The Open Science Center of the Konrad Lorenz Research Center in Grünau im Almtal is taking shape! 🌿 From the 2024 declaration of intent to Jane Goodall’s symbolic tree planting and now a building up to the roof—science and collaboration in action!

New paper: Anti-predator behaviour in Darwin’s finches after predator removal. After invasive mammals were removed from Floreana Island in 2023, how did finches adjust their anti-predator behaviour in a changed world? link.springer.com/article/10.1... Picture: A. Katsis

New paper 📝: Do aggressive male Darwin’s finches 🐦 trade parental care 👨‍👩‍👧 for territory defense 🛡️? Males fed chicks just as much, but females incubated less—hinting at a weak tradeoff. 🤔 Behavioural mechanisms still unclear. Picture: A. Katsis

Different Islands, Different Songs — Cultural Evolution in Real Time 🌋🎶 Darwin’s cactus finches on Floreana & Santa Cruz sing 25 unique syllable types—none shared. Floreana = broader bandwidths 🎶 Santa Cruz = larger beaks 🐦 Kaluppa et al. 2025, BJLS doi.org/10.1093/biol... Pictures: J. Garcia-Loor

In Memoriam Jane Goodall 🩶 lifesciences.univie.ac.at/news-events/...

Sonia Kleindorfer on the Charles Darwin Podcast with updates from Floreana Island. www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfiV... #Galapagos #Floreana #EcologicalRestoration #DarwinsFinches #univienna #charlesdarwinfoundation

In Memoriam Jane Goodall The staff, students, and community of the Konrad Lorenz Research Center deeply mourn the passing of Jane Goodall. She was a friend, an advocate, a supporter of community-based nature connectedness, and an ambassador of hope. janegoodall.sicher-helfen.org/jgi/spende/?...

🪲 New invertebrate baseline for Galápagos restoration! Farmland on Floreana hosts invasive ants 🐜 and key native taxa. 👉 First data to assess the Floreana Restoration Project’s impact. 📖 Common et al. 2025 🔗 doi.org/10.1007/s108...

🪶 #Floreana, #Galápagos: After invasive mammal removal, rat egg predation was slashed. 👉 In 2024, as part of the Floreana Ecological Restoration Monitoring Program, we tested self-fumigation: 63% of nests had treated material, and Yellow Warbler nests showed fewer parasites. Picture: S. Kleindorfer

Research Retreat in the Almtal 🏞️ Focused writing, cold swims & team bonding – plus a warm welcome to Theresa Ranieri, our new PhD in the #UrbanBEE project 🐝🌆 We return inspired, recharged & ready for what's next! 📸: Shane Sumasgutner #univienna #konradlorenzresearchcenter @pesumas.bsky.social

New paper! In #greylaggeese, individuals are consistent in subgroup size & departure timing during collective flights. New insights into #individuality signatures of #movement! 📸 KLF #GreylagGoose #AnimalBehaviour #univienna doi.org/10.1007/s002...

#greylaggeese and #ravens were also the subject of a BBC series: “Do birds understand us?” Thomas Bugyar and Andrew Katsis report on their research and observations on this topic. www.bbc.com/audio/play/w... @univie.ac.at

🎙️ In a recent @OE1 interview Sonia Kleindorfer talks about animals' awareness of death and grief. oe1.orf.at/player/20250... from 18'40 Picture: M. Klymenko @univie.ac.at

From Sept 8–9, the #OpenScienceFestival took place for the first time at the @univie.ac.at — a hub for scientists, students & the public to connect. Didone Frigerio spoke about the Open Science Center currently being built in Grünau im Almtal. 📸: D. Frigerio

NEW on #theBOUblog from Petra Sumasgutner When kestrels turn pale: what colour tells us about bird health in human-dominated landscapes A report from a BOU funded project bou.org.uk/blog-suma... Based on this IBIS paper doi.org/10.1111/ibi....#theBOUblog #ornithology 🪶

New paper: Red kite (Milvus milvus) collision risk is higher at wind turbines with larger rotors and lower clearance, evidenced by GPS tracking. doi.org/10.1016/j.bi... #rotmilan #redkite #collissionrisk #windturbines @pesumas.bsky.social Picture: Robert Kreinz

Spannende Impulsvorträge & Diskussion beim Biologicum Almtal 2025! 🧠 Thema: Krisenfestigkeit der Natur – Biologische Resilienz im Zeitalter globaler Veränderungen 📅 2. Okt, 17:30 | 📍Pfarrhof Grünau 🎟️ 10€, keine Anmeldung 👉 biologicum-almtal.univie.ac.at/mitwirkende Fotos: Archiv KLF; L. Meiseleder

Biologicum Almtal für Oberstufen-Schüler*innen! 🧬 Krisenfestigkeit der Natur – Biologische Resilienz im Zeitalter globaler Veränderungen 📅 2.10.2025 | ⏰ ab 9:30 | 📍Grünau/Almtal 🎤 Vorträge + Science Café ℹ️ Programm & Anmeldung: biologicum-almtal.univie.ac.at/programm/

Proud to be a partner in State of the World’s Raptors Initiative! 🦅 Petra Sumasgutner authored the chapter on Europe’s raptors. The book is open access—read it here: 🔗 science.peregrinefund.org/state-of-wor...

Malva is one of this year’s hand-raised goslings—and a born troublemaker. From picking fights to making a mess, this one’s always had a big personality. 🐣💥 Now banded and learning to fly, Malva is almost ready to head out on his own. Can’t wait to see what he will be up to next. 🪿✨ (c) M.Klymenko

Do ravens have personalities? We tested how free-flying ravens respond to predator calls & gunshots. No consistent boldness across individuals, but: 🖤 Juveniles fed sooner than adults 🦅 All reacted more cautiously to raptors than gunshots doi.org/10.1002/jav.... @avianbiology.bsky.social #univienna

@sarahguttenberger.bsky.social & @pesumas.bsky.social are showcasing the ICARUS #Kestrel Project at #EOC2025: 960 kestrels tagged across Europe to uncover migration routes, causes of death & #conservation needs. Stay tuned for their poster & talk insights! Pictures: A. Hegeman & Wiener Wildnis

New paper: In #greylaggeese, influencers are bold and their followers are open to novelty. Aggressive geese? They stick to family. Followers may choose leaders whose traits provide protection so that innovation can emerge and spread. #AnimalBehavior @univie.ac.at www.cell.com/iscience/ful...

✨ Original Goose Parents from 1973 return to the KLF! Sybille Kalas & Jennifer Kickert once helped Konrad Lorenz move 149 greylag geese to the Alm Valley – sleeping outdoors with them in the forest near a stream. 🌿💚 Their story continues today. #Herstory #GreylagGeese #univienna @univie.ac.at

Tipps vom Falter-Vogelwart Klaus Nüchtern für "Stadtrand-Wanderungen" um Wien .... @falter.at #turmfalken

New paper: Your song says more than you think. In #songbirds, exploratory birds sing with greater variety, aggressive ones keep it short. Song may be part of the language of #personality. #BirdLab #KLF #animalbehavior #birdsong #wildlife @univie.ac.at doi.org/10.1098/rsos... Pictures: A. Katsis

This year’s hand-raised #goslings - now fully grown and banded — are joining the KLF flock of #greylaggeese now after spending the last weeks with their human parents in Oberganslbach. @univie.ac.at #animalbehaviour #longtermmonitoring Picture: S. Bakanova

A little throwback to the gosling days of our hand-raised Greylag Geese. 🐣💦 Qualia went from awkwardly flapping tiny wing nubs after bath time to becoming a full-fledged, majestic Greylag teenager. They grow up so fast! 🪿✨ #GreylagGoose #animalbehavior #almtal #univienna Picture: M. Klymenko

New study: Uncovering Bias in Movement Ecology. We investigated who does #movementecology research, where it happens, and how it’s shared. Results show biases shaped by geography, funding, and power-including #parachutescience. Let's make science more inclusive and equitable doi.org/10.1098/rspb...

🆕 New paper out on raven antipredator behaviour! How do young ravens learn to mob predators? 🦅 We showed captive families a fake threat—and found that adults back off as chicks grow more alert. But only some youngsters scolded. Why? Big individual differences. doi.org/10.1007/s100...

World Conservation Day 2025 🌍 At the Konrad Lorenz Research Center, our #biodiversity project combats Europe’s #songbird decline. 300+ #nestboxes in the Almtal boosted bird numbers & diversity! 🐦 🔗 klf.univie.ac.at/.../biodiver... #WorldConservationDay #Biodiversity #Conservation #Almtal

New paper: Can movement reveal lead poisoning in condors? #CaliforniaCondors are critically endangered, and one of their biggest threats comes from humans: #leadammunition. Can their #movementpatterns tell us when they’ve been exposed? Pictures: A. Orr #CondorConservation #LeadFree #AnimalTracking

Successful summer school PReCISE-Promoting Citizen Science Expertise at #uclouvain funded by @circleu.bsky.social⎮knowledge exchange between universities across the EU ⎮ awareness for #citizenscience at Universities ⎮ with @upcite.bsky.social @univie.ac.at @au.dk www.circle-u.eu/open-campus/...

Flies have #personality! The invasive #avianvampirefly of the #Galápagos shows individual differences among adults — some are bold, others active, and some exploratory. If flies have personality, how might this influence host–parasite dynamics? doi.org/10.1163/1568... Picture: B. Sinclair, L.Common

How does personality shape ecological roles?🐦 A new Galápagos study shows that more exploratory birds use a broader foraging niche-linking consistent behavior with ecological flexibility. 📄 García-Loor et al.2025 doi.org/10.1111/btp.... #BirdBehavior #ForagingNiche #Galapagos 📸 Kleindorfer, Ploderer

#Stellenausschreibung: Zwei wissenschaftliche Stellen sind im #EU-Projekt #UrbanBEE ausgeschrieben 🐝 #PhD-Stelle an der #univienna, Universitätsassistent*in Praedoc (30h/Woche), befristet auf 3 Jahre 🐝 Studentische Assistenz bei der #AGES, Teilzeit: 20h/Woche, Dauer: 6 Monate klf.univie.ac.at/de/

New paper! #Goldeneagles ride the wind – literally! Soaring birds use invisible lifts in the air- so-called thermals and orographic lifts. Our latest research uncovers another source of uplift that golden eagles use: #gravitywaves (c) T. Thusholt @vogelwarte.bsky.social @mpi-animalbehav.bsky.social

Happy World Biodiversity Day! We’re thrilled to announce the launch of our #UrbanBee project –across the globe! UrbanBee is all about celebrating and supporting pollinator diversity in cities – one bee hotel at a time. photos: F. Cochis #WorldBiodiversityDay #PollinatorsInTheCity #WildBees

New paper alert! Using wing bar patterns to identify sex in Crowned Eagles Stephanoaetus coronatus: A misleading field characteristic. doi.org/10.2989/0030... Picture: Ralph Buij

New Research Alert: A LEAP Forward for Wildlife Conservation! Understanding why birds die is key to protecting them. The LIFE EUROKITE Assessment Protocol combines GPStracking, site investigations & necropsies to pinpoint mortality causes in large birds. doi.org/10.1002/ece3... Photo: J.Hemtsberger

📚✍ The spring #ResearchRetreat of the joint PhD group from @barbaraklump.bsky.social & @pesumas.bsky.social labs has come to a close! From manuscript revisions & grant proposals to mountain walks & intense Wingspan battles-this retreat had it all. 🏞🎲 Productivity ✔ Team spirit ✔ Inspiration ✔

Spring meeting of the Scientific Advisory Board of @birdlifeaustria.bsky.social at the KLF #birdlifeaustria #konradlorenzforschungsstelle #univienna @pesumas.bsky.social #almtal #research #conservation #birds

a bit belated but here's an article in the Guardian about our research paper led by Leon Hohl and @alperyelimlies.bsky.social with @klf-univienna.bsky.social on the effect of noise in Galapagos Yellow Warblers www.theguardian.com/science/2025... article link (open access): doi.org/10.1016/j.an...

Togehter with 8 other European Universities, the @univie.ac.at is part of @circleu.bsky.social. The KLF is contributing to the organisation and implementation of #PReCISE, a Summer School on Citizen Science hosted at the University of Louvain, Belgium. www.circle-u.eu/open-campus/...

Welcome Emil! @emiisak.bsky.social @univie.ac.at #corvids #ravens

Our latest research on Galápagos yellow warblers is out! We investigated how male yellow warblers adjust their behavior in response to traffic noise during simulated territorial intrusions. Link to article: doi.org/10.1016/j.an... @caglarakcay.bsky.social @klf-univienna.bsky.social

The Floreana Island Restoration Project currently is the largest and most ambitious #restoration initiative in the Galápagos archipelago. Follow the exciting #fieldwork of behavioural biologist Sonia Kleindorfer and her team as they monitor and protect the diverse #wildlife of Floreana Island. ⤵️ 🏝️

New paper: high human foot traffic is associated with lower faecal glucocorticoid metabolite concentrations in a free-ranging urban bird | Hormones and Behavior | doi.org/10.1016/j.yh... #UrbanEcology #Ecophysiology #ScienceInAction @pesumas.bsky.social Picture: UCT Red-winged Starling Project

NEW ISSUE: the first issue of 2025 is now complete and can be read in full here ⬇️ vist.ly/3mxcwn6 Cover photo by Andrew Katsis, depicting a greylag goose showing vigilance while sitting in the snow at Grünau im Almtal, Austria. @nordicoikos.bsky.social #ornithology #birds

New paper: Flight initiation distance is repeatable and geographically flexible in greylag geese (Anser anser) | Journal of Avian Biology | doi.org/10.1111/jav.... |