Martin Stervander 🏳️🌈🇸🇪🏴🏛️🦉🦤🪶 @stervander.com · 19/06/2026Oh, that’s not good to hear! Steve, feel free to email me at ”martin” followed by my handle and I’ll make sure to forward to the most relevant people. I’ll also follow up on what’s happened to your unanswered contact attempts. 010
Reposted by Martin Stervander 🏳️🌈🇸🇪🏴🏛️🦉🦤🪶Stu Butchart @stubutchart.bsky.social · 12/01/2026Translocation of Raso Larks to the island of Santa Luzia in 2018 after eradication of invasive cats has been spectacularly successful, with nearly 1000 individuals now. Great work by @birdlifeglobal.bsky.social partner Biosfera, and long-championed by Mike Brooke www.birdguides.com/news/raso-la...birdguides.comRaso Lark reintroduction proves a triumphAfter a small number of Raso Larks were translocated to Santa Luzia in 2018, the population has grown to as many as 1,000 individuals. 13512
Martin Stervander 🏳️🌈🇸🇪🏴🏛️🦉🦤🪶 @stervander.com · 12/01/2026I think this is a fair evaluation of the significance, dear sir. 020
Martin Stervander 🏳️🌈🇸🇪🏴🏛️🦉🦤🪶 @stervander.com · 12/01/2026Agreed! And I miss "working" with you. 😘 010
Martin Stervander 🏳️🌈🇸🇪🏴🏛️🦉🦤🪶 @stervander.com · 12/01/2026I appreciate this recognition. I'll be available come November, should the Nobel Prize committee want to get in touch. 010
Martin Stervander 🏳️🌈🇸🇪🏴🏛️🦉🦤🪶 @stervander.com · 12/01/2026It's 5y since my greatest scientific breakthrough was published w the great @dhaelewa.bsky.social in OFOAJ! It truly marks a paradigm shift! 🤣 Need a break from the world? Read about fishy #birds + fungi + pizza at doi.org/10.19080/OFO... — and background at tinyurl.com/4ayknbty! 🪶🧪🐦🐟🍄🟫 #Scam 2394
Martin Stervander 🏳️🌈🇸🇪🏴🏛️🦉🦤🪶 @stervander.com · 27/11/2025#Thanksgiving 🦃 with our amazing volunteers in the bird collections of National Museums Scotland 🏴! 😉 Do you live nearby and would like to join? We're capturing data from all our #birds. Well, now's your chance! Don't wait... careers.nms.ac.uk/job/800113 #museum #ornithology 🪶 0184
Martin Stervander 🏳️🌈🇸🇪🏴🏛️🦉🦤🪶 @stervander.com · 07/11/2025Thank you, Matthew! Glad to hear about your experience too. 000
Reposted by Martin Stervander 🏳️🌈🇸🇪🏴🏛️🦉🦤🪶Dr Alex Bond @thelabandfield.bsky.social · 10/10/2025Well, it's official. After our paper last year (onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....), the Slender-billed Curlew is officially declared Extinct today. Scientists dream of describing new species, not writing their obituary and epitaph, knowing that they are gone forever #ornithology 30516308
Martin Stervander 🏳️🌈🇸🇪🏴🏛️🦉🦤🪶 @stervander.com · 07/10/2025Ha ha, that'd be pretty cool too. ;-) 020
Martin Stervander 🏳️🌈🇸🇪🏴🏛️🦉🦤🪶 @stervander.com · 07/10/2025I've been silent a while, as I've struggled to keep up with *most* things, due to accumulated stress from hubby's 5-month unemployment, teenager+school+drama, challenging relatives & whatnot. #Birding gives me relief when #MentalHealth is so-so: recent Sabine's Gull (Xema sabini) = golden band-aid! 1290
Martin Stervander 🏳️🌈🇸🇪🏴🏛️🦉🦤🪶 @stervander.com · 31/08/2025A good 6 hours and 6 minutes left to apply! Don't be shy. 062
Reposted by Martin Stervander 🏳️🌈🇸🇪🏴🏛️🦉🦤🪶Trevor A. Branch @trevorabranch.bsky.social · 25/08/2025The most chilling science video ever shot www.youtube.com/watch?time_c...youtube.comWhelks overwhelm and consume lobstersYouTube video by Christie Wilcox 42712
Martin Stervander 🏳️🌈🇸🇪🏴🏛️🦉🦤🪶 @stervander.com · 22/08/2025Great news, the new application deadline is 31 August. 9 more days for you all to spread the word or/and submit your application for our position as Assistant Curator of Vertebrates! Again, in reality this should be a longer-term position despite what the ad says. Happy to chat/answer questions! 0102
Martin Stervander 🏳️🌈🇸🇪🏴🏛️🦉🦤🪶 @stervander.com · 22/08/2025I am very pleased to note confirm that the application deadline has now been extended to 31 August. We look forward to your applications! 010
Martin Stervander 🏳️🌈🇸🇪🏴🏛️🦉🦤🪶 @stervander.com · 22/08/2025#EOU2025 #ornithology folks and friends liking #birds and #mammals, this is the position I just highlighted. Join us! Cool collection and very active continuous preparation of new specimens. Deadline soon... Happy to chat with anyone curious today! 1175
Martin Stervander 🏳️🌈🇸🇪🏴🏛️🦉🦤🪶 @stervander.com · 13/08/2025I think we might have enough Ravens not to have to incorporate you in the cupboards... 😉 110
Martin Stervander 🏳️🌈🇸🇪🏴🏛️🦉🦤🪶 @stervander.com · 12/08/2025Join us as Assistant #Curator of Vertebrates @ 🏴NMS! Large collections of #birds & #mammals + very active specimen prep = cool place! The ad doesn't say, but I say there's a good chance of prolongation beyond 1y. Hurry up and apply/spread the word: careers.nms.ac.uk/job/748553! 🪶🧪 #museumjobs #job 18756
Reposted by Martin Stervander 🏳️🌈🇸🇪🏴🏛️🦉🦤🪶Spoke @wintersparv.com · 03/08/2025Either you recognize a state or you don't. If you do, that sovereignty shouldn't be any less, depending on a third party. This is like telling someone you're their friend unless their neighbor stops parking in their driveway. Where's the integrity? Where's the spine? #KeirStarmer #palestine #israeltheguardian.comUK to recognise state of Palestine in September unless Israel holds to ceasefireCabinet agrees to support Middle East roadmap at emergency meeting called amid humanitarian crisis in Gaza 081
Reposted by Martin Stervander 🏳️🌈🇸🇪🏴🏛️🦉🦤🪶Jacquelyn Gill @jacquelyngill.bsky.social · 30/07/2025Are you an early-career biologist or ecologist who would benefit from an invited seminar? Would you like to come to UMaine next fall or spring to give a talk? Leave a brief comment with some info about what you do. I'm co-hosting our seminar series again, and am filling out our rosters. 52227172
Reposted by Martin Stervander 🏳️🌈🇸🇪🏴🏛️🦉🦤🪶Carl T. Bergstrom @carlbergstrom.com · 26/07/20251. Here's a fish swimming upstream. Nothing unusual about that. What's unusual is that this particular fish is *dead*. Vortices in the water as it flows past the fish cause the fish's body to flex, maintaining orientation and actually propelling it forward. (D. N. Beal et al 2006 J. Fluid. Mech.) 1641771
Martin Stervander 🏳️🌈🇸🇪🏴🏛️🦉🦤🪶 @stervander.com · 03/07/2025Tease no longer, Alan! bsky.app/profile/ster... I hope that you with your inclinations don't get too disappointed that it is a new family that is no longer around. 010
Martin Stervander 🏳️🌈🇸🇪🏴🏛️🦉🦤🪶 @stervander.com · 03/07/2025Finally, I must shout out to the journal Avian Systematics and EiC Trevor Worthy + wizard Steven Gregory. I've learned tons about nomenclature in the revisions and edits and the process has been fast and good. No fees + Open Access, the journal just moved to www.avespress.com/avian-system.... 041
Martin Stervander 🏳️🌈🇸🇪🏴🏛️🦉🦤🪶 @stervander.com · 03/07/2025I ran this side project for @ntlmuseumsscot.bsky.social & @nhm-london.bsky.social w great collabs: Gerald Mayr (Dr Bones & Rapid-write) and Chen Guangji & Feng Shaohong (of #B10K #Bird10K, saving the day when supposedly public data was not so public). Special thx to Piotr Gryz for cave rail pic! 271
Martin Stervander 🏳️🌈🇸🇪🏴🏛️🦉🦤🪶 @stervander.com · 03/07/2025...so we described Nesotrochidae fam. nov., the cave rail family! They are (were) distinguished by a number of osteological characters, not least that the humerus has a large and ventrally protruding processus flexorius. Voilá: Nesotrochidae Stervander, Chen, Feng & Mayr, 2025! 130
Martin Stervander 🏳️🌈🇸🇪🏴🏛️🦉🦤🪶 @stervander.com · 03/07/2025This fully supported topology presents three options: merge family Aptornithidae (adzebills) with (1) Nesotrochis or (2) that + current family Sarothruridae (flufftails)—or (3) award the cave rails family status as Nesotrochidae. #1–2 seem unreasonable given the marked distinctness of adzebills... 140
Martin Stervander 🏳️🌈🇸🇪🏴🏛️🦉🦤🪶 @stervander.com · 03/07/2025Dated Bayesian analyses of 9,615 base pairs coding mitochondrial sequence, in 16 partitions w optimised substitution models, didn't result in the unresolved polytomy of Oswald et al. (2021). Neither was Nesotrochis sister with Sarothruridae, but split as sister from Aptornithidae 37 Mya! 140
Martin Stervander 🏳️🌈🇸🇪🏴🏛️🦉🦤🪶 @stervander.com · 03/07/2025—so we generated new mitogenomes for Madagascar Forest Rail (Mentocrex kioloides) and Forbes's Forest Rail (Rallicula forbesi), neither of them rails, but members of the flufftail family (Sarothruridae)! 150
Martin Stervander 🏳️🌈🇸🇪🏴🏛️🦉🦤🪶 @stervander.com · 03/07/2025The phylogenetic analyses bugged me a little, though, as I thought more rigorous DNA substitution model testing and partitioning (and RY-coding of third-codon positions) might provide more clarity... So I'd better test it! We used the same dataset—except data for two species were unavailable— 140
Martin Stervander 🏳️🌈🇸🇪🏴🏛️🦉🦤🪶 @stervander.com · 03/07/2025This was a super cool study, but the exact placement of cave rails was unresolved: they could be basal to flufftails & adzebills, sister to flufftails (best supported) or to adzebills—yielding wildly different classification options. Expanding Sarothruridae (flufftails) or Aptornithidae (adzebills)? 140
Martin Stervander 🏳️🌈🇸🇪🏴🏛️🦉🦤🪶 @stervander.com · 03/07/2025So what's new and what was known? In 2021, Jessica Oswald & colleagues managed to extract ancient DNA from a Haitian Cave Rail (Nesotrochis steganinos) and, analysing #mitochondrial DNA, found they were not #rails(!) but more closely related to flufftails and adzebills: doi.org/10.1098/rsbl... 150
Martin Stervander 🏳️🌈🇸🇪🏴🏛️🦉🦤🪶 @stervander.com · 03/07/2025Welcome a new family of #birds, the Caribbean cave rails, Nesotrochidae! They were—surprisingly—the sisters of NZ adzebills, all sadly extinct. New #OpenAccess paper out in Avian #Systematics w Gerald Mayr, Chen Guangji & Feng Shaohong: www.avespress.com/uploads/down... 🧵 #ornithology #taxonomy 🧪🪶 26618
Reposted by Martin Stervander 🏳️🌈🇸🇪🏴🏛️🦉🦤🪶Steffen Oppel @steffopp.bsky.social · 19/06/2025NEW JOB in #ornithology and #conservation managing two major restoration projects for #islands important for #seabirds: buff.ly/yfl1Vo2 02824
Martin Stervander 🏳️🌈🇸🇪🏴🏛️🦉🦤🪶 @stervander.com · 20/06/2025Aspects, respects, my brain is mush. Also, might have been smart to tag this with #ornithology... Oh well! 000
Martin Stervander 🏳️🌈🇸🇪🏴🏛️🦉🦤🪶 @stervander.com · 20/06/2025🐦 It's been a while (in several aspects), so I'm extra excited to start the day with a #paper accept. Can't wait for this to hit the press, clarifying relationships among a bunch of cool #birds and introducing a new #avian family! Which one? You'll soon see... 😉 #taxonomy #systematics 🪶🧪 4180
Martin Stervander 🏳️🌈🇸🇪🏴🏛️🦉🦤🪶 @stervander.com · 12/06/2025Will forward this suggestion (even though I think it'll be the authoritative bird checklist very soon)! Thanks, Peter. 100
Martin Stervander 🏳️🌈🇸🇪🏴🏛️🦉🦤🪶 @stervander.com · 11/06/2025This should help with the retrieval part of that process (but not the pain): avibase.bsc-eoc.org/compare.jsp?...avibase.bsc-eoc.orgAvibase - The World Bird Database 130
Martin Stervander 🏳️🌈🇸🇪🏴🏛️🦉🦤🪶 @stervander.com · 11/06/2025Pssst, @n8swick.bsky.social: bsky.app/profile/ster... 010
Martin Stervander 🏳️🌈🇸🇪🏴🏛️🦉🦤🪶 @stervander.com · 11/06/2025The principles applied are outlined on the Components page: www.avilist.org/checklist/co.... I'm expecting to annoy a fair number of peeps who would have liked things not to change. 😆avilist.orgComponents of the AviList ChecklistTaxonomy The core taxonomic fields (taxon rank, order, family name, scientific name) are all adjudicated by the Taxonomic Committee (TaxCom). For the first version (v2025), TaxCom has assessed all ... 010
Martin Stervander 🏳️🌈🇸🇪🏴🏛️🦉🦤🪶 @stervander.com · 11/06/2025My main contribution to this monumentous project has been to shake up the linear sequence of the checklist to better reflect our current understanding of the avian evolutionary tree! Ostrich first—Saltator last no more... We go from Somali Ostrich to Blue-necked Tanager! 1121
Martin Stervander 🏳️🌈🇸🇪🏴🏛️🦉🦤🪶 @stervander.com · 11/06/2025There's a tab explaining how to use the checklist (different fields etc.), but importantly, there is a also a page outlining various important components of the checklist: www.avilist.org/checklist/co.... 051
Martin Stervander 🏳️🌈🇸🇪🏴🏛️🦉🦤🪶 @stervander.com · 11/06/2025The process up to release has been a bit of a black box to the world, but take note of clearly stated ambitions of participation and transparency. Anyone can submit a taxonomic proposal (www.avilist.org/about/propos...), and any change is published with a decision summary.avilist.orgProposals to AviListAviList welcomes proposals for changes or revisions from the ornithological and birding community. Future versions will move forward based on this proposal system. Proposals need not be especially ... 121
Martin Stervander 🏳️🌈🇸🇪🏴🏛️🦉🦤🪶 @stervander.com · 11/06/2025The checklist is downloadable from doi.org/10.2173/avil... and comprises *lots* of info, incl e.g. author, year of description, and publication source. Decision summary statements are included for all 1000+ cases where taxonomy differed between IOC, eBird/Clements & @birdlifeglobal.bsky.social. 131
Martin Stervander 🏳️🌈🇸🇪🏴🏛️🦉🦤🪶 @stervander.com · 11/06/2025🦅 The new unified global #avian #taxonomy #AviList has just been released at www.avilist.org! Xmas for anyone interested in #birds & checklists... The first version will be followed by annual updates, with decisions and processes aimed to be more transparent than its predecessors'. 🪶🧪 🧵 2319