Dr. Edward Hurme

I am a behavioral ecologist interested in how environmental and social factors shape animal behavior. My research focuses on the migration of small animals across Europe and Africa, with a particular interest in understanding how these small migrants navigate their seasonal journeys and adapt to environmental challenges. At the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, I am currently leading innovative projects leveraging cutting-edge tracking technologies to uncover the mysteries of bat, bird, and insect migration.

Research Focus:

My work integrates movement ecology, social behavior, and conservation biology to explore:

• Migration Strategies: Investigating how small migrants optimize their migration timing and routes by utilizing environmental cues like wind patterns.
• Navigation: Revealing the navigational abilities of the migrants, such as how animals orient and respond during solar storms.
• Conservation Risks: Assessing threats such as wind turbines and developing predictive models to mitigate risks during migration.

Using revolutionary miniature biologgers, including ICARUS Tinyfox and Nanofox tags developed by the Wild Lab, we track small migrants over weeks to months, collecting unprecedented data on their movements and behaviors. These insights aim to understand the drivers of migration and inform conservation strategies for migratory species threatened by habitat loss and human activity.