Mgr. Richard Schnürmacher
About me:
Interest in animals has been deeply rooted in me since early childhood. Gradually, I shifted my attention from insects crawling around my feet to the feathery things flying and singing overhead. It was the latter that became my main passion and professional focus. I am primarily interested in the biology and ethology of the understudied species, mainly of those active at dusk and at night. That's why I predominantly study the European Nightjar, a mysterious inhabitant of the Záhorie pine forests. After studying Systematic Biology and subsequently Zoology at the FNS CU, I am currently a joint PhD student at the Department of Zoology of the FNS CU and at the Behavioral Ecology and Ecophysiology research group at the University of Antwerp. In addition, I am an avid birder, bird ringer and a long-time member of the Slovak Ornithological Society, where I co-founded the Ornithological Academy for high-school and university students that are fond of this scientific field. If you are interested in exploring the fascinating intricacies of the life of birds, do not hesitate to contact me.
Field of research:
Behavioural ecology of birds (communication, breeding biology), primarily of crepuscular and nocturnal species. My main research scope is various biotic and abiotic factors influencing communication patterns of nocturnal birds, using the European Nightjar (Caprimulgus europaeus) as a model organism. I focus especially on the impact of light pollution on the behavior of this species.
Current research projects:
FWO-11Q2V24N
Investigating the role of astronomical light pollution on acoustic and visual communication in nocturnal birds
Témy záverečných prác:
- Seasonal change in the acoustic traits of the European Nightjar (Caprimulgus europaeus) song (Bachelor thesis)
Annotation: Seasonal change in the acoustic activity of most birds, especially passerines, is a relatively well-documented fact. Typically, males are vocally most active at the beginning of the breeding season as they need to defend their territories and attract females. After mating, the need to signal their qualities through singing gradually diminishes, along which the time the males spend singing also decreases significantly. In some species, it has been found that not only does the vocal activity of the males decline as the season progresses, but also the acoustic traits of their songs undergo changes. This suggests that both the quantity and the quality of their singing decreases during the season. The aim of the bachelor's thesis is to explore whether such changes in song quality occur in European Nightjar males as well. - Differences in male and female vocalisations in the European Nightjar (Caprimulgus europaeus) (Bachelor thesis)
Annotation: In most bird species inhabiting temperate zones, predominantly the males are the sex that sings, particularly during the breeding season. Singing is the domain of males - they spend a lot of time singing, as they use song to defend their territories and attract female partners. Females of many temperate species do not sing at all, and if they do so, they sing to a much lesser extent. Their songs often have a simpler structure, and they use songs only in specific situations. Apart from singing, birds also have other vocal expressions, such as different types of calls. The calls have a simpler structure and are tied to a certain context, although they are used by both sexes throughout the year. The aim of the bachelor's thesis is to investigate different vocalisations of female European Nightjars; whether are these vocalisations similar to those of males, and if not, how do they differ. - In the case of serious interest and active approach towards fieldwork from the student, it is possible to participate in foreign internships related to nightjar research (Belgium, Spain, Sweden), and continue with the topic for the Master's thesis.
Notable publications:
Jarčuška B., Gálffyová M., Schnürmacher R., Baláž M., Mišík M., Repel M., Fulín M., Kerestúr D., Lackovičová Z., Mojžiš M., Zámečník M., Kaňuch P. & Krištín A. 2024. Solar parks can enhance bird diversity in agricultural landscape. Journal of Environmental Management 351: 119902. DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.119902
Schnürmacher R. & Studecký J. 2022. The first documented record of a GPS-tagged Pallid Harrier (Circus macrourus) in Slovakia. Tichodroma 34: 85–89. DOI: 10.31577/ tichodroma.2022.34.10