Dr. Andrea Flack

My work combines the fields of collective animal behaviour and movement ecology. During my PhD at the University of Oxford, I explored collective decision-making in homing pigeons. At the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, I study the collective migration of a freely-flying long-distance migrant. My research relies on the white stork (Ciconia ciconia) as a model system for studying collective migration.

Within my work, I ask questions like: What determines the composition of migratory groups? How does group composition influence collective decision-making and movement? What are the costs and benefits of migrating in groups?

To answer these questions, I use a combination of ecological in situ observations with experimental behavioural research. This includes, for example, high-resolution multisensor tracking, displacement, or release experiments to understand the short- and long-term effects of social interactions on migration.

Feel free to contact me, if you are interested in what we are doing!