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Dr Rachael Miller (Harrison)

@drrmiller.bsky.social
1.2K followers 1.4K following 72 posts

Royal Society Dorothy Hodgkin Fellow, University of Exeter | Cognition & Conservation | Comparative Psychology | @themanybirds.bsky.social Co-Founder | 🪶🐦👶🐵🧠 | Website: www.drrachaelmiller.com

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Reposted by Dr Rachael Miller (Harrison)
Stephen Montgomery @ebablab.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
Are you a #NewPI in Ecology & Evolution? Would you like to meet with peers to chat about work, the future and life as a new PI? 🍪☕️ Then I have the form for you! 📋 Help us gauge interest in a new network/event by filling in this short survey: forms.cloud.microsoft/e/K4wUiuLuFn Please RT! 🙏
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Reposted by Dr Rachael Miller (Harrison)
Claudia Wascher @wascherclaudia.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
I'm so excited to finally see the special issue "Addressing Biases in Animal Behaviour" fully published: www.sciencedirect.com/special-issu.... Huge thanks to my brilliant co-editors @viveknityananda.bsky.social & @nicolakoyama.bsky.social. Special issue grew from @asab.org's 2024 Winter Meeting 🧵
sciencedirect.com
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European Conference on Behavioural Biology @ecbb2026.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
#ECBB2026 We hope everyone had a fantastic time over these past four days! We would like to take a moment to thank our volunteers for their outstanding help and our organising committee for their monumental efforts! See you in Dublin for #ECBB2028
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University of Exeter, Cornwall @cornwall.exeter.ac.uk · 03/09/2026
Congratulations to @drrmiller.bsky.social, who has been awarded a five-year £1.25 million Research Council (ERC) Starting Grant for a study entitled “Avian Minds: Investigating the Evolution of Executive Function" she'll be based in @uniexecec.bsky.social news.exeter.ac.uk/faculty-of-e...
news.exeter.ac.uk
Dr Rachael Miller awarded ERC Starting Grant
Dr Rachael Miller (Harrison) has been awarded a five-year £1.25 million European Research Council (ERC) Starting Grant for a groundbreaking study into the minds of birds. The project, based at the Cen...
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European Conference on Behavioural Biology @ecbb2026.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
#ECBB2026 Why is neophobia important? Well @drrmiller.bsky.social shares this and more in the second talk focusing on curiosity-like behaviour in animals!
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Reposted by Dr Rachael Miller (Harrison)
Society for the Improvement of Psychological Science (SIPS) @improvingpsych.org · 02/09/2026
Congratulations to the project “The Advantage of Big Team Science: Lessons Learned From Cognitive Science,” which received🏆2026 SIPS commendation! It offers a synthesis of strategies for successfully navigating the BTS landscape, including logistical, ethical, and epistemological challenges.
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Society for the Improvement of Psychological Science (SIPS) @improvingpsych.org · 02/09/2026
Erin M. Buchanan, Yu Fang Yang @ufangyang.bsky.social, Marta Kowal @martakowal.bsky.social, Kathleen Schmidt, Marta Topor @martatopor.bsky.social, Michal Misiak @misiak_mchl, Rachael Miller @drrmiller.bsky.social, John Protzko @protzko, Biljana Gjoneska, (2/5)
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Dr Rachael Miller (Harrison) @drrmiller.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
Excited to see everyone & be immersed in new research @ecbb2026.bsky.social! Updates on @themanybirds.bsky.social research from me at 11am Wed 2nd, & on the Cognition & Conservation Chough Project from @wildpathtodrsoph.bsky.social PhD at 11.15am Thurs 3rd. Come say hi! 👋 #animalbehaviour #ECBB
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European Conference on Behavioural Biology @ecbb2026.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
Ready to start planning your conference experience? We've got the #ECBB2026 programme outline available for download! www.aru.ac.uk/events/confe...
ECBB Logo and text reading ECBB 2026 Programme Outline Now Available. 

Image is of the webpage where the programme can be downloaded.
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Dr Rachael Miller (Harrison) @drrmiller.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
Very cool opportunity to chat about @themanybirds.bsky.social and big team science more broadly with Nic Fleming in this @natureportfolio.nature.com piece recently, alongside @jkileyhamlin.bsky.social, Michael Frank, Kelsey Lucca, @briannosek.bsky.social, Nico Alessandroni & @jespinosa.bsky.social
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Dr Rachael Miller (Harrison) @drrmiller.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
Ever wondered what it’s like to be a big team science network lead? @jespinosa.bsky.social, @dremalt.bsky.social, @vedranaslipogor.bsky.social, Megan Lambert & I have written about the challenges & benefits from an ECR perspective: royalsocietypublishing.org/rsos/article... 1/2
royalsocietypublishing.org
Leading big team science as early-career researchers: challenges and solutions
Abstract. Big team science networks are large-scale, collaborative, global initiatives that pool intellectual and material resources to address shared scie
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Dr Rachael Miller (Harrison) @drrmiller.bsky.social · 29/05/2026
*Upcoming deadline for two advertised posts in the Miller Cognition and Conservation Group is 5 June 2026* - 4-year PhD advert: www.exeter.ac.uk/study/fundin... - 4-year Postdoc advert: careers.exeter.ac.uk/vacancies/78...
exeter.ac.uk
From cognition to conservation: using cognitive and behavioural research to enhance animal reintroductions, PhD (Funded) | University of Exeter
The University of Exeter’s Centre for Ecology and Conservation, Penryn Campus, Cornwall, is inviting applications for a 4-year PhD studentship (UK fees), ideally commencing Sept 2026.
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Reposted by Dr Rachael Miller (Harrison)
Mandy Ridley @mandyridley.bsky.social · 07/05/2026
Congrats to @alexalaman.bsky.social for leading this paper using 38 years of data to investigate climate impacts on survival & reprod success of Arabian babblers in natural vs modified habitat. We found modified habitats buffered climate impacts: besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
Coping with change: Interactive effects of anthropogenic change influence the breeding success and survival of a desert‐dwelling cooperative breeder
Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
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Reposted by Dr Rachael Miller (Harrison)
Professor Euan Ritchie FAMS @euanritchie.bsky.social · 07/05/2026
My tribute to the one and only, Sir David Attenborough theconversation.com/from-fossick... Happy birthday!
theconversation.com
From fossicking for fossils to a champion for life on Earth: Sir David Attenborough at 100
David Attenborough has captured and told the stories of nature to millions of people – and inspired scientists and conservationists the world over.
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Dr Rachael Miller (Harrison) @drrmiller.bsky.social · 05/05/2026
Postdoc Opportunity! 4-year @royalsociety.org funded post @uniexecec.bsky.social: “Understanding the role of individual cognitive variation in reintroduction biology”. Closes: 5 June 2026. More info & to apply: careers.exeter.ac.uk/vacancies/78... Wt: @paradiseparkhayle.bsky.social & Wildwood Trust
Red-billed chough
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PLOS Biology @plosbiology.org · 01/05/2026
What is the role of social learning in adopting novel food? Study of urban #cockatoos by @julia-penndorf.bsky.social @clevercockierp.bsky.social &co shows that they rapidly adopt novel food via #SocialLearning, with juveniles showing conformist preferences @plosbiology.org 🧪 plos.io/4uq6NVq
A sulphur-crested cockatoo foraging on a novel food item (coloured shelled almond). Image credit: Julia Penndorf
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Dr Rachael Miller (Harrison) @drrmiller.bsky.social · 01/05/2026
New paper out, which started during hackathons at the Big Team Science Conferences. A pleasure to be a part of this - big thank you to the whole authorship team, particularly to the leads @vaidis.bsky.social @epronizius.bsky.social @mamsmandrill.bsky.social
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Reposted by Dr Rachael Miller (Harrison)
Ekaterina (Katja) Pronizius @epronizius.bsky.social · 01/05/2026
@vaidis.bsky.social J. Miranda, E. Buchanan, @ufangyang.bsky.social, @martakowal.bsky.social, K. Schmidt, @martatopor.bsky.social, @misiakmichal.bsky.social, @drrmiller.bsky.social , @protzko.bsky.social, B. Gjoneska, @jeremykmiller.bsky.social, A. Exner, @flavioazevedo.bsky.social, ...
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Dr Rachael Miller (Harrison) @drrmiller.bsky.social · 29/04/2026
PhD Opportunity! 4-year funded PhD @uniexecec.bsky.social: “From cognition to conservation: using cognitive and behavioural research to enhance animal reintroductions”. Closes: 5 June 2026. Funding: @royalsociety.org (UK/Home students only). More info & to apply: www.exeter.ac.uk/study/fundin... 1/
exeter.ac.uk
From cognition to conservation: using cognitive and behavioural research to enhance animal reintroductions, PhD (Funded) | University of Exeter
The University of Exeter’s Centre for Ecology and Conservation, Penryn Campus, Cornwall, is inviting applications for a 4-year PhD studentship (UK fees), ideally commencing Sept 2026.
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Dr Rachael Miller (Harrison) @drrmiller.bsky.social · 31/03/2026
Extremely excited to start my 8-year @royalsociety.org Dorothy Hodgkin Fellowship @uniexecec.bsky.social focussing on understanding the role of individual cognitive variation in reintroduction biology. With 2x 4-year Postdoc and PhD positions being advertised shortly - do get in touch if interested!
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Royal Society Publishing @royalsocietypublishing.org · 30/03/2026
Culture was assumed to be unique to humans, but recent scientific discoveries have revealed that it's in fact widespread in the animal kingdom. This #PhilTransB issue is the first to present a comprehensive picture of the science & implications of this: royalsocietypublishing.org/rstb/issue/3...
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Kate Laskowski @katelaskowski.bsky.social · 10/02/2026
How do we know our research results are REAL? We replicate them! Most folks agree but lament on how hard it is to publish these replications. My dearest gentle reader, lament no more! Delighted to unveil: Replication Studies, a new section of Behavioral Ecology 1/ academic.oup.com/beheco/artic...
academic.oup.com
Replication studies: a win-win for early-career training and behavioral ecology
Replicating previous research builds confidence that results are real and meaningful. But close replications are rare due to limitations in resources and d
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Reposted by Dr Rachael Miller (Harrison)
European Conference on Behavioural Biology @ecbb2026.bsky.social · 18/07/2025
Save the date for the next European Conference on Behavioural Biology! Animal Behaviour in the Anthropocene, 1-4 September 2026 at Anglia Ruskin University. Watch this space for updates on speakers, plenaries, and calls for abstracts! #AcademicSky #UpcomingConferences
Save the date information for the upcoming European Conference on Behavioural Biology: Animal Behaviour in the Anthropocene. 1-4 September 2026 at Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK.
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Reposted by Dr Rachael Miller (Harrison)
Claudia Wascher @wascherclaudia.bsky.social · 06/01/2026
If you work on corvid ecology, behaviour, cognition, or conservation, this might be useful for you 👇 I’ve just published CORVIDATA in Scientific Data 🐦 doi.org/10.1038/s415... (1/4)
doi.org
CORVIDATA: A global dataset of morphology, ecology, sociality, and life-history in Corvidae - Scientific Data
Scientific Data - CORVIDATA: A global dataset of morphology, ecology, sociality, and life-history in Corvidae
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Royal Society Publishing @royalsocietypublishing.org · 13/12/2025
In this blog post, Guest Editor @rachkendal.bsky.social discusses their #PhilTransB issue, 'Transforming cultural evolution research and its application to global futures': royalsociety.org/blog/2025/12...
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Reposted by Dr Rachael Miller (Harrison)
Bob Wong @bbmwong.bsky.social · 10/12/2025
What are the causes & consequences of behavioural diversity loss in a changing world? And how do we harness this knowledge for conservation? New open access paper led by @odedberger-tal.bsky.social with David Saltz and @mrmic1.bsky.social #BobWongLab royalsocietypublishing.org/rspb/article...
royalsocietypublishing.org
Anthropogenic change and the loss of behavioural diversity
Abstract. Behavioural diversity is an important but understudied facet of biodiversity that enables wildlife populations to cope with rapidly changing envi
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Reposted by Dr Rachael Miller (Harrison)
michael chimento @mchimento.bsky.social · 04/12/2025
New paper out today w @dalmaijer.bsky.social @barbaraklump.bsky.social and @lucymaplin.bsky.social as part of the Phil Trans special issue doi.org/10.1098/rstb.... Over 2 years, we studied a population of cockatoos thought to be the source of the innovation of bin-opening.
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Dr Rachael Miller (Harrison) @drrmiller.bsky.social · 28/11/2025
Enjoyed giving an invited research talk today for the Behaviour & Ecology Research Group at @uniofhull.bsky.social - thanks very much for inviting and hosting me, @drblakemorton.bsky.social :)
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Reposted by Dr Rachael Miller (Harrison)
Terry McGlynn @hormiga.bsky.social · 25/11/2025
You know those labs that keep harming students, again and again? Some reflections on why it's so hard to stop this from happening and where our responsibilities lie. scienceforeveryone.science/bad-mentors-... 🧪
scienceforeveryone.science
Bad mentors hurt people
What to do about bad mentors?
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ManyBirds Project @themanybirds.bsky.social · 14/11/2025
New amazing open Postdoc position, w/t opportunities to 1) get closely involved in our next @themanybirds.bsky.social study on innovation and problem-solving; 2) work with @ecobird.bsky.social on avian innovation, cognition & invasiveness. Advert: www.ugent.be/en/work/scie...
ugent.be
Postdoctoral fellow
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Dr Rachael Miller (Harrison) @drrmiller.bsky.social · 14/11/2025
New amazing open Postdoc position, w/t opportunities to 1) get closely involved in our next @themanybirds.bsky.social study on innovation and problem-solving; 2) work with @ecobird.bsky.social on avian innovation, cognition & invasiveness. Advert: www.ugent.be/en/work/scie...
ugent.be
Postdoctoral fellow
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Dr Rachael Miller (Harrison) @drrmiller.bsky.social · 14/11/2025
Amazing opportunity for a PhD position with the wonderful Dr Megan Lambert in Vienna and her fascinating kea parrots! 10/10 recommend working with Dr Lambert. See advert linked below for more info.
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Centre for Research on Ecology, Cognition and Behaviour of Birds @ecobird.bsky.social · 13/11/2025
🐦 EcoBird is hiring a Postdoc in animal cognition! Join us + @themanybirds.bsky.social to investigate innovation & problem-solving in birds. 📅 Start: as early as Jan 2026 🌍 Funded through UGent’s international mobility scheme More info & how to apply ↓ www.ugent.be/en/work/scie...
ugent.be
Postdoctoral fellow
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Kate Laskowski @katelaskowski.bsky.social · 10/11/2025
Our new paper offers an explanation for the universal law that "under carefully controlled conditions.... an animal behaves as it damn well pleases." We explore how stochastic mechanisms may play an underappreciated role in generating individuality. (1/7 🧵) www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
sciencedirect.com
Playing dice with behavior: drivers of stochastic individuality
Animal behavior is often viewed as stemming from predictable genetic and environmental factors. However, despite our best attempts to control genetic …
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Comparative Cognition Society @compcogsoc.bsky.social · 16/10/2025
The MBirds paper is out! Congratulations to all collaborators on this major accomplishment 🧪 The study found interesting differences in neophobia between migratory and non-migratory species: doi.org/10.1371/jour...
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PLOS Biology @plosbiology.org · 15/10/2025
Fear of novelty varies across species & individuals, impacting adaptability & survival. @themanybirds.bsky.social @drrmiller.bsky.social &co assess #neophobia in 1400 subjects from 136 #bird species, identifying phylogenetic influences & broad ecological drivers @plosbiology.org 🧪 plos.io/4haLEsN
Left: Examples of novel objects used. Each black/white bar is 5 cm long. The objects ranged in size from a third to half the size of the subjects: (a) Southern cassowary, Casuarius casuarius, (b) Moluccan eclectus, Eclectus roratus, (c) Rüppell’s vulture, Gyps rueppelli, (d) gray-winged trumpeter, Psophia crepitans, (e) common waxbill, Estrilda astrild. Right: Secretary bird (Sagittarius serpentarius) at Adlerwarte Berlebeck, Germany, interacting with a novel object. Image credit Kai Caspar.
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Jimena Lois-Milevicich @jimeloism.bsky.social · 15/10/2025
It was such an incredible, enriching, and fun experience — I learned so much ❤️ So thankful to the amazing leadership team who welcomed me! @drrmiller.bsky.social @vedranaslipogor.bsky.social @nomascus.bsky.social @stephanreber.bsky.social @cds-york.bsky.social Megan Lambert & Claudia Mettke-Hofmann
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Dr Rachael Miller (Harrison) @drrmiller.bsky.social · 14/10/2025
So excited that our first major empirical @themanybirds.bsky.social paper is now out in @plosbiology.org! Leading this big team science project, with our excellent core leadership team, is a labour of love for me, delighted to see our hard work over the past 4 years has reached this milestone!
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Dr Rachael Miller (Harrison) @drrmiller.bsky.social · 10/09/2025
New paper just out: Rachael Miller @drrmiller.bsky.social, Ning Ding & Nicky Clayton in Cognitive Development: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti... on the “Cognitive correlates of future-oriented cognition in young Chinese children”. @campsydept.bsky.social @cam.ac.uk 1/
sciencedirect.com
Cognitive correlates of future-oriented cognition in young Chinese children
Future-oriented cognition, which broadly encompasses an array of cognitive processes involved in understanding, constructing, imagining and planning f…
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ManyBirds Project @themanybirds.bsky.social · 09/09/2025
Stay tuned for a very exciting update coming shortly from the ManyBirds Project! Eeek!
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Ekaterina (Katja) Pronizius @epronizius.bsky.social · 13/07/2025
Dream team: Alessandroni @drrmiller.bsky.social @dremalt.bsky.social @marinabazhydai.bsky.social @mamsmandrill.bsky.social @jespinosa.bsky.social Gjoneska @izziehb.bsky.social @valmazza.bsky.social Paukner @epronizius.bsky.social Proulx, Qadri, Reilly, Schwing ...
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Dr Rachael Miller (Harrison) @drrmiller.bsky.social · 16/07/2025
Really enjoyed giving an invited research talk today at the Behaviour and Evolution seminar series, Departments of Behavioural Ecology, Evolutionary Biology and Theoretical Biology at Bielefeld University. Thank you @kpg13.bsky.social ‪for inviting me! 1/2
Powerpoint title slide
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Ekaterina (Katja) Pronizius @epronizius.bsky.social · 13/07/2025
Check our new preprint! Our systematic review of 206 reversal learning studies shows that behavioural flexibility research is heavily biased towards birds, rodents, and humans, with most animal diversity virtually untested. #Manymanys #BigTeamScience #ComparativeCognition
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Dr Blake Morton @drblakemorton.bsky.social · 25/04/2025
Excited to share our latest preprint, just accepted in Animal Behaviour. Congrats to @kristyadaway.bsky.social on her first first-author publication! #ECRresearch #PhDpaper @uniofhull.bsky.social 🦝🧠🧩🌎 Link to preprint: doi.org/10.1101/2025...
doi.org
Wild raccoons are more innovative but not bolder than another ecological generalist, the Virginia opossum, on a pull-string task
Humans are altering natural environments at unprecedented rates. Ecological generalism is one of the strongest predictors of survival in light of these changes which, in animals, may be shaped by bold...
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Reposted by Dr Rachael Miller (Harrison)
Denis REALE 🇨🇦 @denisreale.bsky.social · 25/04/2025
Personality-driven hunting mortality in male moose, through habitat selection.
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Dr Rachael Miller (Harrison) @drrmiller.bsky.social · 28/03/2025
Honoured to receive this @compcogsoc.bsky.social award and incredibly grateful for our community's collaboration and support, thank you!
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Comparative Cognition Society @compcogsoc.bsky.social · 28/03/2025
The Early Career Award Winner Featured Session starts at 11:30am! Award winner Rachael Miller @drrmiller.bsky.social will be talking about avian cognition and how it can be applied to #welfare and #conservation. #CO3_2025
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Ondrej Fiser @laniusondrej.bsky.social · 07/03/2025
🦅🧠 Bird Cognition 🧠🦅 Anyone who studies or is just fascinated by how birds perceive, learn, remember and solve problems 🐦 Let's all meet in this cool new #starterpack 🤩 Let me know if you want to join in too 🦜🦤🦉🦆🐣🪺🪶🧪 🔗 go.bsky.app/V2K7HQM #Ornithology #Birds #AnimalBehaviour
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Dr Rachael Miller (Harrison) @drrmiller.bsky.social · 04/03/2025
Excited to receive "Weighing Animal Welfare" book, edited & project led by Bob Fischer, Rethink Priorities, reporting on interdisciplinary project making interspecies welfare comparisons. Great to have contributed as a project consultant & co-author on 3 chapters. See: academic.oup.com/book/58809
academic.oup.com
Weighing Animal Welfare: Comparing Well-Being Across Species
Abstract. When, if ever, is it better to spend money to improve pig welfare over chicken welfare? Which species of fish is worst off in commercial aquacult
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