Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Marta Acácio @martaacacio.bsky.social · Jul 15

In our new paper, we show that using ropes as nesting material (particularly baler twine) cause entanglement and mortality #WhiteStork nestlings. It's time to rethink our agricultural practices and materials!

@inescatry.bsky.social @aldinafranco.bsky.social

#ornithology #ecology #conservation 🧪

Birds on the Move @birdsmove.bsky.social · Jul 15

In our new paper led by Ursula Heize, we show that >90% of #WhiteStork nests have anthropogenic materials (plastics, paper, etc). Ropes are particularly dangerous: ~12% of the chicks became entangled on ropes, particularly on baler twine!

Check out the paper: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

A death trap in the nest: anthropogenic nest materials cause high mortality in a terrestrial bird

The impact of anthropogenic debris on wildlife, particularly in marine environments, has garnered significant attention in recent years due to the sev…

www.sciencedirect.com

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Reposted by Marta Acácio

Iris Bontekoe @irisdb.bsky.social · Jun 18

🚨 New paper alert! 🚨
Excited to share our new review in @royalsocietypublishing.org Proceedings B! 🎉

We synthesize research on social factors influencing animal migration and offer guidelines for future research. Check it out here: doi.org/10.1098/rspb...

#OpenAccess #Migration #MovementEcology

The study of social animal migrations: a synthesis of the past and guidelines for future research | Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences

Seasonal migration is a common behaviour seen in many species worldwide. There is evidence that social factors influence various migration decisions, but compared to the well-studied field of social f...

doi.org

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Reposted by Marta Acácio

Cultural Evolution Society @culturalevolsoc.bsky.social · May 6

Postdoc alert! 🚨

How do young raptors learn to migrate? 2-year postdoc at Uni. Laussane with @enourani.bsky.social is offered to model evolution of learning strategies for behavioral development.

Application deadline is mid-June for a start in Jan 2026: career5.successfactors.eu/career?compa...

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Reposted by Marta Acácio

Dr Alex Bond @thelabandfield.bsky.social · May 4

One bird. 399 pieces of plastic. 55 g.
This is not our record.

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Reposted by Marta Acácio

Arjun Amar @arjundevamar.bsky.social · Apr 15

Delighted to promote this year's African Raptor Leadership Grant - an amazing opportunity for an African National to undertake an MSc on #RaptorResearch. Including on the FitzPatrick Institute's Conservation Biology MSc course.

#Ornithology 🪶

raptorresearchfoundation.org/grants-award...

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Reposted by Marta Acácio

BOU @bou.org.uk · Apr 22

📢 BOU at #EOU2025

Join us for a woodland birds symposium on EOU registration day 18 August | Bangor University | #BOUatEOU

Submit your abstract now!

Deadline: 30 May

bou.org.uk/event/woo...

SPC: Stuart Sharp @piedflynet.bsky.social Daria Dadam & @parusradious.bsky.social

#ornithology

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Marta Acácio @martaacacio.bsky.social · Apr 22

The #WhiteStork was once an iconic symbol of bird migration, but now most Iberian storks stopped migrating.

How did we go from a fully migratory population to a nearly fully resident one in ~40 years?
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....

#ornithology #ecology🌍🧪

Journal of Animal Ecology @animalecology.bsky.social · Apr 17

What drives the loss of migration in large long-lived birds? Andrade et al. combine genomics, census and tracking data of white storks, highlighting the role of developmental plasticity in driving fast responses to environmental conditions🪽 buff.ly/zIkvqRU
@evopaa.bsky.social

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Reposted by Marta Acácio

Pedro Andrade @evopaa.bsky.social · Apr 3

In the 1990s, >80% of Portuguese white storks were winter migrants. Thirty years on, a drastic shift in behavior means most individuals are now residents.

Our new paper @animalecology.bsky.social combines census data, GPS tracking, and genomics to understand the loss of migratory behavior in birds:

Mechanisms underlying the loss of migratory behaviour in a long‐lived bird

White stork populations in Iberia are undergoing a profound change in their migratory patterns, becoming mostly resident. By combining census data, GPS-tracking and genomic analyses, Andrade et al. l....

besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com

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Marta Acácio @martaacacio.bsky.social · Mar 22

In Portugal, it's been raining almost continously for the past few weeks - very unusual for this time of the year! And as our poor #WhiteStorks are battling the storms, we are struggling to reach their nests without snorkels and flippers! :)

Birds on the Move @birdsmove.bsky.social · Mar 20

It's pouring rain - we can't recall ever seeing this much water around our #WhiteStork nests! But they remain strong, and many clutches are now complete. Let's hope they can protect their eggs as more storms sweep across Portugal 🤞!

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Reposted by Marta Acácio

Teresa Catry @teresacatry.bsky.social · Mar 10

📣PhD opportunity!
We are looking for a candidate to develop a project on the spatial ecology of #waterbirds using rice fields. Check for the complete details below, and get in touch until the 21st of March!
drive.google.com/file/d/1R8MI...

#ornithology #movement #tracking #connectivity

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Marta Acácio @martaacacio.bsky.social · Mar 6

The breeding season of #WhiteStorks has already begun, so it's time for the seasonal migration of our team to Southern Portugal to study these amazing birds!

Birds on the Move @birdsmove.bsky.social · Mar 6

The white-stork 2025 field season just started! Some nests already with eggs despite the heavy rains and cold weather across Portugal. Looking forward to another breeding season!

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Reposted by Marta Acácio

Eneko Arrondo @bioeaf.bsky.social · Mar 2

In collaboration with my friend
@juanma-pg.bsky.social
we have just published this article about some worrying trends we have observed in the marking of animals with GPS .... 1/n link.springer.com/article/10.1...

Call for a critical review of widespread use of animal tracking devices - European Journal of Wildlife Research

Animal tracking has undergone a technological revolution, providing insight into biological details that were previously impossible to address. However, the increasing ease of access to tracking devic...

link.springer.com

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Reposted by Marta Acácio

Ron Efrat @moveandconserve.bsky.social · Jan 31

Are you checking you're GPS data for spoofing?
Did you know that human conflicts result in GPS jamming around the world?

New paper in @naturecomms.bsky.social : rdcu.be/d781b

@aksulehikoinen.bsky.social, @annechrismonnet.bsky.social, @rytikerttunen.bsky.social Frédéric Jiguet and many more

GNSS spoofing in conflict zones disrupts wildlife tracking and hampers research and conservation efforts

Nature Communications - In war and conflict zones, the jamming of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNNS) signals by military forces disrupts the tracking of tagged animals, and has increased in...

rdcu.be

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Marta Acácio @martaacacio.bsky.social · Jan 10

One week left to apply for EUFLYNET's #Funding opportunities! Advance your career in #BirdConservation and join our mission! 🦜

📅 Deadline: Jan 15, 2025

Details: euflynet.eu/activities

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Marta Acácio @martaacacio.bsky.social · Jan 3

Are you looking for a #PhD in #ornithology and #MovementEcology? Look no further!

You can still apply until the 8th of January!

Aldina Franco @aldinafranco.bsky.social · Jan 2

8th Jan -deadline for fully funded PhD project examining individual variability in movement strategies of birds using tracking data. Please retweet.

Aldina Franco @aldinafranco.bsky.social · Nov 15

New PhD project @ueaceec @ueaenv examining individual variability in movement strategies of birds using tracking data. With me and @MariusSomveille @InesCatry @timmackrill @MartaAcacio aries-dtp.ac.uk/studentships/f… #ornithology www.aries-dtp.ac.uk/studentships...

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