Ana V. Leitão
@anavleitao.bsky.social
Behavioural & evolutionary ecologist | PhD | Interested in animal communication, evolution of bird' traits on islands, bird cognition, avian female colours and song.
She/her
www.islandbirdproject.com
She/her
www.islandbirdproject.com
Pinned
Morphological Evolution in Island Birds Is Associated With More Terrestrial Lifestyles and a Lower Number of Raptors and Intra‐Family Competitors | onlinelibrary.wiley.... | Global Ecology and Biogeography | #ornithology #RaptorResearch 🪶
New work out from our @islandbirdproject.bsky.social team lead by @raquelponti.bsky.social
We will be presenting this at the upcoming conference #BOUasm25
"A day at the museum: collections-based
ornithological research in a changing world" on BlueSky, 18th of Nov.
We will be presenting this at the upcoming conference #BOUasm25
"A day at the museum: collections-based
ornithological research in a changing world" on BlueSky, 18th of Nov.
Reposted by Ana V. Leitão
Konstanz school of Collective Behavior will take place again from 20th July to 7th August , 2026. We have an amazing line up of speakers covering state of the art research on collective behavior across systems. Application deadline : March 15th
Details here: www.exc.uni-konstanz.de/kscb/applica...
Details here: www.exc.uni-konstanz.de/kscb/applica...
December 2, 2025 at 4:59 PM
Konstanz school of Collective Behavior will take place again from 20th July to 7th August , 2026. We have an amazing line up of speakers covering state of the art research on collective behavior across systems. Application deadline : March 15th
Details here: www.exc.uni-konstanz.de/kscb/applica...
Details here: www.exc.uni-konstanz.de/kscb/applica...
Reposted by Ana V. Leitão
EEB Postdoctoral Fellowship @ U.Toronto app deadline Jan 15 2026. Opportunity for independent research, encourages collab across labs/disciplines. Lots of great folks to interact with, Come join us!
eeb.utoronto.ca/employment-2/
eeb.utoronto.ca/employment-2/
Employment - Ecology & Evolutionary Biology
eeb.utoronto.ca
December 2, 2025 at 9:09 PM
EEB Postdoctoral Fellowship @ U.Toronto app deadline Jan 15 2026. Opportunity for independent research, encourages collab across labs/disciplines. Lots of great folks to interact with, Come join us!
eeb.utoronto.ca/employment-2/
eeb.utoronto.ca/employment-2/
Reposted by Ana V. Leitão
We are happy to announce that registration for ISBE2026 is now open! We encourage you to register as soon as possible to take advantage of reduced fees and to plan your trip and accommodation in advance.
Please read the information on www.isbe2026.com before proceeding with your registration.
Please read the information on www.isbe2026.com before proceeding with your registration.
November 28, 2025 at 6:57 AM
We are happy to announce that registration for ISBE2026 is now open! We encourage you to register as soon as possible to take advantage of reduced fees and to plan your trip and accommodation in advance.
Please read the information on www.isbe2026.com before proceeding with your registration.
Please read the information on www.isbe2026.com before proceeding with your registration.
Reposted by Ana V. Leitão
Thrilled that @shreyadimri.bsky.social & I will be part of #LoveMethods26!
We'll present on "How to avoid common problems in #SystematicReviews & #MetaAnalyses"
📅 Jan 19–23, 2026 | FREE | All online
Everyone's invited to join the entire week of workshops!
🔗 excelscior.uc.pt/love-methods...
We'll present on "How to avoid common problems in #SystematicReviews & #MetaAnalyses"
📅 Jan 19–23, 2026 | FREE | All online
Everyone's invited to join the entire week of workshops!
🔗 excelscior.uc.pt/love-methods...
November 25, 2025 at 9:35 AM
Thrilled that @shreyadimri.bsky.social & I will be part of #LoveMethods26!
We'll present on "How to avoid common problems in #SystematicReviews & #MetaAnalyses"
📅 Jan 19–23, 2026 | FREE | All online
Everyone's invited to join the entire week of workshops!
🔗 excelscior.uc.pt/love-methods...
We'll present on "How to avoid common problems in #SystematicReviews & #MetaAnalyses"
📅 Jan 19–23, 2026 | FREE | All online
Everyone's invited to join the entire week of workshops!
🔗 excelscior.uc.pt/love-methods...
Reposted by Ana V. Leitão
Our new @science.org paper is out! Cuckoos and hosts are locked in a coevolutionary arms race over egg mimicry.
But how are these egg types inherited, and could this drive speciation? We sequenced hundreds of genomes to find out!
doi.org/10.1126/scie...
🧵1/6
But how are these egg types inherited, and could this drive speciation? We sequenced hundreds of genomes to find out!
doi.org/10.1126/scie...
🧵1/6
Genomic architecture of egg mimicry and its consequences for speciation in parasitic cuckoos
Host-parasite arms races facilitate rapid evolution and can fuel speciation. Cuculus cuckoos are deceptive egg mimics that exhibit a broad diversity of counterfeit egg phenotypes, representing host-ad...
doi.org
October 30, 2025 at 7:15 PM
Our new @science.org paper is out! Cuckoos and hosts are locked in a coevolutionary arms race over egg mimicry.
But how are these egg types inherited, and could this drive speciation? We sequenced hundreds of genomes to find out!
doi.org/10.1126/scie...
🧵1/6
But how are these egg types inherited, and could this drive speciation? We sequenced hundreds of genomes to find out!
doi.org/10.1126/scie...
🧵1/6
Reposted by Ana V. Leitão
🧵1/5 Excited about our new paper in PRSB! @royalsocietypublishing.org
Can AI make research on avian brood parasitism easier? YES!
We show that AI model can identify conspecific parasitic eggs better than an average ornithologist.
doi.org/10.1098/rspb...
📸 Barn swallow – our study species.
Can AI make research on avian brood parasitism easier? YES!
We show that AI model can identify conspecific parasitic eggs better than an average ornithologist.
doi.org/10.1098/rspb...
📸 Barn swallow – our study species.
November 26, 2025 at 6:05 PM
🧵1/5 Excited about our new paper in PRSB! @royalsocietypublishing.org
Can AI make research on avian brood parasitism easier? YES!
We show that AI model can identify conspecific parasitic eggs better than an average ornithologist.
doi.org/10.1098/rspb...
📸 Barn swallow – our study species.
Can AI make research on avian brood parasitism easier? YES!
We show that AI model can identify conspecific parasitic eggs better than an average ornithologist.
doi.org/10.1098/rspb...
📸 Barn swallow – our study species.
Reposted by Ana V. Leitão
📢 JOB ALERT!
Interested in #Bioacoustics, #Linguistics and the #Evolution of #Language? We are seeking a #ResearchAssistant to join our project 'Convergent Evolution of Vocal Communication: Exploring the Parallels between #Birdsong and Human Speech'.👇 www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/43...
Interested in #Bioacoustics, #Linguistics and the #Evolution of #Language? We are seeking a #ResearchAssistant to join our project 'Convergent Evolution of Vocal Communication: Exploring the Parallels between #Birdsong and Human Speech'.👇 www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/43...
The University of Salford hiring Research Assistant in Bioacoustics in Manchester, England, United Kingdom | LinkedIn
Posted 10:02:26 AM. Research Assistant in BioacousticsUniversity of Salford, School of Science, Engineering &…See this and similar jobs on LinkedIn.
www.linkedin.com
November 18, 2025 at 10:15 AM
📢 JOB ALERT!
Interested in #Bioacoustics, #Linguistics and the #Evolution of #Language? We are seeking a #ResearchAssistant to join our project 'Convergent Evolution of Vocal Communication: Exploring the Parallels between #Birdsong and Human Speech'.👇 www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/43...
Interested in #Bioacoustics, #Linguistics and the #Evolution of #Language? We are seeking a #ResearchAssistant to join our project 'Convergent Evolution of Vocal Communication: Exploring the Parallels between #Birdsong and Human Speech'.👇 www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/43...
Reposted by Ana V. Leitão
Ana V. Leitão brings us “Morphological evolution in island birds is associated with more terrestrial lifestyles and a lower number of raptors and intra-family competitors” 🏝️🦅
@islandbirdproject.bsky.social #BOUasm25 #ornithology #evolution
@islandbirdproject.bsky.social #BOUasm25 #ornithology #evolution
1/8
Island environments drive unique evolutionary changes in birds. 🌴🐦
At #BOUasm25, we’re sharing our global 🌍 study using museum collections to uncover how living on islands influences the evolution of locomotion traits.
Our paper 👉 doi.org/10.1111%2Fge...
#IslandBirds #Ornithology
Island environments drive unique evolutionary changes in birds. 🌴🐦
At #BOUasm25, we’re sharing our global 🌍 study using museum collections to uncover how living on islands influences the evolution of locomotion traits.
Our paper 👉 doi.org/10.1111%2Fge...
#IslandBirds #Ornithology
November 18, 2025 at 1:46 PM
Ana V. Leitão brings us “Morphological evolution in island birds is associated with more terrestrial lifestyles and a lower number of raptors and intra-family competitors” 🏝️🦅
@islandbirdproject.bsky.social #BOUasm25 #ornithology #evolution
@islandbirdproject.bsky.social #BOUasm25 #ornithology #evolution
Reposted by Ana V. Leitão
1/8
Island environments drive unique evolutionary changes in birds. 🌴🐦
At #BOUasm25, we’re sharing our global 🌍 study using museum collections to uncover how living on islands influences the evolution of locomotion traits.
Our paper 👉 doi.org/10.1111%2Fge...
#IslandBirds #Ornithology
Island environments drive unique evolutionary changes in birds. 🌴🐦
At #BOUasm25, we’re sharing our global 🌍 study using museum collections to uncover how living on islands influences the evolution of locomotion traits.
Our paper 👉 doi.org/10.1111%2Fge...
#IslandBirds #Ornithology
November 18, 2025 at 1:45 PM
1/8
Island environments drive unique evolutionary changes in birds. 🌴🐦
At #BOUasm25, we’re sharing our global 🌍 study using museum collections to uncover how living on islands influences the evolution of locomotion traits.
Our paper 👉 doi.org/10.1111%2Fge...
#IslandBirds #Ornithology
Island environments drive unique evolutionary changes in birds. 🌴🐦
At #BOUasm25, we’re sharing our global 🌍 study using museum collections to uncover how living on islands influences the evolution of locomotion traits.
Our paper 👉 doi.org/10.1111%2Fge...
#IslandBirds #Ornithology
Reposted by Ana V. Leitão
All aspects of bird behaviour are a product of the anatomy and physiology of their brains. Brain anatomy can therefore provide new insights into bird behaviour.
Today at #BOU2025, I will discuss how museum specimens can potentially be used to study bird brains.
#ornithology #neuroskyence
1/6
Today at #BOU2025, I will discuss how museum specimens can potentially be used to study bird brains.
#ornithology #neuroskyence
1/6
November 18, 2025 at 12:15 PM
All aspects of bird behaviour are a product of the anatomy and physiology of their brains. Brain anatomy can therefore provide new insights into bird behaviour.
Today at #BOU2025, I will discuss how museum specimens can potentially be used to study bird brains.
#ornithology #neuroskyence
1/6
Today at #BOU2025, I will discuss how museum specimens can potentially be used to study bird brains.
#ornithology #neuroskyence
1/6
This publication presents the Co-BreeD database, a collaborative tool for studying cooperative breeding across mammals and birds.
Check out the story behind our work on Co-BreeD, written by fabulous @maikewoith.bsky.social and published as a blog in @animalecology.bsky.social
animalecologyinfocus.com/2025/11/11/h...
animalecologyinfocus.com/2025/11/11/h...
How Co-BreeD can change how we see cooperation in animals
This blog post is provided by Maike Woith and tells the #StoryBehindThePaper for the article “An integrative, peer-reviewed and open-source cooperative-breeding database (Co-BreeD)”, wh…
animalecologyinfocus.com
November 17, 2025 at 2:57 PM
This publication presents the Co-BreeD database, a collaborative tool for studying cooperative breeding across mammals and birds.
Reposted by Ana V. Leitão
#jobalert
Postdoctoral position in Applied animal ethology and animal perception
Department of Biosystems and Technology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Alnarp, Sweden
More information: www.applied-ethology.org/Postdoctoral...
Postdoctoral position in Applied animal ethology and animal perception
Department of Biosystems and Technology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Alnarp, Sweden
More information: www.applied-ethology.org/Postdoctoral...
November 9, 2025 at 6:00 PM
#jobalert
Postdoctoral position in Applied animal ethology and animal perception
Department of Biosystems and Technology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Alnarp, Sweden
More information: www.applied-ethology.org/Postdoctoral...
Postdoctoral position in Applied animal ethology and animal perception
Department of Biosystems and Technology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Alnarp, Sweden
More information: www.applied-ethology.org/Postdoctoral...
Reposted by Ana V. Leitão
PhD project on the evolution of animal memory now available in my research group, through the TREES DLA: www.trees-dla.ac.uk/projects/evo.... Come and join us if you're interested in the evolution of animal minds and you want to do some cool experimental evolution!
Evolutionary ecology of animal memory | TREES DLA
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
November 6, 2025 at 3:23 PM
PhD project on the evolution of animal memory now available in my research group, through the TREES DLA: www.trees-dla.ac.uk/projects/evo.... Come and join us if you're interested in the evolution of animal minds and you want to do some cool experimental evolution!
Reposted by Ana V. Leitão
1/13 New paper out! www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Historical records across thousands of women showed that mothers with more children had shorter lifespans during a famine, fitting an evolutionary explanation for why we age
@hannahdugdale.bsky.social
@lummaalab.bsky.social
@erikpostma.bsky.social
Historical records across thousands of women showed that mothers with more children had shorter lifespans during a famine, fitting an evolutionary explanation for why we age
@hannahdugdale.bsky.social
@lummaalab.bsky.social
@erikpostma.bsky.social
November 10, 2025 at 10:57 AM
1/13 New paper out! www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Historical records across thousands of women showed that mothers with more children had shorter lifespans during a famine, fitting an evolutionary explanation for why we age
@hannahdugdale.bsky.social
@lummaalab.bsky.social
@erikpostma.bsky.social
Historical records across thousands of women showed that mothers with more children had shorter lifespans during a famine, fitting an evolutionary explanation for why we age
@hannahdugdale.bsky.social
@lummaalab.bsky.social
@erikpostma.bsky.social
New work out from our @islandbirdproject.bsky.social team lead by @raquelponti.bsky.social
We will be presenting this at the upcoming conference #BOUasm25
"A day at the museum: collections-based
ornithological research in a changing world" on BlueSky, 18th of Nov.
We will be presenting this at the upcoming conference #BOUasm25
"A day at the museum: collections-based
ornithological research in a changing world" on BlueSky, 18th of Nov.
Morphological Evolution in Island Birds Is Associated With More Terrestrial Lifestyles and a Lower Number of Raptors and Intra‐Family Competitors | onlinelibrary.wiley.... | Global Ecology and Biogeography | #ornithology #RaptorResearch 🪶
November 5, 2025 at 9:38 PM
New work out from our @islandbirdproject.bsky.social team lead by @raquelponti.bsky.social
We will be presenting this at the upcoming conference #BOUasm25
"A day at the museum: collections-based
ornithological research in a changing world" on BlueSky, 18th of Nov.
We will be presenting this at the upcoming conference #BOUasm25
"A day at the museum: collections-based
ornithological research in a changing world" on BlueSky, 18th of Nov.
Reposted by Ana V. Leitão
Award alert! 🎖️🚨 Every other year, the Ethologische Gesellschaft awards the Niko Tinbergen Award to outstanding post-doc level researchers in Behavioural Biology (<=6yrs post PhD exam).
...and this year is one of these years! Please send us your nominations! 🫵 Infos: www.etho-ges.de/wordpress/aw...
...and this year is one of these years! Please send us your nominations! 🫵 Infos: www.etho-ges.de/wordpress/aw...
Awards – Ethologische Gesellschaft e.V.
www.etho-ges.de
October 31, 2025 at 2:58 PM
Award alert! 🎖️🚨 Every other year, the Ethologische Gesellschaft awards the Niko Tinbergen Award to outstanding post-doc level researchers in Behavioural Biology (<=6yrs post PhD exam).
...and this year is one of these years! Please send us your nominations! 🫵 Infos: www.etho-ges.de/wordpress/aw...
...and this year is one of these years! Please send us your nominations! 🫵 Infos: www.etho-ges.de/wordpress/aw...
Reposted by Ana V. Leitão
New story on the Avian Hybrids blog!
Owls become darker and redder toward the equator
avianhybrids.wordpress.com/2025/10/15/o...
Based on the Global Ecology and Biogeography paper by Arianna Passarotto et al. | #ornithology #RaptorResearch
Owls become darker and redder toward the equator
avianhybrids.wordpress.com/2025/10/15/o...
Based on the Global Ecology and Biogeography paper by Arianna Passarotto et al. | #ornithology #RaptorResearch
Owls become darker and redder toward the equator
Which mechanisms can explain this ecogeographical pattern?
avianhybrids.wordpress.com
October 15, 2025 at 7:09 AM
New story on the Avian Hybrids blog!
Owls become darker and redder toward the equator
avianhybrids.wordpress.com/2025/10/15/o...
Based on the Global Ecology and Biogeography paper by Arianna Passarotto et al. | #ornithology #RaptorResearch
Owls become darker and redder toward the equator
avianhybrids.wordpress.com/2025/10/15/o...
Based on the Global Ecology and Biogeography paper by Arianna Passarotto et al. | #ornithology #RaptorResearch
Reposted by Ana V. Leitão
Your daily Avian Hybrids story!
The constrained evolutionary trajectories of White-eyes on the African mainland and its islands
avianhybrids.wordpress.com/2021/03/09/t...
#ornithology
The constrained evolutionary trajectories of White-eyes on the African mainland and its islands
avianhybrids.wordpress.com/2021/03/09/t...
#ornithology
The constrained evolutionary trajectories of White-eyes on the African mainland and its islands
The patterns of constrained evolution suggest a non-adaptive radiation.
avianhybrids.wordpress.com
October 31, 2025 at 2:06 PM
Your daily Avian Hybrids story!
The constrained evolutionary trajectories of White-eyes on the African mainland and its islands
avianhybrids.wordpress.com/2021/03/09/t...
#ornithology
The constrained evolutionary trajectories of White-eyes on the African mainland and its islands
avianhybrids.wordpress.com/2021/03/09/t...
#ornithology
Reposted by Ana V. Leitão
Sandra Trigo @trigosandra.bsky.social the second plenary speaker of the #SPEetol2025 presenting how sex-differences in ornamentation are expresed and regulated in birds. Such a great start!
@spetologia.bsky.social
Fishethologygroup
@ccmar.bsky.social
@spetologia.bsky.social
Fishethologygroup
@ccmar.bsky.social
October 31, 2025 at 9:59 AM
Sandra Trigo @trigosandra.bsky.social the second plenary speaker of the #SPEetol2025 presenting how sex-differences in ornamentation are expresed and regulated in birds. Such a great start!
@spetologia.bsky.social
Fishethologygroup
@ccmar.bsky.social
@spetologia.bsky.social
Fishethologygroup
@ccmar.bsky.social
Reposted by Ana V. Leitão
The morning session of the last day of #SPEetol2025 conference, the "Evolution and mechanisms of signal expressio " session, included amazing talks regarding the study of signals evolved and are expressed! Thank you to all the speakers, it was great to know more about your research 😊
October 31, 2025 at 10:46 AM
The morning session of the last day of #SPEetol2025 conference, the "Evolution and mechanisms of signal expressio " session, included amazing talks regarding the study of signals evolved and are expressed! Thank you to all the speakers, it was great to know more about your research 😊
Reposted by Ana V. Leitão
#SPEetol2025 is starting!
Welcome notes from the vice-president of SPE Ana Leitão @anavleitao.bsky.social
@spetologia.bsky.social
fishethogroup
@ccmar.bsky.social
Welcome notes from the vice-president of SPE Ana Leitão @anavleitao.bsky.social
@spetologia.bsky.social
fishethogroup
@ccmar.bsky.social
October 30, 2025 at 9:37 AM
#SPEetol2025 is starting!
Welcome notes from the vice-president of SPE Ana Leitão @anavleitao.bsky.social
@spetologia.bsky.social
fishethogroup
@ccmar.bsky.social
Welcome notes from the vice-president of SPE Ana Leitão @anavleitao.bsky.social
@spetologia.bsky.social
fishethogroup
@ccmar.bsky.social
Paper and database now online! Massive work from @benmocha.bsky.social and team, and so great to be part of it!
1/6 The Cooperative-Breeding Database (Co-BreeD) is alive! Co-BreeD covers key biological parameters relevant to cooperative breeding research in birds and mammals. Get your copy of this updateable & open-access database: besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
@animalecology.bsky.social
@animalecology.bsky.social
An integrative, peer‐reviewed and open‐source cooperative‐breeding database (Co‐BreeD)
Co-BreeD is the first updatable and open-source database dedicated to cooperative breeding. It enables continuous, non-binary measurement of cooperative breeding, transforming how we study breeding s....
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
October 24, 2025 at 7:06 AM
Paper and database now online! Massive work from @benmocha.bsky.social and team, and so great to be part of it!
Reposted by Ana V. Leitão
Ana Leitão & Raquel Ponti, from CIBIO-BIOPOLIS, will investigate bird evolution in insular environments. Their SIBECOL-funded project explores how reduced predation & stable climates shape sexual dimorphism in endemic species. @anavleitao.bsky.social @raquelponti.bsky.social #evolution #birdresearch
October 20, 2025 at 1:55 PM
Ana Leitão & Raquel Ponti, from CIBIO-BIOPOLIS, will investigate bird evolution in insular environments. Their SIBECOL-funded project explores how reduced predation & stable climates shape sexual dimorphism in endemic species. @anavleitao.bsky.social @raquelponti.bsky.social #evolution #birdresearch
Reposted by Ana V. Leitão
Interested in hosting a symposium, workshop, or other special event?! Please see these instructions and reach out to your societies.
www.evolutionmeetings.org/host-a-works...
www.evolutionmeetings.org/host-a-works...
Host a Workshop or Symposium
If you are interested in hosting a special event of some type as part of the conference (e.g., a reception, editorial/council or other meeting, workshop, information session, special presentation,...
www.evolutionmeetings.org
October 17, 2025 at 2:29 PM
Interested in hosting a symposium, workshop, or other special event?! Please see these instructions and reach out to your societies.
www.evolutionmeetings.org/host-a-works...
www.evolutionmeetings.org/host-a-works...
Reposted by Ana V. Leitão
🐦 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 14, 2025 at 6:45 PM
🐦 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