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Reposted by Tash Gillies

Joe Wynn @joewynnbirds.bsky.social · 22d

🚨 PhD alert 🚨 We are looking for a highly motivated student to use 🧬 genomics 🧬 and 🛰️ bio-logging 🛰️ approaches to disentangle cultural and genetic contributions to seabird migration 🐣 Think this is you, or someone you know? Then come to our Q&A session at on 29/09 and check out the ad below!

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BOU @bou.org.uk · 28d

⏰ DEADLINE APPROACHING

Nominate now for a BOU #ornithology award 🪶

Deadline: Mon 15 Sept

🥇 Godman Salvin Prize
🥇 Alfred Newton Lecture
🥇 Janet Kear Union Medal
🥇 Early Professional Award

bou.org.uk/about-the...

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Lila Buckingham @lilabuckingham.bsky.social · Aug 11

Do you use geolocators to estimate foraging time, behaviour, or energetics in diving seabirds? See our new paper for insights from a study of Common Guillemots.

doi.org/10.61350/sbj...

@theseabirdgroup.bsky.social

A graphical abstract depicting the paper title, author list, and brief description of the paper. One images displays an adult common gullemot with one logger on each leg, next to a chick. The second image displays a close-up of a common guillemot's legs with both loggers shown. The text reads:
An improved method to derive behavioural budgets and energetics from geolocator data in Common Guillemots Uria aalge
Lila Buckingham, Maria Bogdanova, Francis Daunt, Robert Furness, Sophie Bennett, Ruth Dunn, David Jardine, Mark Newell, Ewan Weston & Jonathan Green
We deployed two devices (time-depth recorder & geolocator) on 39 Common Guillemots for one non-breeding season.
We allocated time to behaviours using 1) both devices (see Buckingham et al. 2023) and 2) only geolocators, following previous methods.
We compared the behavioural budgets. We could not extract foraging behaviour (diving) when only using geolocator data.
We devised an improved method for estimating behaviours and energetics in Common Guillemots using geolocator data. We also provide guidance for studies of other diving seabirds that rest at sea.
Photos by Andrew Carter
Seabird 37 (2025) Early Release

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Journal of Avian Biology @avianbiology.bsky.social · Jul 13

NEW PAPER: Same-sex partnerships in birds: a review of the current literature and a call for more data.

➡️ vist.ly/3n99bk6

#ornithology #birds #same-sexbehaviour #review #partnershipshref="https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:hegstn3ytohj2itc65ujj63a" class="hover:underline text-blue-600 dark:text-sky-400" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ips <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:hegstn3ytohj2itc65ujj63a" class="hover:underline text-blue-600 dark:text-sky-400" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@tashgillies.bsky.soc<a href="https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:mrn7apalemi74zfpvwak6lrw" class="hover:underline text-blue-600 dark:text-sky-400" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ial <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:mrn7apalemi74zfpvwak6lrw" class="hover:underline text-blue-600 dark:text-sky-400" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@katrina-siddiqi.bsky.social

Illustration: <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:ukgm5wuiaqf7guxw555p5fuq" class="hover:underline text-blue-600 dark:text-sky-400" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@bertillemohring.bsky.social

Fig. 1 from the article. Overview of the selective and non-selective forces influencing the expression of same-sex partnerships in birds, adapted from the framework for understanding same-sex sexual behaviour in Clive et al. (2020). Illustration: Bertille Mohring

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BOU @bou.org.uk · Jun 11

🗓️ SAVE THE DATE!

Announcing our 2027 spring conference

#BOU2027 | 6 - 8 April 2027 | Nottingham, UK & Zoom & Bluesky

Avian disease ecology: combining avian ecology and OneHealth to understand and mitigate disease

bou.org.uk/event/avi...

#ornithology 🪶

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Tash Gillies @tashgillies.bsky.social · May 23

Seen same-sex pairs in your field site? You’re not alone, but the literature hasn’t caught up. Our main takeaway is simple: if you see them, report them. We need better data to ask better questions.

Illustration credit to the exceptionally talented @bertillemohring.bsky.social

A female pair of Laysan albatrosses at their nest. The incubating parent stands over the egg as she preens her partner, who sits beside the nest.

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Tash Gillies @tashgillies.bsky.social · May 23

We think this is an important gap - there are many interesting adaptive & non-adaptive explanations for same-sex pairing in birds (and other taxa), but without data, we can't test them. With the right data, we could answer a wealth of fascinating Qs about behaviour, evolution & ecology. 3/n

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Tash Gillies @tashgillies.bsky.social · May 23

This ended up being a pretty quick project because it turns out the literature is very small. Yet when we asked fellow researchers, a sizeable number had seen same-sex pairs in their study systems. So where are the publications? 2/n

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Tash Gillies @tashgillies.bsky.social · May 23

Out this week: a short review co-authored with @katrina-siddiqi.bsky.social on same-sex partnerships in birds! 🐦🌈 Borne out of a shared frustration: why are these partnerships often ignored or actively removed from our datasets? 1/n

doi.org/10.1002/jav....

Same‐sex partnerships in birds: a review of the current literature and a call for more data

Same-sex sexual behaviour (SSB), encompassing actions such as courtship, pair bonding, and parenting between individuals of the same sex, has been observed across numerous taxa, including birds. Yet ...

doi.org

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Dr Katrina Siddiqi-Davies @katrina-siddiqi.bsky.social · May 20

Our review paper about same sex partnerships in birds is out today🏳️‍🌈🐦:

nsojournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...

It has been so fun working with @tashgillies.bsky.social and I can't wait to do more projects together

Yay to the gay birds!!!

Illustration : @bertillemohring.bsky.social

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Noam Ross @noamross.net · Apr 30

UPDATE: We have data on >1000 terminated #NSF grants at grant-watch.us. Thanks to all who have been contributing data the past few days.

We've also added a "Reports" section with some analyses. For NSF, we see that the STEM education directorate has been absolutely pummeled.

Screenshot of table showing number of grants and total value terminated by NSF directorate. STEM Education directorate is highlighted, with 417 terminations totaling 322 million dollars.

CSV of table:
Directorate,No. Terminated,Total Value
Biological Sciences,46,"$27,960,075"
Computer and Information Science and Engineering,85,"$44,630,113"
Engineering,94,"$33,472,485"
Geosciences,52,"$36,454,740"
Mathematical and Physical Sciences,30,"$6,418,312"
Office of the Director,7,"$4,859,738"
STEM Education,417,"$322,680,063"
"Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences",266,"$77,635,904"
"Technology, Innovation and Partnerships",46,"$62,231,309"

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Friederike [freddy; she/her] Hillemann @fhillemann.bsky.social · Apr 25

new preprint: ecoevorxiv.org/repository/view/9055

Code used in research is key to the methods and scientific output and we should ensure it’s not just "available" but easy to verify and build on.

We present a practical tool to code review for scientists 🧪

work with @animalecol-nioo.bsky.social

Code review in practice: A checklist for computational reproducibility and collaborative research in ecology and evolution

ecoevorxiv.org

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Marine Conservation Society @mcsuk.bsky.social · Feb 11

Our volunteers recently found some retro rubbish during their beach cleans. It's a stark reminder that litter takes a long time to break down! Do you remember any of these?

If you're interested in getting involved with a beach clean, find one happening near you on our site: mcsuk.org/beachcleans

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Hopkins Press @hopkinspress.bsky.social · Jul 24

In the new Configurations, a deep dive into the the distribution, life history, and phylogeny of a new deep-sea “species,” Plasticus sacculi — a common ocean plastic bag

Read free in Configurations through 9 August

ow.ly/U1Mn50SIh1e

Promotional tile featuring cover art from the latest issue of Configurations, a figure from the article depicting a lateral view of Plasticus sacculi sp. nov., and the text:
The Global Distribution, Life History, and Taxonomic Description of the Common Oceanic Plastic Bag: Plasticus sacculi sp. nov
Read free in Configurations through 9 August

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The Seabird Group @theseabirdgroup.bsky.social · Feb 12

Got some artistic skills? Enter our Seabird Pride t-shirt competition! 🕊️🏳️‍🌈🎽 Details below ⬇️ #SeabirdPride2025

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Tash Gillies @tashgillies.bsky.social · Feb 10

Hi @asab-spring-2025.bsky.social @asab.org - it looks like it's not possible to submit an abstract without registering at the same time. Can you confirm this is the case? Thanks!

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Samantha Patrick @samanthacpatrick.bsky.social · Feb 8

Looking for #PhD in behavioural and applied ecology? Our project will determine the importance individual level variation in #seabird #foraging for assessing the impact of wind farms @jon-seabirds.bsky.social @jaycee161.bsky.social @liverpooluni.bsky.social

www.findaphd.com/phds/project...

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BWEEMS @official-bweems.bsky.social · Jan 28

🧵 (1/5) 👀So what is open science?? Open data science refers to the tools and practices enabling reproducible, transparent, and inclusive practices for data intensive science!

Still not sure what we mean? We’ve got you! Examples below🫡

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Steph Harris @stephharris.bsky.social · Jan 15

New paper in @currentbiology.bsky.social on seabird wind use and foraging decisions!

doi.org/10.1016/j.cu...

We estimated wind selectivity in Manx shearwaters and explored how birds handle the trade-off between being wind efficient and targeting known foraging areas

@sosbangor.bsky.social

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Corey Bradshaw @conservbytes.bsky.social · Jan 15

@nature.com is keen to find out how scientists are using @bsky.app and whether it has become their go-to social-media platform. Do you use Bluesky? Has it replaced Xitter? We want to hear from you.

www.nature.com/articles/d41...

#eXit

Has Bluesky replaced X for scientists? Take Nature’s poll

The research community has flocked to the social-media platform Bluesky. Tell us about your experience.

www.nature.com

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BOU @bou.org.uk · Jan 13

📢 APPLICATIONS ARE NOW OPEN...

...for the BOU Summer Placement Scheme

Financially supporting undergraduate students to carry out summer #ornithology research placements

Application deadline: 31 March

Guidelines & application form: bou.org.uk/funding/s...

🪶 #ukbirds

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Ben Sheldon @sheldonbirds.bsky.social · Jan 13

Unsurprisingly I am very much in agreement with this article. I've put a lot of effort in recently to prevent the undermining of field-based teaching, including pointing out the invisible subsidy that field-based teaching (& research) provide other teaching & research

www.cell.com/trends/ecolo...

Extinction of experience among ecologists

Fieldwork-based research and education in ecology are under multiple threats and are progressively declining. We call for greater attention to this ongoing loss of direct field experience within the e...

www.cell.com

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Tash Gillies @tashgillies.bsky.social · Jan 9

Congratulations Alice!! 🥳🐧

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Elli Leadbeater @ellileadbeater.bsky.social · Dec 9

PhD position available! Are you interested in how natural selection shapes the evolution of animal memory? Be part of our experimental evolution plans at UCL @ucl-pnl.bsky.social @treesdla.bsky.social , co-supervised by Flo Camus @fcamus.bsky.social. www.trees-dla.ac.uk/projects/evo...

Evolutionary ecology of animal memory | UCL Trees

This project seeks to explore how memory evolves in response to the ecological tasks that animals face in their natural environment. Associative memory exists in some form in almost all animal species...

www.trees-dla.ac.uk

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Louise Blight @louiseblight.bsky.social · Dec 16

"Gulls are intelligent, vital birds that deserve our protection, not scorn"
www.salon.com/2024/10/20/g...

Why gulls don't deserve the hate

There’s a lot we get wrong about our least favorite seabirds

www.salon.com

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