Max Planck Institute for Ornithology

The Max Planck Institute for Ornithology (MPIO) is located in Seewiesen close to Munich and was founded in 2004. The institute has two departments and several independent research groups that investigate different ornithological topics by using an interdisciplinary approach. The MPIO has around 150 employees and maintains close cooperation with a number of international institutions with shared research interests.

Department of Behavioural Neurobiology The research of the department of Behavioural Neurobiology focuses on the sexual differentiation of the brain, seeking to understand the mechanisms responsible for the development of sex-specific behaviours and sensory processing. In this context, we study the endocrine, molecular, and neurobiological mechanisms of innate and learned vocalizations of various bird species in a natural setting. Songbirds display a large variety of gender-specific singing behaviour, making them ideal models for studies investigating sex differences in behaviour. The director of this department is Prof. Dr. Manfred Gahr.

Department of Behavioural Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics Who is the perfect partner and how do individuals find him or her? This question becomes relevant to every individual at some point in their lives, and is also the key to understanding many aspects of animal behaviour. The research of the department of Behavioural Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics focuses on the evolution of mate choice, parental care, and promiscuity in birds. We study why individuals differ in their mating behaviour and how this affects their reproductive success and survival. The director of this department is Prof. Dr. Bart Kempenaers.

Research groups The promotion of young scientists is a top priority at the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology. Highly skilled young researchers are given the opportunity to conduct their own research as heads of Max Planck Research groups. These appointments span a limited number of years and are funded by the Max Planck Society or external sources.