Damien Farine
@damienfarine.bsky.social
Analyst of collective movement and social networks of living dinosaurs. Discoverer of multilevel societies. Watcher of fishers and dolphins. Modeller of emergent phenomena. Eccellenza Prof @ Uni Zurich and A/Prof @ Australian National Uni. ERC grantee
Pinned
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...
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...
Reposted by Damien Farine
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
November 20, 2025 at 6:06 AM
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
Reposted by Damien Farine
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...
www.wgtn.ac.nz/scholarships...
November 17, 2025 at 9:47 PM
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...
www.wgtn.ac.nz/scholarships...
Reposted by Damien Farine
#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!
November 18, 2025 at 2:49 AM
#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!
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...
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...
November 17, 2025 at 2:49 AM
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...
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...
Reposted by Damien Farine
Vocal convergence during formation of social relationships in vampire bats royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/...
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 ...
royalsocietypublishing.org
November 13, 2025 at 6:40 PM
Vocal convergence during formation of social relationships in vampire bats royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/...
Even made the local news! www.youtube.com/watch?v=HG5z...
November 12, 2025 at 3:15 PM
Even made the local news! www.youtube.com/watch?v=HG5z...
Back in Kerala to work on our Nat Geo project 🤩
November 11, 2025 at 2:59 PM
Back in Kerala to work on our Nat Geo project 🤩
Three's a crowd, so what's four choughs?
November 4, 2025 at 5:59 AM
Three's a crowd, so what's four choughs?
This crested pigeon clearly thinks that the bronzewings have gotten too much of the attention.
November 3, 2025 at 9:23 AM
This crested pigeon clearly thinks that the bronzewings have gotten too much of the attention.
Someone is taking advantage of me taking too long to fix the roof.
November 2, 2025 at 11:06 AM
Someone is taking advantage of me taking too long to fix the roof.
Reposted by Damien Farine
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/
Functionally referential communication about danger in cooperatively breeding white-winged choughs
#fieldwork #experiments
With #RobMagrath #RobHeinsohn
doi.org/10.1016/j.an...
1/
October 30, 2025 at 2:51 PM
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/
Functionally referential communication about danger in cooperatively breeding white-winged choughs
#fieldwork #experiments
With #RobMagrath #RobHeinsohn
doi.org/10.1016/j.an...
1/
And paper 2 is now online: royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/epdf/10....
October 29, 2025 at 9:48 AM
And paper 2 is now online: royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/epdf/10....
Reposted by Damien Farine
NEW PAPER in #ornithology shows that some #raptors switched foraging strategy when #COVID19 lockdowns reduced the availability of #roadkill: buff.ly/jUug7Yj
October 29, 2025 at 8:37 AM
NEW PAPER in #ornithology shows that some #raptors switched foraging strategy when #COVID19 lockdowns reduced the availability of #roadkill: buff.ly/jUug7Yj
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/
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/
October 29, 2025 at 4:08 AM
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/
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/
It's a fairly constant parade of bronzewings visiting our bird bath, and you can see where they got their name from!
October 28, 2025 at 10:58 AM
It's a fairly constant parade of bronzewings visiting our bird bath, and you can see where they got their name from!
Ouch! two grant rejections in < 10 hours. Just as I'm finalising two more submissions due next week. #suckerforpunishment
October 28, 2025 at 8:17 AM
Ouch! two grant rejections in < 10 hours. Just as I'm finalising two more submissions due next week. #suckerforpunishment
When your study species comes to you.
October 27, 2025 at 10:05 PM
When your study species comes to you.
Reposted by Damien Farine
Watch until the end.
October 24, 2025 at 4:27 PM
Watch until the end.
Reposted by Damien Farine
Interested in a PhD in ornithology? Funding available for projects at the interface of ecology, behaviour & evolution from Oct '26 working on long-term population studies of tits at Wytham, based in @biology.ox.ac.uk in the new Life & Mind Building in Oxford
www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
October 20, 2025 at 7:44 PM
Interested in a PhD in ornithology? Funding available for projects at the interface of ecology, behaviour & evolution from Oct '26 working on long-term population studies of tits at Wytham, based in @biology.ox.ac.uk in the new Life & Mind Building in Oxford
www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
Reposted by Damien Farine
Peak cockatoo breeding season! Look out for those pairs lucky enough to secure rare real estate; they should be feeding chicks now.
October 18, 2025 at 9:26 AM
Peak cockatoo breeding season! Look out for those pairs lucky enough to secure rare real estate; they should be feeding chicks now.
Reposted by Damien Farine
I'm v excited to be recruiting a PhD student to work on badger behaviour and ecology! Starting date is March 2026; see the ad here, or message me for more details: www.gregalbery.me/s/March-2026...
October 3, 2025 at 2:05 PM
I'm v excited to be recruiting a PhD student to work on badger behaviour and ecology! Starting date is March 2026; see the ad here, or message me for more details: www.gregalbery.me/s/March-2026...
This silly boi loves our bird bath. It sits there for ages while his mate just looks on disapprovingly..
October 10, 2025 at 4:34 AM
This silly boi loves our bird bath. It sits there for ages while his mate just looks on disapprovingly..
Walking to the office is just... different here.
October 8, 2025 at 10:42 PM
Walking to the office is just... different here.
Reposted by Damien Farine
Social and spatial drivers of the multitiered structure of zebra finch social networks #ProcB @damienfarine.bsky.social #Behaviour #Evolution royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/...
October 8, 2025 at 11:05 AM
Social and spatial drivers of the multitiered structure of zebra finch social networks #ProcB @damienfarine.bsky.social #Behaviour #Evolution royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/...
Very pleased to see our study that formally quantifies the society of zebra finches. They have different types of relationships, and these form tiers, but they do not form a multilevel society.
royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/...
This was a very nice collaboration with great colleagues.
royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/...
This was a very nice collaboration with great colleagues.
October 8, 2025 at 7:19 AM
Very pleased to see our study that formally quantifies the society of zebra finches. They have different types of relationships, and these form tiers, but they do not form a multilevel society.
royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/...
This was a very nice collaboration with great colleagues.
royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/...
This was a very nice collaboration with great colleagues.