van Malderen | Symp 2 & Poster S1
Caoimhe Abdul-Wahab | Poster S1
@lucyjmitchell.bsky.social | Symp 11
Mélibée Morel | Oral 17
@cesarepacioni.bsky.social | Oral 8
Jolien Van Malderen | Symp 2 & Poster S1
Reposted by Centre for Research on Ecology, Cognition and Behaviour of Birds
Happy to share my last PhD paper where we investigated the istopic niche of black-faced cormorants both for the breeding season and the non-breeding period. doi.org/10.1080/0158...
#seabirds #ornithology
#seabirds #ornithology
Isotopic niche segregation during the non-breeding period in Black-faced Cormorants (Phalacrocorax fuscescens)
Due to environmental changes, prey distribution and availability are predicted to change. This is expected to impact their predators, especially in the highly dynamic and fast-changing marine envir...
doi.org
August 11, 2025 at 5:18 AM
Happy to share my last PhD paper where we investigated the istopic niche of black-faced cormorants both for the breeding season and the non-breeding period. doi.org/10.1080/0158...
#seabirds #ornithology
#seabirds #ornithology
Reposted by Centre for Research on Ecology, Cognition and Behaviour of Birds
New paper out!
To Peck or Not To Peck: The influence of early-life social environment on response inhibition and impulsive aggression in Japanese quails royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/...
To Peck or Not To Peck: The influence of early-life social environment on response inhibition and impulsive aggression in Japanese quails royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/...
To peck or not to peck: the influence of early-life social environment on response inhibition and impulsive aggression in Japanese quails | Royal Society Open Science
Deficits in response inhibition (RI; i.e. the ability to suppress inappropriate responses)
may contribute to increased impulsive aggression (IA; i.e. unplanned behaviours that
harm others). Since earl...
royalsocietypublishing.org
July 23, 2025 at 10:33 AM
New paper out!
To Peck or Not To Peck: The influence of early-life social environment on response inhibition and impulsive aggression in Japanese quails royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/...
To Peck or Not To Peck: The influence of early-life social environment on response inhibition and impulsive aggression in Japanese quails royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/...
Reposted by Centre for Research on Ecology, Cognition and Behaviour of Birds
It forms part of an exciting Special Issue of Phil Trans, "Selection shapes diverse animal minds", edited by @ellileadbeater.bsky.social & @cornishjackdaws.bsky.social
Co-authors include @ecobird.bsky.social @samellisq.bsky.social
royalsocietypublishing.org/toc/rstb/202...
Co-authors include @ecobird.bsky.social @samellisq.bsky.social
royalsocietypublishing.org/toc/rstb/202...
Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences: Vol 380, No 1929
Can't sign in? Forgot your password?
royalsocietypublishing.org
June 26, 2025 at 9:03 AM
It forms part of an exciting Special Issue of Phil Trans, "Selection shapes diverse animal minds", edited by @ellileadbeater.bsky.social & @cornishjackdaws.bsky.social
Co-authors include @ecobird.bsky.social @samellisq.bsky.social
royalsocietypublishing.org/toc/rstb/202...
Co-authors include @ecobird.bsky.social @samellisq.bsky.social
royalsocietypublishing.org/toc/rstb/202...