Gavin Leighton
@gavinleighton.bsky.social
Evolutionary Biologist & Behavioral Ecologist, Associate Professor at SUNY Buffalo State. Studying mimicry in woodpeckers and the evolution of social behavior in birds.
Opinions my own. He/him.
Opinions my own. He/him.
I will be presenting research on how the abundance of mimics and models affect the social performance and competitiveness of these groups. If you're keen on behavior and geospatial data this might be of particular interest. That is happening tomorrow, Thursday (07/10) at 10:45 AM in Chesapeake B.
July 9, 2025 at 5:38 PM
I will be presenting research on how the abundance of mimics and models affect the social performance and competitiveness of these groups. If you're keen on behavior and geospatial data this might be of particular interest. That is happening tomorrow, Thursday (07/10) at 10:45 AM in Chesapeake B.
A couple presentations from the lab at #ABS2025! The first is a poster by Catherine Alverson during the first poster session, tonight (07/09). Catherine will be discussing her research on the evolution of dimorphism across thousands of bird species.
July 9, 2025 at 5:38 PM
A couple presentations from the lab at #ABS2025! The first is a poster by Catherine Alverson during the first poster session, tonight (07/09). Catherine will be discussing her research on the evolution of dimorphism across thousands of bird species.
#StandUpForScience2025 rally in Buffalo.
Excellent job organizing @mikefeigin.bsky.social and kudos to all the speakers and organizers.
And big ups to the person with the “science is the powerhouse of society” sign. 10/10.
Excellent job organizing @mikefeigin.bsky.social and kudos to all the speakers and organizers.
And big ups to the person with the “science is the powerhouse of society” sign. 10/10.
March 7, 2025 at 11:24 PM
#StandUpForScience2025 rally in Buffalo.
Excellent job organizing @mikefeigin.bsky.social and kudos to all the speakers and organizers.
And big ups to the person with the “science is the powerhouse of society” sign. 10/10.
Excellent job organizing @mikefeigin.bsky.social and kudos to all the speakers and organizers.
And big ups to the person with the “science is the powerhouse of society” sign. 10/10.
New *faculty position* at SUNY Buffalo State (my institution). We are hiring an Aquatic Biologist that will be split between the Bio Department and the Great Lakes Center. Teaching is 3 courses across an academic year, expectation of writing grants. Apply here:
jobs.buffalostate.edu/postings/7764
jobs.buffalostate.edu/postings/7764
January 24, 2025 at 12:20 PM
New *faculty position* at SUNY Buffalo State (my institution). We are hiring an Aquatic Biologist that will be split between the Bio Department and the Great Lakes Center. Teaching is 3 courses across an academic year, expectation of writing grants. Apply here:
jobs.buffalostate.edu/postings/7764
jobs.buffalostate.edu/postings/7764
Have you ever lost a sunny disposition due to brutally cold weather? Perhaps that happens in other animals! I'll be presenting a talk this morning on how aggressive contests in species change due to meteorological conditions. Today at #Evol2024 in the Behavior V session at 10:30 AM (Room 524C)!
July 29, 2024 at 11:53 AM
Have you ever lost a sunny disposition due to brutally cold weather? Perhaps that happens in other animals! I'll be presenting a talk this morning on how aggressive contests in species change due to meteorological conditions. Today at #Evol2024 in the Behavior V session at 10:30 AM (Room 524C)!
We also find several other cool relationships, especially as it relates to phylogeny and ecology. Figure 1 and 2 in the paper show the focal results of those relationships. We are hoping this work stimulates more investigation of interspecific aggression among species pairs!
Photo (c) Brad Imhoff
Photo (c) Brad Imhoff
January 6, 2024 at 5:52 PM
We also find several other cool relationships, especially as it relates to phylogeny and ecology. Figure 1 and 2 in the paper show the focal results of those relationships. We are hoping this work stimulates more investigation of interspecific aggression among species pairs!
Photo (c) Brad Imhoff
Photo (c) Brad Imhoff
3. We find that species that have increasing familiarity tend to fight less than expected after controlling for abundance (our DEE variable).
- So species that "know" each other fight less than you would expect given how often you see them at the same location.
- So species that "know" each other fight less than you would expect given how often you see them at the same location.
January 6, 2024 at 5:51 PM
3. We find that species that have increasing familiarity tend to fight less than expected after controlling for abundance (our DEE variable).
- So species that "know" each other fight less than you would expect given how often you see them at the same location.
- So species that "know" each other fight less than you would expect given how often you see them at the same location.
2. We find that species that have increasing familiarity tend to be more lopsided in who wins the tussles.
- Species potentially recognize if they are challenging/or are being challenged, by a tougher species. And act accordingly.
- Species potentially recognize if they are challenging/or are being challenged, by a tougher species. And act accordingly.
January 6, 2024 at 5:49 PM
2. We find that species that have increasing familiarity tend to be more lopsided in who wins the tussles.
- Species potentially recognize if they are challenging/or are being challenged, by a tougher species. And act accordingly.
- Species potentially recognize if they are challenging/or are being challenged, by a tougher species. And act accordingly.
1. We find that as species increase in familiarity (syntopic overlap), they tend to have been observed in a fight at some point.
- In other words, species that run into each other more are likely to have ever been observed getting into a tussle.
- In other words, species that run into each other more are likely to have ever been observed getting into a tussle.
January 6, 2024 at 5:48 PM
1. We find that as species increase in familiarity (syntopic overlap), they tend to have been observed in a fight at some point.
- In other words, species that run into each other more are likely to have ever been observed getting into a tussle.
- In other words, species that run into each other more are likely to have ever been observed getting into a tussle.
New paper on interspecific dominance in birds! With coauthors @jonathanpdrury.bsky.social, Jay Small, and @eliotmiller.bsky.social, we have explored whether species potentially recognize their location in the interspecific dominance hierarchy:
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Photo (c) Smith Luton.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Photo (c) Smith Luton.
January 6, 2024 at 5:46 PM
New paper on interspecific dominance in birds! With coauthors @jonathanpdrury.bsky.social, Jay Small, and @eliotmiller.bsky.social, we have explored whether species potentially recognize their location in the interspecific dominance hierarchy:
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Photo (c) Smith Luton.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Photo (c) Smith Luton.
Hey yall! If you're at the AOS meeting then swing by my talk Wednesday (tomorrow; 08/23) at 11:15 am in Salon B1. I'll be sharing results on interspecific dominance hierarchies in birds and whether birds are perhaps adapting to them.
August 8, 2023 at 9:57 PM
Hey yall! If you're at the AOS meeting then swing by my talk Wednesday (tomorrow; 08/23) at 11:15 am in Salon B1. I'll be sharing results on interspecific dominance hierarchies in birds and whether birds are perhaps adapting to them.