Ghost of the mountain tundra – ÉLVONAL fieldwork with Eurasian Dotterel

text and photos by Vojtěch Kubelka Eurasian Dotterel (Eudromias morinellus) is a charismatic and in various aspects challenging shorebird species, wintering in North Africa and breeding scattered across mountain tundra of Europe and Asia. Is well known for the reversed sex roles with more colourful females leaving the care for eggs and chicks nearly…

Madagascar Fieldwork 2020

text and photos by Sama Zefania Despite the pandemic, which stopped many works at office and in field at many countries of the world, we’re still motivated to continue research wherever it is safe and possible. So I’d like to share you the below motivating paragraphs as an information: The first containment (quarantine) at…

Introducing UAE Fieldsite

text and photos by Esmat Elfaki Mohammed Elhassan We are studying Red-wattled Lapwing (Vanellus indicus) in Almarmoom Desert Conservation in Dubai, UAE. The species is widespread and showed high tolerance to the ambient temperature of the desert ecosystem. Working in extreme summer with 50 degrees is a challenge for the observers but we were…

Spotlight on young researchers

We are happy to share that “Noémie Catherine Engel has just begun her researcher journey – and she has found her niche already” – read full article here

13-19 January 2020 – Modeling Population Dynamics Workshop

by Karola Szemán, co-organiser We had a very informative workshop on demography, “Modelling population dynamics: Estimating demographic parameters for wildlife conservation” during 13-19 January 2020, in Debrecen, Hungary. The workshop was held by Prof. Brett K. Sandercock (NINA) and organized in association with the Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology – University of Debrecen…

10-12 January 2020 – III. ÉLVONAL Conference

Despite of chilly wintertime we found so much joy in hosting our III. ÉLVONAL Conference in Debrecen, 10-12 January 2020. These busy days were filled with 26 exciting presentations, brainstorming group discussions whilst we inspired each other with new ideas and shared experiences in various theoretical and practical issues concerning conservation research. Here we would…

Successful ÉLVONAL fieldwork camp in Melbourne

by Vojtěch Kubelka During 20–24 November 2019 a successful ÉLVONAL Shorebird Science Fieldwork Training Camp How to study breeding shorebirds? took place in Cheetham Wetlands near Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Smooth running of the course was assured by great logistical support from local team: Mike Weston, Kristal Kostoglou, Laura Tan and reserve rangers. The weather was…

21-24 November 2019 – III. ÉLVONAL Fieldwork Training Camp, Australia

Great opportunity to gain field experience on breeding shorebird population:

17-19 September 2019 – II. ÉLVONAL Workshop in Sheffield, UK

We had an informal meeting with a group of our collaborators at Sheffield University. We entitled this workshop to discuss our experiences about the past spring fieldwork season, 2019. As well as to introduce new collaborative teams to our current co-working fellows, such as teams from Algeria, Tobseda, Taiwan. During this fruitful event we raised…

Taiwan – New study site enriches ÉLVONAL Project repertoire

News from the pheasant-tailed jacana field project by Nolwenn Fresneau & Andras Liker August 2019, Guantian, Taiwan We started the first field season on 20th June in Taiwan. The place is wonderful: we are studying a population of pheasant-tailed jacanas Hydrophasianus chirurgus resident in the Jacana Ecological and Educational Park, in south-west Taiwan…

9-16 May 2019 – II. ÉLVONAL Fieldwork Training Camp, Belarus

This camp was organised and lead by Dr Vojtech Kubelka and the scientific team of Turov ringing station, Belarus: Dr Natalia Karlionova, Evgenya Lunchik, Viacheslav Khursanov. With the participation of Triin Kaasiku (Estonia), Anastazia Kuzmiankova (Belarus), José Valdebenito (Chile), Emilien Genetier (France) the training camp was successful and very instructive for the whole team. Turov…

23-28 April 2019 – I. ÉLVONAL Fieldwork Training Camp in Cadiz, Spain

As the beginning of the spring field season approached at many of our study sites worldwide, we took a break to test run our research plans and prepare ourselves for the next months. Prof Alejandro Perez Hurtado de Mendoza from Cadiz University was a great host of our enthusiastic team of thirteen. The training took…

27-29 March 2019 – II. ÉLVONAL Shorebird Workshop in Debrecen, Hungary

After our successful first workshop in Groningen, this spring we decided to meet our shorebird friends again and discuss new ideas and the clarified ÉLVONAL fieldwork protocol. This event was organised by ÉLVONAL core team and held at University of Debrecen. With the participation of twenty one researchers and students from many countries we had…

11-13 January 2019. – II. ÉLVONAL Conference – New directions in evolutionary research of sex roles

The time arrived to hold our Project’s second annual conference, that took place in Debrecen, Hungary. During these days we had deep discussions about new directions in evolutionary research of sex roles from many perspective. Despite the harsh wintertime our invited speakers’s bright talks provided the skeleton to numerous presentations along which we came up…

26-28 September 2018 – I. ÉLVONAL Workshop in Groningen, Netherlands

We had an informal meeting with a group of our collaborators at Groningen University. We entitled this workshop to introduce and discuss our ÉLVONAL Project’s objectives and tasks to fulfil the upcoming field season. During this fruitful event we listened to talks presenting each of our previous work and interest in science, especially in terms…