Leonor Silva de Mattos
@leonorsmattos.bsky.social
Doctoral researcher exploring human–wildlife interactions (urban carrion crows) @ARU, Principal Lecturer (Business) @UofH. Life in the British countryside with kids, corvids, a dog, and a veg patch that’s always a work in progress.
Received the National Grid EIRR response today. First entry on the 2025 list: rooks nests taken down… Locations redacted to protect some species (and I fully agree with that). A lot of documents attached (I asked for the last 3 years) so my weekend is now done…! No reply from Natural England yet.
September 25, 2026 at 2:42 PM
Received the National Grid EIRR response today. First entry on the 2025 list: rooks nests taken down… Locations redacted to protect some species (and I fully agree with that). A lot of documents attached (I asked for the last 3 years) so my weekend is now done…! No reply from Natural England yet.
‘Although sex differences in animal sociality are often thought of as largely fixed, our findings reveal a dynamic pattern in which sex differences in dominance emerge with ageing and are context-dependent, varying across breeding seasons.’ - this paper confirming my intuition...
📖 Check out this paper!
Sex differences in social dominance emerge late in life in a gregarious bird🕊️ ♀️ ♂️
🔎 Find out more: buff.ly/c5tHBgz
Sex differences in social dominance emerge late in life in a gregarious bird🕊️ ♀️ ♂️
🔎 Find out more: buff.ly/c5tHBgz
September 17, 2026 at 3:30 PM
‘Although sex differences in animal sociality are often thought of as largely fixed, our findings reveal a dynamic pattern in which sex differences in dominance emerge with ageing and are context-dependent, varying across breeding seasons.’ - this paper confirming my intuition...
Data collection, day 1. Park was crowded with people and football, so no crows in sight for hours. I went to see Cronus & Rhea instead (yes they all have names). 6 years on, these 2 are the most loving/successful pair I know. ❤️ #crows #research #carrioncrows #urbanwildlife #cronusandrhea
September 12, 2026 at 4:41 PM
Data collection, day 1. Park was crowded with people and football, so no crows in sight for hours. I went to see Cronus & Rhea instead (yes they all have names). 6 years on, these 2 are the most loving/successful pair I know. ❤️ #crows #research #carrioncrows #urbanwildlife #cronusandrhea
Reposted by Leonor Silva de Mattos
Reposted by Leonor Silva de Mattos
Design a poster that explains an interesting animal behaviour. Your infographic will be inspired by observation of animals in real life or online. Entry age categories:
7-10 years
11-14 years
15-21 years
More information and the entry form: www.asab.org/education-news Spread the word #ECBB2026
7-10 years
11-14 years
15-21 years
More information and the entry form: www.asab.org/education-news Spread the word #ECBB2026
September 3, 2026 at 3:14 PM
Design a poster that explains an interesting animal behaviour. Your infographic will be inspired by observation of animals in real life or online. Entry age categories:
7-10 years
11-14 years
15-21 years
More information and the entry form: www.asab.org/education-news Spread the word #ECBB2026
7-10 years
11-14 years
15-21 years
More information and the entry form: www.asab.org/education-news Spread the word #ECBB2026
Loved this plenary! From birds and mongooses to fish, human-generated noise can interfere with communication and alter wildlife behaviour and biology. Our acoustic footprint can be harmful. The closing message was hopeful: don’t let negativity take over, believe you can make a difference. #ECBB2026
A fantastic first day plenary from Prof @andyradford.bsky.social! We can say for certain it won't just our committee that will be thinking about the similarities between woodhoopoes and football fans going forward!
September 1, 2026 at 10:14 PM
Loved this plenary! From birds and mongooses to fish, human-generated noise can interfere with communication and alter wildlife behaviour and biology. Our acoustic footprint can be harmful. The closing message was hopeful: don’t let negativity take over, believe you can make a difference. #ECBB2026
New research shows we’re more morally accepting of animal exploitation when framed as part of our own culture. “Tradition” can therefore influence how we evaluate [animal] harm. Timely, as debate for/against #TheGugaHunt intensifies, with some positive news of a potential block released today.
July 29, 2026 at 9:52 PM
New research shows we’re more morally accepting of animal exploitation when framed as part of our own culture. “Tradition” can therefore influence how we evaluate [animal] harm. Timely, as debate for/against #TheGugaHunt intensifies, with some positive news of a potential block released today.
The garden is so alive! I really love the Summer ☀️
July 6, 2026 at 3:34 PM
The garden is so alive! I really love the Summer ☀️
When release is no longer possible, the focus should not just be on what was lost, but what kind of life is still possible beyond that loss…
medium.com/@thecorvidco...
medium.com/@thecorvidco...
July 5, 2026 at 1:26 PM
When release is no longer possible, the focus should not just be on what was lost, but what kind of life is still possible beyond that loss…
medium.com/@thecorvidco...
medium.com/@thecorvidco...
At the UH learning and teaching conference today! My video presentation output, done with our Supported Distance Leaning partners, was well received (last picture). Sessions were engaging with lots of good practice. A very productive day and always in great company! #academiclife #UHLTC2026
June 11, 2026 at 1:38 PM
At the UH learning and teaching conference today! My video presentation output, done with our Supported Distance Leaning partners, was well received (last picture). Sessions were engaging with lots of good practice. A very productive day and always in great company! #academiclife #UHLTC2026
First pear in 5 years. I must have done something right this year.
June 8, 2026 at 12:42 PM
First pear in 5 years. I must have done something right this year.
UK universities’ academic misconduct procedures are not fair www.timeshighereducation.com/opinion/uk-u...
UK universities’ academic misconduct procedures are not fair
The experienced lawyers we surveyed were consistently sceptical about arrangements’ consistency and robustness, say Alex Fairbairn and Daniel Sokol
www.timeshighereducation.com
May 27, 2026 at 7:55 PM
UK universities’ academic misconduct procedures are not fair www.timeshighereducation.com/opinion/uk-u...
Happy 100th birthday, Sir David. #DavidAttenborough #Nature
May 8, 2026 at 9:51 PM
Happy 100th birthday, Sir David. #DavidAttenborough #Nature
Food often sits at the centre of how we connect with birds, but is it really the most important part of the relationships we build with our garden’s wildlife? A short reflection:
medium.com/@thecorvidco...
medium.com/@thecorvidco...
April 25, 2026 at 10:18 AM
Food often sits at the centre of how we connect with birds, but is it really the most important part of the relationships we build with our garden’s wildlife? A short reflection:
medium.com/@thecorvidco...
medium.com/@thecorvidco...
The garden is awakening 😍 #springhassprung
April 22, 2026 at 10:53 AM
The garden is awakening 😍 #springhassprung
My article about birds’ olfaction abilities has been published by The Quantastic Journal on Medium. A bit of a long read, but hope you enjoy it.
thequantasticjournal.com/the-forgotte...
thequantasticjournal.com/the-forgotte...
The Forgotten Sense: Can Birds Smell?
For a long time, we assumed birds were anosmic, that their worlds were solely shaped by sight and sound. But what if that’s only part of…
thequantasticjournal.com
April 14, 2026 at 12:36 PM
My article about birds’ olfaction abilities has been published by The Quantastic Journal on Medium. A bit of a long read, but hope you enjoy it.
thequantasticjournal.com/the-forgotte...
thequantasticjournal.com/the-forgotte...
More data showing consistent declines in rooks (Corvus Frugilegus). This points to wider pressures in rural systems: habitat loss, agricultural intensification, and reduced invertebrate availability - the same drivers affecting other declining bird groups. But that’s not all…
1/ The 2025 BBS Report is out now! It was a record year for volunteers taking part, with 2,800+ visiting 4,058 survey squares across the UK, Channel Islands & Isle of Man. A huge thank you to our volunteers!
@btobirds.bsky.social @jncc.bsky.social @rspbscience.bsky.social #Ornithology
@btobirds.bsky.social @jncc.bsky.social @rspbscience.bsky.social #Ornithology
April 10, 2026 at 11:56 PM
More data showing consistent declines in rooks (Corvus Frugilegus). This points to wider pressures in rural systems: habitat loss, agricultural intensification, and reduced invertebrate availability - the same drivers affecting other declining bird groups. But that’s not all…
I would love to hear from my fellow rehabbers about this - if you sex your disabled corvids, what’s your male/female ratio? Genuinely curious. Am I the only one with a disproportionate amount of males in permanent care?
medium.com/@thecorvidco...
#animalbehaviour #corvids #wildlife #reflections
medium.com/@thecorvidco...
#animalbehaviour #corvids #wildlife #reflections
February 21, 2026 at 11:02 AM
I would love to hear from my fellow rehabbers about this - if you sex your disabled corvids, what’s your male/female ratio? Genuinely curious. Am I the only one with a disproportionate amount of males in permanent care?
medium.com/@thecorvidco...
#animalbehaviour #corvids #wildlife #reflections
medium.com/@thecorvidco...
#animalbehaviour #corvids #wildlife #reflections
Attending “Social by Nature – From Animal Minds to Inclusive Science Communities” with Prof. Claudia Wascher (Anglia Ruskin University) for #WomenInScienceDay. Crows/ravens, cognition & communication — and inclusive research cultures. 11 Feb 2026 • 18:00 GMT • free (online & Cambridge). Links ⬇️
January 30, 2026 at 7:40 PM
Attending “Social by Nature – From Animal Minds to Inclusive Science Communities” with Prof. Claudia Wascher (Anglia Ruskin University) for #WomenInScienceDay. Crows/ravens, cognition & communication — and inclusive research cultures. 11 Feb 2026 • 18:00 GMT • free (online & Cambridge). Links ⬇️
New article: “A crow call is never just a sound.”
A quick tour of crow communication through an “Umwelt” lens: why the same call can function differently depending on circumstances, and why we should be cautious with simple translations.
medium.com/@thecorvidco...
A quick tour of crow communication through an “Umwelt” lens: why the same call can function differently depending on circumstances, and why we should be cautious with simple translations.
medium.com/@thecorvidco...
January 17, 2026 at 11:22 PM
New article: “A crow call is never just a sound.”
A quick tour of crow communication through an “Umwelt” lens: why the same call can function differently depending on circumstances, and why we should be cautious with simple translations.
medium.com/@thecorvidco...
A quick tour of crow communication through an “Umwelt” lens: why the same call can function differently depending on circumstances, and why we should be cautious with simple translations.
medium.com/@thecorvidco...
Define yourself in 4 pictures. I’ll go first…
July 9, 2025 at 5:10 PM
Define yourself in 4 pictures. I’ll go first…