About the Lab

 

The Behavioral Ecology and Ornithology Lab (LECO) at Universidade Federal do Paraná aims to develop research, promote discussions, and support undergraduate and graduate students to deepen their knowledge on animal behavior. We want to understand how environmental characteristics, including both biotic (e.g. inter and intraspecific interactions, population density, food availability) and abiotic features (e.g. climate, topography and latitude), are related to animal behavior. Our approach includes the investigation of proximal and ultimate mechanisms roles in the expression of animal phenotypes.

 

Our main focus is to investigate bird breeding behavior, especially the influence of sexual selection in the evolution of secondary sexual characteristics on these species. In practice, to study behavioral patterns among species, we monitor courtship exhibitions, partner choice, mating, nesting, egg laying, hatching, nestling development and parental care of several bird species.