As a movement ecologist, ornithologist and conservation biologist I try to understand what causes birds to move the way they do, with a particular focus on how migrating birds cope with atmospheric processes at local to synoptic scales, and how learning and social behaviour moulds individual and population-level migration patterns. To do this I combine bio-logging data with atmospheric models, remote sensing data and old-school field observations. On a more philosophical level I try to understand what our rapidly changing world looks like from a bird’s perspective, and to harness the ‘wisdom of the flock’ for sustainable development.
CURRENT RESEARCH
Map shows movements of Spoonbills tracked with three types of trackers (line colour) at a resolution of 1-6 hours superimposed on a simplified map of CORINE land use categories of special relevance to wetland birds (map colour). - Note how most Spoonbills tracked over the past two decades used rice paddies well outside the boundaries of the National Park (black-yellow line) and additionally protected peripheral areas (brown lines).
As of April 2022 I am working under a MAVA-Doñana fellowship at the fledging BirdEyes Centre for Excellence on Glocal Ecological Change. Combining traditional field survey and ring-resighting data with advanced tracking and remote sensing data I will study how migratory wetland birds like Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa and Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia adapt to fast changes in natural and anthropogenic wetlands along the East-Atlantic flyway.
In particular, I am interested in the importance of rice paddies in the Iberian peninsula as stop-over and wintering sites in the migratory network of wetland birds. Under current climate change, the Iberian peninsula is undergoing rapid desertification. Reduced rainfall in combination with the overexploitation of surface and ground water in Spain poses a severe threat for natural wetlands as well as water-intensive agriculture such as rice cultivation. Water shortages are especially acute in and around Doñana National Park, so much so that this World Heritage Site is in grave danger of dissapearing. My research aims to explore the mechanisms and limits of adaptation by iconic water birds to such fast changes, and how we may mitigate negative effects of climate change on migrant water birds in a drying Iberia.
AWARDS
BOU Early Professional Award 2024
Awarded by: British Ornithologists’ Union
For: “an outstanding initial contribution to the field of ornithology’ in research, community activities, capacity building and mentorship, and/or science communication and engagement. Remarkably, Wouter has made outstanding contributions in all of these areas”. Full citation by Jennifer Gill in Ibis Journal.
Academic Year Prize 2013
Awarded by: NWO, NRC Media, KNAW & VPRO/NTR
For: team member of the ‘Vogel het uit!’ project for participative science and science communication.
WORKING AT …
BirdEyes - Centre for Glocal Ecological Change
University of Groningen (NL)
MAVA-fellow / senior researcher (2022-present)
Theoretical and Computational Ecology -
Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics
University of Amsterdam (NL)
Guest Researcher (2016 - present)
BOARD MEMBER of…
Batumi Raptor Count (GEO)
Co-founder & Research coordinator (2008 - present)
PREVIOUS EDITORIAL POSITIONS
Ibis - British Ornithologists Union
(2017 - 2022)
Ardea - Dutch Ornithological Union
(2018 - 2022)
Natuur.oriolus - Natuurpunt.studie
(2017 - 2021)
PREVIOUS BOARD POSITIONS
Dutch-Georgian Ornithological Foundation (NL)
Board member (2017 - 2020)
Migrant Landbird Study Group
Co-founder & Secretary (2014 - 2018)
Previous affiliations
Estación Biológica de Doñana (ES)
Figuerola Lab, Dept Wetland Ecology
Postdoc (Apr 2019 - Aug 2021)
Juan de la Cierva Formación
Vansteelant Eco Research (NL)
Freelance ecologist (Jun 2016 - Jun 2019)
Chamber of commerce: 66266858
VAT-nr.: NL683203320B01
Dutch Montagu´s Harrier Foundation (NL)
Research biologist (Apr 2017 - Apr 2019)
Novia University of Applied Sciences (F)
Postdoc (Sep 2017 - Jan 2018)
Hawk Mtn. Sanctuary (PA, USA)
Guest Researcher (Feb - Mar 2017)
Conservation Leadership Intern (Mar - Jun 2011)
University of Amsterdam (NL)
Postdoc (Aug - Dec 2015)
Ph.D. candidate (Jul 2011 - Aug 2015)