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Damien Farine

@damienfarine.bsky.social
2.3K followers 760 following 123 posts

Analysing collectives of living dinosaurs. Discoverer of multilevel societies. Watcher of fishers and dolphins. Modeller of emergent phenomena. Caretaker of long term guineafowl, fairywren and chough projects. A/Prof @ Australian National Uni.

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Reposted by Damien Farine
Mongabay @mongabay.com · 02/09/2026
A three-decade study reveals that Australia’s once-common superb fairywren is rapidly declining in Canberra and could disappear within decades. Restoring bushy habitat and conserving insect populations are key to saving the woodland bird. @cooperwilliams.bsky.social reports for #Mongabay.
mongabay.cc
Superb fairywrens disappearing in Australia’s capital: Conserving insects could help save them
If you sit in an Australian park or garden for long enough, chances are you might catch a flash of brilliant feathers out of the corner of your eye: the superb fairywren. With its bright blue and…
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Damien Farine @damienfarine.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
The case of the disappearing fairywrens. Article just out focusing on our @fairywrensanu.bsky.social @scienceanu.bsky.social @anupress.bsky.social long term study and the recent declines we've detected. Nice to see our call for long term studies is highlighted. news.mongabay.com/2026/08/supe...
news.mongabay.com
Superb fairywrens disappearing in Australia’s capital: Conserving insects could help save them
If you sit in an Australian park or garden for long enough, chances are you might catch a flash of brilliant feathers out of the corner of your eye: the superb fairywren. With its bright blue and soft...
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Reposted by Damien Farine
michael chimento @mchimento.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
this was the inspiration for doi.org/10.1098/rstb... with @damienfarine.bsky.social. the take-home is that explicitly accounting for movement removes a lot of the between-rule variation in transmission dynamics. the time it takes individuals to move into contact dominates the dynamics.
doi.org
The contribution of movement to social network structure and spreading dynamics under simple and complex transmission
Abstract. The structure of social networks fundamentally influences spreading dynamics. In general, the more contact between individuals, the more opportun
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Damien Farine @damienfarine.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
(4) Proceeds go back to a society to support early career researchers (e.g. travel grants, small research grants, etc.)
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Damien Farine @damienfarine.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
Sorry for #ISBE2026 attendees who couldn't get into my talk. See our preprint below to find out more about our recent analyses, + my recent book chapter (drive.google.com/file/d/1g0eO...) Reach out if you're interested in our awesome BLE tags (besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....).
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
Low‐cost animal tracking using Bluetooth low energy beacons on a crowd‐sourced network
Animal tracking has opened the door to address many fundamental questions in ecology and conservation. Whilst historically animals have been tracked as a means to understand their large-scale move...
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Reposted by Damien Farine
Samuele Ramellini @sramellini.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
@isbe2026.bsky.social, our new preprint is out! If you're interested in seasonal biases in ecology, check it out! Or, come and talk to us! @damienfarine.bsky.social will present this tomorrow morning at 11.30 (room Rome)! doi.org/10.32942/X2K...
doi.org
Seasonal biases in data collection cause conceptual gaps in animal ecology
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Reposted by Damien Farine
Jess Stephenson @jfstep.bsky.social · 18/07/2026
Hey @isbe2026.bsky.social - I’ll be in Turin from tomorrow, and looking to recruit PhD student and postdoc to my lab in Stockholm soon… anyone interested in parasites, sexual selection, transgen effects, fish (guppy) tracking - let’s meet up!
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Reposted by Damien Farine
Louis Bliard @lbliard.bsky.social · 13/07/2026
Do social bird species have more stable demographic histories? We do not find this to be the case in our new preprint doi.org/10.32942/X2N... Together with @ryangermain.bsky.social and many others
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Andrew King @shoalgroup.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
We have funding for SWARM-E, a long-term group at @zif-bielefeld.bsky.social! I'll be leading with co-leads @marinapapa.bsky.social @joefresna.bsky.social to better understand collective behaviour across biological and artificial systems. First workshop 2027... www.shoalgroup.org/swarm More soon!
SWARM-E plus logo
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Reposted by Damien Farine
Dom Cram @domcram.bsky.social · 03/07/2026
How do animals cooperate when they aren't even the same species? Our recent review paper dug deep into the literature... 1/ Read the full paper: doi.org/10.1016/j.an...
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Damien Farine @damienfarine.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
Awesome *postdoc* opportunity with Megan Head at @biologyanu.bsky.social on thermal ecology of beetles. Great place to work, great project, amazing supervisor and really good pay. Don't miss out! jobs.anu.edu.au/jobs/postdoc...
jobs.anu.edu.au
Postdoctoral Fellow - Canberra / ACT, ACT, Australia
Classification:  Academic Level ASalary package: $91,546 - $114,906 per annum plus 17% superannuation Terms:  Full time, Fixed term (up to 2 years) (flexible arrangements, job share, or part time hour...
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Reposted by Damien Farine
Prof Nichola Raihani @nicholaraihani.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
If you have (or will soon) complete your PhD & would like to join a thriving cultural evolution research group in NEW ZEALAND, drop me a line. UoA offers a handful of funded research fellowships. Applications must be made by a faculty member. Deadline August. Pls share with your students
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Michael Kearney @ecophys.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
I'm looking for a postdoc to work on an Australian Research Council Laureate Project on climate change responses, applying a Julia implementation of the NicheMapR package. The work could go in control theory, DEB theory or population process directions unimelb.wd105.myworkdayjobs.com/UoM_External...
unimelb.wd105.myworkdayjobs.com
Research Fellow in Biophysical Ecology
Role type: Full Time (1.0 FTE); Fixed term for 2 years Faculty: Faculty of Science Department/ School: School of BioSciences Salary: Level A: $87,266 - $118,416 p.a. plus 17% super ARC-funded climate ...
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Damien Farine @damienfarine.bsky.social · 25/06/2026
Very fun to chat with BBC World Service about Bluetooth and how it's powering our bird tracking projects. www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w... @scienceanu.bsky.social @biologyanu.bsky.social
bbc.co.uk
BBC World Service - CrowdScience, How does Bluetooth work?
Bluetooth lets us share files and listen to music without wires. But how does it work?
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Reposted by Damien Farine
Cultural Evolution Society @culturalevolsoc.bsky.social · 12/06/2026
Our latest episode of Transmissions is out! This one features Prof. Dr. Lucy Aplin, a leading cognitive ecologist from the University of Zurich and Australian National University. This marks our very first episode dedicated entirely to understanding animal culture! youtu.be/M7qCTKRNVuA?...
youtu.be
Transmissions Episode 6 with Dr Lucy Aplin
YouTube video by Cultural Evolution Society
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Reposted by Damien Farine
Steve Portugal @sjportugal.bsky.social · 19/05/2026
We have a full time permanent technician position open, specialising in fish. Based at the John Krebs Field Station out at Wytham (University of Oxford). @biology.ox.ac.uk my.corehr.com/pls/uoxrecru...
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Damien Farine @damienfarine.bsky.social · 18/05/2026
Craziest bird during field work, a Wilson's storm-petrel far from its natural habitat. At first I thought "weird how that swallow is behaving like a storm-petrel!" 🤯
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Damien Farine @damienfarine.bsky.social · 15/05/2026
Many lifers have been gotten from my seat behind the sonar computer. Here's today's one! (Binoscoped quickly while collecting data)
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Damien Farine @damienfarine.bsky.social · 12/05/2026
First day in the field, sampling a new dolphin fisher interaction site in southern Brazil. Exciting to see what we'll discover!
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Reposted by Damien Farine
Royal Society Publishing @royalsocietypublishing.org · 05/05/2026
Animals can learn by copying others, which helps them find food and survive. The Great tit, a small passerine is good at social learning. This #RSOS paper tested whether two common parasites affect how quickly the #birds could learn a new feeding task by watching others: doi.org/10.1098/rsos...
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ASSAB @animbehav.bsky.social · 03/05/2026
🚨New PhD opportunity🚨 Understanding sheep foraging decisions under heat stress conditions Location: Adelaide University Contact: stephan.leu@adelaide.edu.au Details: stephanleu-ecology.com/phd-opportun... Application deadline: 17 May 2026
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Damien Farine @damienfarine.bsky.social · 03/05/2026
Interested in collaborating with our lab? Why not visit? Visitors have published chapters, got new ideas and made new collaborations. At @scienceanu.bsky.social we have much to offer, including joining for cool field work and seeing great wildlife. Details here: sites.google.com/site/drfarin...
sites.google.com
Home - Visit the lab
We welcome visiting PhD students and postdocs in the lab Since 2016, I have hosted dozens of visiting students. Together, we have completed many chapters and published many papers. These visits have ...
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Reposted by Damien Farine
ASSAB @animbehav.bsky.social · 29/04/2026
⭐Great news⭐ We have now extended the due date for the ASSAB Student Research Grants to 7th May 2026. You can find the full details and the application form to download at the ASSAB website: www.assab.org/grants-2026
assab.org
Our 2026 Grants
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Reposted by Damien Farine
ASSAB @animbehav.bsky.social · 10/03/2026
🚨ABSTRACT SUBMISSION REMINDER🚨 Submissions for the 2026 ASSAB conference are still open until the 13th of March. Submit now to take part in a friendly, warm and welcoming conference for behavioural ecologists
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Reposted by Damien Farine
The Clever Cockie Research Project @clevercockierp.bsky.social · 04/03/2026
It turns out there is order in the apparent cockie chaos! In a new paper from the Clever Cockie Research Group; @julia-penndorf.bsky.social and co-authors show how roost of wild SC-cockies exhibit linear dominance hierarchies that are stable over 3+ years. www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
sciencedirect.com
Long-term stability of dominance hierarchies in a wild parrot with fission–fusion dynamics
Dominance hierarchies are a common feature of stable groups, allowing animals to limit the costs of fighting over access to resources. However, althou…
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Reposted by Damien Farine
Lucy Aplin @lucymaplin.bsky.social · 15/01/2026
A trio of tawny frogmouths. This pair (here with this year‘s fledgie) have slept in our (their) garden as long as we’ve been here, and I love them to bits ❤️
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Lucy Aplin @lucymaplin.bsky.social · 02/01/2026
What a lovely start to the year! Paddled from ANU campus to an island on the lake, had a BBQ in glorious weather, found a dusky woodswallow colony and a washed up ironbark offcut, which @damienfarine.bsky.social has made into a cheeseboard (🧀 for scale).
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Royal Society Publishing @royalsocietypublishing.org · 26/12/2025
Counting down our most popular papers of the year.. in at no. 6 is a #BiologyLetters study showing sulphur-crested #cockatoos in Sydney learned to operate public drinking fountains, using their beaks and feet to turn taps and access water: doi.org/10.1098/rsbl...
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ANU Superb Fairywren Project @fairywrensanu.bsky.social · 24/12/2025
With this festive combination of bands we wish everyone a joyful holiday season! Let's all rest up for a refreshed start to 2026! Happy Holidays 🎁
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ANU Superb Fairywren Project @fairywrensanu.bsky.social · 16/12/2025
The breeding season is in full swing! After some troubles with currawong predation, most of the groups are on their second or third nest, and all the parents are busy provisioning their young 🦗🐦 30 chicks banded so far! #superbfairywren #SFW_ANU #birds #ecology
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Royal Society Publishing @royalsocietypublishing.org · 27/11/2025
Habitat selection during dispersal reduces the energetic cost of transport when making large displacements #ProcB #OpenAccess #Behaviour #Ecology @damienfarine.bsky.social royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/...
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Damien Farine @damienfarine.bsky.social · 26/11/2025
The latest result on dispersal in vulturine guineafowl: dispersing females selectively use roads to reduce the cost of transport when making large displacements. Out now in @royalsocietypublishing.org Proc B: royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/...
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Diana Fisher @dianafisher1080.bsky.social · 24/11/2025
Collect giant hail for UQ science digitisation (after the storm)
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ANU Superb Fairywren Project @fairywrensanu.bsky.social · 20/11/2025
Thank you so much to everyone who stopped by our posters! Both sessions were very successful and we had some really interesting discussions. Always great to see so much fairywren love 🐦 #AOC2025 #SFW_ANU @sramellini.bsky.social @franhckr.bsky.social
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Rachael Shaw @wild-minds.bsky.social · 17/11/2025
PhD scholarship alert! Are you interested in cognitive evolution? Do you want to know how development influences cognitive traits? Do you love hanging out with birds in the forest? If the answer to these questions is yes, please apply to work with us! 1/2 🧪 www.wgtn.ac.nz/scholarships...
Ella holds a fluffy and sleepy looking toutouwai chick during banding and fits an orange band to its leg
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ANU Superb Fairywren Project @fairywrensanu.bsky.social · 18/11/2025
#AOC2025 has started! A great morning including bird walks and an interesting plenary on female colour and song. If you're keen on project updates, attend @sramellini.bsky.social's talk at 14:00 and @franhckr.bsky.social's talk at 14:45 (same session). Also, stop by our posters today and tomorrow!
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Damien Farine @damienfarine.bsky.social · 17/11/2025
Machine learning and AI tools will change how we do ecological research. But, there are major barriers to getting high-performing models. In our latest paper, we argue a need to re-think model performance by integrating it into a hypothesis testing pipeline: authors.elsevier.com/sd/article/S...
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Gerry Carter @gerrycarter.bsky.social · 13/11/2025
Vocal convergence during formation of social relationships in vampire bats royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/...
royalsocietypublishing.org
Vocal convergence during formation of social relationships in vampire bats | Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences
In many group-living birds and mammals, the formation of affiliative relationships is hypothesized to cause vocal convergence (an increase in call similarity between individuals). However, testing this causal effect can be difficult, because it requires ...
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Damien Farine @damienfarine.bsky.social · 12/11/2025
Even made the local news! www.youtube.com/watch?v=HG5z...
youtube.com
ഇവർ തമ്മിലുമുണ്ടൊരു കെമിസ്ട്രി! ഡോൾഫിനുകളും മത്സ്യത്തൊഴിലാളികളും തമ്മിലെ സഹകരണം പഠിക്കാൻ ഒരു പഠനം
YouTube video by Kairali News
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Damien Farine @damienfarine.bsky.social · 11/11/2025
Back in Kerala to work on our Nat Geo project 🤩
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Damien Farine @damienfarine.bsky.social · 04/11/2025
Three's a crowd, so what's four choughs?
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Damien Farine @damienfarine.bsky.social · 03/11/2025
This crested pigeon clearly thinks that the bronzewings have gotten too much of the attention.
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Damien Farine @damienfarine.bsky.social · 02/11/2025
Someone is taking advantage of me taking too long to fix the roof.
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Andy Radford @andyradford.bsky.social · 30/10/2025
Out 🌟TODAY🌟 in the #new volume of @asab.org #AnimalBehaviour, is latest #PhD chapter from the fantastic #Chun-ChiehLiao: Functionally referential communication about danger in cooperatively breeding white-winged choughs #fieldwork #experiments With #RobMagrath #RobHeinsohn doi.org/10.1016/j.an... 1/
Two wild white-winged choughs in Canberra, Australia; the study species in the newly published paper.Lead author Chun-Chieh Liao presenting the published work at the Behaviour 2025 conference in Kolkata.
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Damien Farine @damienfarine.bsky.social · 29/10/2025
And paper 2 is now online: royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/epdf/10....
royalsocietypublishing.org
Physiological synchrony among human fishers during collective hunting with wild dolphins
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Steffen Oppel @steffopp.bsky.social · 29/10/2025
NEW PAPER in #ornithology shows that some #raptors switched foraging strategy when #COVID19 lockdowns reduced the availability of #roadkill: buff.ly/jUug7Yj
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Damien Farine @damienfarine.bsky.social · 29/10/2025
TWO papers just out in @royalsocietypublishing.org #biologyletters : 1) Red kites switched from scavenging along roads to foraging away from roads during the COVID-19 lockdowns. 2) Fishers synchronise heart rates when cooperating with dolphins, but only when in close proximity. 1/
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Damien Farine @damienfarine.bsky.social · 28/10/2025
It's a fairly constant parade of bronzewings visiting our bird bath, and you can see where they got their name from!
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Damien Farine @damienfarine.bsky.social · 28/10/2025
Ouch! two grant rejections in < 10 hours. Just as I'm finalising two more submissions due next week. #suckerforpunishment
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Damien Farine @damienfarine.bsky.social · 27/10/2025
When your study species comes to you.
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