On-going work
Mechanisms underlying the rapid loss of migratory behaviour under anthropogenic environmental change: a multidisciplinary approach
Principal Investigator
Anthropogenic activities are drastically disrupting bird migration patterns worldwide, and some species are even losing their migratory behaviour. This project aims to shed light on the mechanisms through which ecological and evolutionary processes can be swiftly altered within the lifetime of individuals and evaluate the timescales over which populations can adapt to environmental change.
Project funded by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia, through the CEEC 6th Edition.
Effects of anthropogenic food subsidies on the health and movements of opportunistic avian species: a One Health approach
Postdoctoral Fellow
French Institute for Research and Development (IRD) PI: Marta Acácio, Karen D. McCoy
This project aims to understand how anthropogenic food resources influence the early-life health and movement behaviour of two opportunistic species frequently found in urbanised areas of southern Europe: the yellow-legged gull (Larus michahellis), and the white stork (Ciconia ciconia).
Project funded by Campus France, through the Make Our Planet Great Again (MOPGA) Fellowhsips
Past research experience
2022 – 2024: Uncovering how links between social and spatial interactions affect ecological processes. Postdoctoral researcher. Tel Aviv University, Israel. PIs: Orr Spiegel and Noa Pinter-Wollman (University of California, LA). Funding: U.S. National Science Foundation – Israel Binational Science Foundation (NSF-BSF).
2022-2023: Ageing in nature: Lifelong changes in the movement and social behavior of the endangered Griffon Vulture. Postdoctoral Fellow. Funding: George S. Wise Postdoctoral Fellowship.
2018 – 2022: The determinants of migratory and dispersal movements of long-lived birds. PhD candidate. University of East Anglia, UK. Supervisors: Aldina Franco, Phil Atkinson, João Paulo Silva. Funding: Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), via the NEXUSS CDT Training in the Smart and Autonomous Observation of the Environment (NE/N012070/1).
2018 – 2022: Birds on the Move: Adaptive migratory behaviour in response to global environmental change.PhD candidate. PI: Inês Catry. CIBIO, University of Porto, Portugal. Funding: Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT) POCI-01-0145-FEDER-028176.
2014 – 2017:Movetech Telemetry – Proof of concept of GPS/GPRS loggers. Research Associate. PI: Aldina Franco, Phil Atkinson, João Paulo Silva. University of East Anglia, UK.
2015: Satellite tracking of Houbara Bustards in Uzbekistan.Research Assistant. PI: Paul Dolman. University of East Anglia, UK.
2014: Effects of tropical forest fragmentation on Amazonian bats and birds. Field Assistant. PI: Jorge Palmeirim, Christoph Meyer. University of Lisbon, Portugal. Funding: Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia.
2014: Study of the migration of Lesser Black-backed Gulls. Leonardo Da Vinci Internship. Institute for Avian Research, Germany. Funding: Leonardo da Vinci EU programme.
2011 – 2013: Effect of grazing on the birds and bats of Montado forests. MSc student and Research Assistant. University of Lisbon, Portugal. Funding: Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia.