Heiko Schmaljohann

I have been fascinated by birds since kindergarten and am an avid birdwatcher. Early on, I wondered how birds migrate back and forth between their European breeding areas and their African wintering grounds, thereby crossing ecological barriers such as the Sahara Desert. I am a trained behavioural biologist and deeply interested in bird migration ecology. My research questions focus on the specific skills birds require for migration, birds’ spatial and temporal distribution and abundance within the annual cycle and the interactions between birds and their biotic and abiotic environment. I use my extensive network of radio-tracking stations and cage experiments in combination with complementary methods from my cooperation partners to work on these issues comprehensively.