Based at the Centre for Functional and Evolutionary Ecology (CEFE, CNRS) in Montpellier, the CEFE tit project started in 1976 when the eminent Jacques Blondel initiated a long-term monitoring project focusing on two bird communities, one on Mount Ventoux and the other one in the Pirio forest of the Fango valley (Corsica). Since then the project has experienced a huge development and currently we monitor blue tits and great tits in 5 main study areas: 3 in the north-west of Corsica (Balagne) in a diversity of deciduous and evergreen forest patches, and 2 on the mainland, in the forest of La Rouvière and the city of Montpellier. Although the original aim of Jacques and his colleagues was to study the insularity syndrome, currently the project has expanded a lot and now we study several aspects of the biology, physiology, ecology and evolution of blue tits and great tits. The data collected in this long-term project is used by 7 main permanent PIs, and many students, postdocs and collaborators across the world.
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This website will help you understand who’s involved in this project. It also provides some useful information on our protocols, study areas, and most recent projects and publications.