We study evolution of birds on islands, particularly focusing on investigating the mechanisms underlying life history traits, colour, song, behaviour and morphology. Our work is integrative, in that we examine questions from both ultimate and proximate perspectives and combine field and comparative work. We are part of CIBIO-BIOPOLIS (University of Porto, Portugal) and CEFE-CNRS (University of Montpellier, France).
Current projects
Research
Adapting to Island Life: Exploring Behavioral Responses to Novel EnvironmentsAna Leitão, CIBIO
ISLANDBIRDIET: Dietary niche divergence of island birds and the evolution of morphological adaptationsRaquel Ponti, CIBIO
Morphological evolution in island birds: underlying ecological mechanisms.Raquel Ponti, CIBIO
Evolution of Female Ornamentation: a comparative and experimental approach using island birdsAna Leitão, CIBIO
Evolution of colouration and body size in social bird speciesRuthvik Pallagatti, CIBIO
Ecological and Evolutionary Drivers of Sexual Size and Colour Dimorphism in Island BirdsAna Leitão & Raquel Ponti, CIBIO
Research group
Team
Rita Covas
Principal Researcher, CIBIOI’m a behavioural ecologist and evolutionary biologist with a particular interest in the evolution of sociality, life histories, and how these interact. My research uses birds as study models and a combination of long-term studies (on sociable weavers and southern ground-hornbills, both in South Africa), field-based experiments and comparative analyses. I am fascinated by islands and the research possibilities that they offer as the archetypal laboratories in ecology and evolution. My work on island birds investigates patterns of adaptation to the island environment and the underlying mechanisms. The topics investigated cover the evolution of reproductive life histories, sociality, immunity and morphology and whether these relate to niche enlargement.
Claire Doutrelant
Principal Investigator, CNRS / CEFEClaire Doutrelant is a senior CNRS researcher based at Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (CEFE)/ University of Montpellier, France. Her research is centred in the theoretical framework of evolutionary ecology, population biology and behavioural ecology. Using long-term data sets, experiments and comparative studies in birds she is currently working on four main projects. 1) Evolution of colour ornamentation in birds (with a special focus on female coloration and blue tits) 2) the cause and life history traits consequences of cooperation in sociable weavers ; 3) the evolution of visual and colour signals on islands, and 4) the evolution of an extended phenotype: weaver nests
Ana Leitão
Postdoc researcher, CIBIOMy research interests are in behavioural and evolutionary ecology, particularly in animal communication, sexual and social selection related topics. I am interested in understanding the evolution of elaborate (or lack of) traits such as plumage colours and bird song, particularly in females.
Miguel Castelo
Masters studentI am currently pursuing a Masters in Biodiversity, Genetics and Evolution, with a particular interest in birds and butterflies. I am specially curious about the behavioural patterns of birds and butterflies and the factors that shape them, a topic that I intend to study more deeply in my future career.
My current project, developed with the support of my supervisors (Dr. Ana Leitão and Dr. Raquel Pointí) is focused on antipredatory behaviour in island and continental bird species.
In my free time, I enjoy playing tennis, chess and bird photography.
Lynn Robey
Masters studentI am a master's student at University of Porto (master of biodiversity, genetics, and evolution) interested in studying evolutionary ecology. For my master's thesis I am working with Dr. Ana Leitão and Dr. Raquel Ponti to study the difference in diet between sexes in island endemic birds.
Carolina Rocha
Undegraduate StudentI am a biology student from the University of Porto with a strong passion for wildlife conservation and bioacoustics, having recently gained field experience in Borneo. In 2025, I was awarded a Gulbenkian Novos Talentos scholarship by the Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian to support my research. I will be conducting the project “Island-Driven Acoustic and Behavioural Adaptations in Female Chaffinches,” supervised by Ana Leitão.
Collaborators
Michael Griesser
University of Konstanz
Chris Cooney
University of Sheffield
Claire Loiseau
University of Montpellier
Martim Melo
CIBIO/MHNC-UP
Matthieu Paquet
University of Bordeaux
Louis Bliard
University of Zürich
Luke Powell
CIBIO-BIOPOLIS
Ricardo Lima
CE3C
Vanessa Mata
CIBIO-BIOPOLIS
Daniel Velarde
CIBIO-BIOPOLIS
Alumni
Ruthvik Pallagatti - website
Master student, 2023-2024
Flora Maurel
Intern, 2024
Lucija Zaja
Bachelor student, 2023
Cristina Alonso
MSc student, 2022
Joaquim Dias
Bachelor student, 2022
Aloïs Robert
PhD student
Jennifer Morinay
MSc student, 2012
articles
publications
Morphological Evolution in Island Birds Is Associated With More Terrestrial Lifestyles and a Lower Number of Raptors and Intra-Family Competitors.
Ponti R., Leitão, AV, Doutrelant C. and Covas R.
2025 / Global Ecology and Biogeography
Life-History Evolution in Island Populations of Birds.
Covas, R. and R. Ponti
2024 / Reference Module in Life Sciences
Strength of the ‘island rule’ in birds is positively associated with absence of avian predators.
Ponti R., Doutrelant C. and Covas R.
2023 / Biology Letters
Evolution of immune genes in island birds: reduction in population sizes can explain island syndrome.
Barthe M, Doutrelant C, Covas R, Melo M, Illera JC, Tilak M-K, Colombier C, Leroy T, Loiseau C, Nabholz B
2022 / BioRxiv
Evolution of vocal performance and song complexity in island birds.
Robert, A., Lengagne, T., Melo, M., Gomez, D. and Doutrelant, C.
2022 / J Avian Biol
Patterns of bird song evolution on islands support the character release hypothesis in tropical but not in temperate latitudes.
Robert, A., Melo, M., Lengagne, T., Julien, S., Gomez, D., & Doutrelant, C.
2021 / Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 34, 1580– 1591.
Examining the link between relaxed predation and bird colouration on islands.
Bliard, L., Robert, A. Paquet, M, Renoult, J., Grégoire, A., Crochet, P.A. Covas, R & Doutrelant, C.
2020 / Biology Letters, 16(4), 20200002.
The Theory of Island Biogeography and Soundscapes: species diversity and the organization of acoustic communities.
Robert, A., Lengagne, T., Melo, M., Julien, S., Gardette, V. Covas, R. & Doutrelant, C.
2019 / J. Biogeography
Insularity effects on the assemblage of the blood parasite community of the birds from the Gulf of Guinea.
Loiseau C., Melo M., Lobato E., Beadell J.S., Fleischer R.C., Reis S., Doutrelant C., Covas R.
2017 / Journal of Biogeography 44: 2607–2617
Insularity effects on bird immune parameters: a comparison between island and mainland populations in West Africa.
Lobato E., Doutrelant C., Melo M., Reis S., Covas R.
2017 / Ecology and Evolution 7: 3645-3656
Worldwide patterns of bird colouration on islands.
Doutrelant, C., Paquet, Renoult, J. M. Grégoire, A., Crochet, P.A. Covas, R.
2016 / Ecology Letter 19: 537–545
Diversity and composition of cultivable gut bacteria in an endemic island bird and its mainland sister species.
Lobato, E., Geraldes, M., Melo, M., Doutrelant, C., & Covas, R.
2016 / Symbiosis, 1-10.
The evolution of bidsongs on islands.
Morinay, J. Cardoso, G., Doutrelant, C. Covas, R
2013 / Ecology and Evolution 3: 5127-5140.
Life history evolution in island populations of birds.
Covas R
2016 / Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Biology Kilman RM (ed). Elsevier, Oxford
Evolution of reproductive life histories in island birds worldwide.
Covas, R.
2012 / Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B, 279, 1531-1537. doi:10.1098/rspb.2011.1785
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positions available
Prospective students
We welcome expressions of interest and support externally funded applications at all levels. Master's students for the academic year 2025/2026 are now being accepted. Take a look at the projects currently available:
- Islands as Evolutionary Laboratories: Unraveling the Determinants of Sexual Colour Differences in Birds
- Ecological and Evolutionary Predictors of Sexual Size Dimorphism in Island Birds
- How Islands Shape the Evolution of Avian Nest Architecture
- Extreme body sizes evolution of closely related co-occurring island birds
- Does body size constrain the evolution of bird plumage?
And we are always happy to discuss and help develop new related ideas.
Applications accepted all year round.
Postdocs and collaborations
We are keen to host and establish collaborations with researchers. If you are interested, please get in touch!
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