Marta Acácio

I am an ecologist interested in movement ecology and bird migration. My research focuses on understanding how individuals adapt their movement behaviour to the environmental conditions and in response to human-induced environmental change. I am also interested in understanding how movement strategies develop over the lifespan of individuals. To do so, I combine field observations with the use of technological tools, such as animal-tracking devices (e.g., GPS transmitters) and accelerometers.
I completed a PhD at the University of East Anglia (UK) in 2022, focusing on the determinants of dispersal and migratory movements of long-lived species, using white storks and shoebills as study species.
Currently, I am a Postdoctoral Fellow working with multiple aspects of bird's movement ecology, namely 1) how ageing influences movement and social behaviours in birds; 2) how anthropogenic food subsidies (e.g., in urban areas and landfills) impact birds’ health and movement (and migratory) behaviour; and 3) in partially migratory species, what factors determine the migratory decisions of birds.