After spending most of my formative years trying to find rare birds at a sewage farm in Lincolnshire, I undertook a BSc in Biology at the University of East Anglia (UEA) which allowed me to spread my wings beyond the Palearctic; permitting me the opportunity to spend a year studying at the University of California Irvine. Post BSc, I spent an eclectic two years variously spent at a Bird Observatory in Nova Scotia, as a bird guide in the Southern Amazon and working for various ecological consultancies. After this wilderness period, during which time I also consolidated some of my thoughts to paper on avian vagrancy mechanisms, I returned to Amazonia and the world’s greatest avifauna. Based around Alta Floresta in northern Mato Grosso I carried out a PhD investigating the impact of forest fragmentation and perturbation on the bird and mammal communities. After a short break for Amazonian fieldwork, which included time spent surveying Spoon-billed Sandpipers in Bangladesh, I moved to Brazil permanently and am currently based at the Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi where my research interests centre around the ecology, taxonomy and conservation of the Amazonian avifauna.
Journal articles
Barlow, J., Gardner, T.A., Lees, A.C., Parry, L., Peres, C.P. 2011. How pristine are tropical forests? An ecological perspective on the pre-Columbian human footprint in Amazonia and implications for contemporary conservation. Biological Conservation, in press.
Bird, J.P., Buchanan, G.M., Lees, A. C., Clay, R.P., Develey, P.F., Yépez, I. & Butchart, S.H.M. 2011. Integrating spatially explicit habitat projections into extinction risk assessments: a reassessment of Amazonian avifauna incorporating projected deforestation. Diversity and Distributions. In press.
Lees, A.C. & Ball, A. 2011. Shades of grey: ‘eastern’ Skylarks and extralimital subspecies identification. British Birds, 104: 660-666.
Lees, A.C. & VanderWerf, E. A. 2011. First record of Blyth’s Pipit Anthus godlewskii for Micronesia. Bulletin of the British Ornithologist's Club. 131: 212-216.
Lees, A. C., Bird, J. P., Chowdhury, S. U., Martin, R. 2011. Status of Red-throated Pipit Anthus cervinus in Bangladesh. Forktail 27: 99-100.
Bird, J. P., Lees, A.C., Chowdhury, S.U., Martin, R. & Haque, E.U. 2010. A survey of the Critically Endangered Spoon-billed Sandpiper Eurynorhynchus pygmeus in Bangladesh and key future research and conservation recommendations. Forktail, 26: 1–8.
Peres, C.A., Gardner, T.A., Barlow, J., Zuanon, J. Michalski, F., Lees, A.C., Vieira, I.C.G. Moreira, F.M.S. & Feeley, K.J. 2010. Biodiversity conservation in human-modified Amazonian forest landscapes. Biological Conservation. 143: 2314-2327.
Lees, A.C. & Peres, C.A. 2010. Habitat and life history determinants of antbird local extinction in variable-sized Amazonian forest fragments. Biotropica. 42: 614-621.
Lees, A.C. & Peres, C.A. 2009. Gap-crossing movements predict species occupancy in Amazonian forest fragments. Oikos, 118: 280-290.
Lees, A.C. & Bell, D.J. 2008. A conservation paradox for the 21st century: the European wild rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus, an invasive alien and an endangered native. Mammal Review. 38: 304-320.
Lees, A.C. & Peres, C.A. 2008. Avian Life history determinants of local extinction risk in a fragmented neotropical forest landscape. Animal Conservation, 11: 128-137.
Trinca, C.T., Ferrari, S.F.& Lees, A.C. 2008. Curiosity killed the bird: arbitrary hunting of harpy eagles (Harpia harpyja) on an agricultural frontier in southern Brazilian Amazonia. Cotinga, 30: 12-15.
Lees, A.C. & Peres, C. 2008. Conservation value of remnant riparian forest corridors of varying quality for Amazonian birds and mammals. Conservation Biology, 22: 439-449.
Lees, A.C., Davis, B., Oliveira, A.V.G. & Peres, C.A. 2008. Avifauna of a structurally heterogenous forest landscape in the Serra dos Caiabis, Mato Grosso, Brazil: a preliminary assesment. Cotinga, 29: 147-157.
Lees, A.C. & Peres, C. 2008. A range extension for Curl-crested Aracari (Pteroglossus beauharnaesii): implications for avian contact zones in central Amazonia. Bulletin of the British Ornithologist's Club. 128: 53-54.
Swift, L., Hunter, P.R., Lees, A.C. & Bell, D.J. 2007. Biodiversity loss, the wildlife trade and the emergence of infectious diseases. Ecohealth 4: 25-30.
Lees, A.C. & Peres, C.A. 2006. Rapid avifaunal collapse along the Amazonian deforestation frontier. Biological Conservation, 133: 198-211.
McLaren, I. A., Lees, A.C., Field, C. & Collins, K.J. 2006. Origins and Characteristics of Nearctic Landbirds in Britain and Ireland in Autumn: a Statistical Analysis. Ibis, 148: 707-726.
Lees, A.C. & Moores, R.D. 2006. Identification and status of Dunn's Lark in North Africa. British Birds. 99: 482-484.
Lees, A.C. & Gilroy, J.G. 2004. Pectoral Sandpipers in Europe: vagrancy patterns and the influx of 2003. British Birds, 97: 638 – 646.
Gilroy, J.G. & Lees, A.C. 2003. Vagrancy theories: are autumn vagrants really reverse migrants? British Birds, 96: 427 – 438.
Lees, A.C., Fitzgerald, T.M. & Peckford, M.L. 2003 A Le Conte’s Sparrow (Ammodramus lecontii) on Bon Portage Island. Nova Scotia Birds, 45: 8-9.
Book chapters
Lees, A.C. & Gilroy J.J. 2009. Vagrancy Mechanisms in Passerines and Near-Passerines. In: Slack, R. Rare Birds, Where and When: An analysis of status and distribution in Britain and Ireland. Volume 1: sandgrouse to New World orioles. Rare Bird Books, York.
Book reviews
Lees, A.C. 2011. Birds of Brazil: The Pantanal and Cerrado of Central Brazil. Gwynne et al. Ibis, 153: 903-903.
Lees, A.C. 2010. A field guide to the birds of Brazil. Ber van Perlo. Cotinga, 32: 186-187.
Lees, A.C. 2010. Bird Migration, by Ian Newton. British Birds, 113: 413.
Lees, A.C. 2010. A Birdwatching Guide to Lesvos, by Steve Dudley. British Birds, 113: 68-69.
Lees, A.C. 2010. Field Guide to the Songbirds of South America by Ridgely, R. & Tudor, G. The Passerines. Ibis, 152: 428.
Non-peer reviewed articles
Lees, A. C. & Mahood, S.P. 2011. Jacobin Cuckoo in Finland in September 1976: a plea for reassessment. Dutch Birding, 33: 325-328.
Lees, A. C. & Moura, N. G. 2011. Photographing Maria-bonita Taeniotriccus andrei. Neotropical Birding, 8: 75-78.
Lees, A.C. 2011. Yellow-browed Warbler Phylloscopus inornatus: a scarce migrant no more? Lincolnshire Bird Report 2009: 164-168, Cupit Print, Horncastle.
Lees, A. C. 2011. Birding in Brazil: Alta Floresta region. Dutch Birding, 33: 22-33.
Bird, J.P. Lees, A. C., Chowdhury, S. U. Martin, R., Halder, R. & Haque, E.U. 2010 Observations of globally threatened shorebirds in Bangladesh. BirdingASIA, 14: 53–58.
Lees, A.C. 2010. The 2008 Honey Buzzard Influx. Lincolnshire Bird Report 2008, 124-129. Cuprit Print, Horncastle.
Gilroy, J.G. & Lees, A.C. 2007. Reverse responses. Birding World. 20: 81-83.
Moores, R.D. & Lees, A.C. 2007. Just Deserts. [Birding in Western Sahara]. Birdwatch, 177: 38-41.
Gilroy, J.G. & Lees, A.C. 2006. Predicting likely vagrants using 'vagrancy shadow'. Birding World. 19: 331-334.
Lees, A.C. 2006. Gaviao real: of eagles and men. Alula, 12: 68-71.
Lees, A.C. 2005. Home & away: Cristalino Jungle Lodge, Mato Grosso, Brazil. Birding World, 18: 129.
Lees, A.C. 2005. Macaronesian endemic birds: their taxonomy, status and conservation. Alula, 11: 12-24.
Lees, A.C., Nale, R.N. Habib, B. 2004. Indian Bustard Wildlife Sanctuary, Nanaj, Maharashtra, India. Birding Asia, 1: 58-62.
Lees, A.C. 2004. Autumn migration in Nova Scotia. Alula, 10: 12-20.