Staff

Prof. Dr. Sonia Kleindorfer

woman sitting on a big stone, goose inthe background

Picture: Brandstätter

Head

Email: sonia.kleindorfer[at]univie.ac.at

Prof. Dr. Thomas Bugnyar

Vice Head
Head of Research Group "Corvid Lab"

Current Head of the Department of Cognitive Biology

Email: thomas.bugnyar[at]univie.ac.at

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Petra Sumasgutner

Picture: Daniela Matejschek

Vice Head
Start recipient

Project: Acceleration for Food

Email: petra.sumasgutner[at]univie.ac.at

Privatdozentin Dr. Didone Frigerio

portrait of a woman

Picture: D. Matejschek

Vice-Head
Senior Scientist

Email: didone.frigerio[at]univie.ac.at

Dr. Andrew Katsis

Postdoctoral Researcher

Project: Avian personality traits

Email: andrew.katsis@flinders.edu.au

Dr. Lauren Common

young woman with a hat, songbird sits on her hat

Postdoctoral Researcher

Project: Replicate evolution in avian parasites during island invasion

Email: lauren.common@flinders.edu.au

Dr. Emil Isaksson

researcher in winter with songbird in hand

Postdoctoral Researcher

Email: jonny.emil.alexander.isaksson@univie.ac.at

Mag. Gudrun Gegendorfer

Picture: Daniela Matejschek

Administration

Email: gudrun.gegendorfer@univie.ac.at

Julia Rittenschober, MSc

Picture: Daniela Matejschek

Administration

Email: julia.rittenschober@univie.ac.at

PhD Candidates

malescientist with raptor on arm

Josue David Arteaga-Torres, MSc.

Project title: Acceleration for Food: Movement and Foraging Ecology of Short-Eared Owls on the Galapagos

Supervisor: Petra Sumasgutner

EMail: josue.arteaga.t@gmail.com

female scientist with a golden eagle being banded

Varalika Jain, MSc

Project title: Moving towards coexistence: understanding behavioural responses of eagles to human

Supervisor: Petra Sumasgutner

EMail: varalika.jain@univie.ac.at

Alper Yelimlieş, BA

Project title: Linking song and personality in Darwin's tree finches

Supervisor: Sonia Kleindorfer

EMail: alperyelimlies@gmail.com

 

 

Silvia Damini, MSc

Project title: Interspecific interactions in the foraging context in ravens (Corvus corax)

Supervisor: Thomas Bugnyar
Co-Supervisor: Petra Sumasgutner

EMail: silviadamini94@gmail.com

 

 

Jefferson Garcia Loor, BSc

Project title: Personality and home range size in Darwin's finches: effects of predator eradication and translocation 

Supervisor: Sonia Kleindorfer

Email: garcialoorjefferson@gmail.com

Awani Bapat, MSc

Project Title: The use of social information and strategies for social interactions by free-flying ravens.

Supervisor: Thomas Bugnyar

Email: awanibapat@gmail.com

Master Candidates

Lucas Landolfi, BSc

Project title: Urban Hunters: Energetic expenditure and Prey Diversity of Crowned Eagles in Human-Dominated Environments

Supervisor: Petra Sumasgutner

Co-Supervisors: Shane McPherson, Varalika Jain

Sara Lehner, BSc

Project title: Does aggressiveness in greylag geese (Anser anser) influence vigilance and foraging behaviour while being exposed to a predator?

Supervisor: Petra Sumasgutner

Marion Lehner, BSc

Project title: How does the exposure of a predator affect the vigilance behaviour of individuals with an explorative personality?

Supervisor: Petra Sumasgutner

man with songbird in hand

Marcel Vockner, BSc

Project title: Ecological Release of Darwin’s Medium Tree Finch After Predator Removal on Floreana Island

Supervisor: Sonia Kleindorfer

Co-supervisor: Lauren Common, Andrew Katsis

woman with red-brown hair, pond in the background

Lilou Vautrin, BSc

Project title: influence of the breeding period on cooperation of pairs of ravens

Supervisor: Thomas Bugnyar

Co- Supervisor:

black/white photo of a young woman hiking in the snow

Neve Barcat, Bsc

Project title: sounds emitted by ravens during SADs (self aggrandizing displays)

Supervisor: Thomas Bugnyar

Co-Supervisor: Silvia Damini, Anna Fabbri

young woman crouching on the ground outdoors, surrounded by bushes, next to her a bird of prey with a falconer's hood

Lara Howard, BSc

Project title: Movement ecology of urban Crowned Eagles

Supervisor: Petra Sumasgutner

Co-Supervisors: Shane McPherson, Susie Cunningham, Varalika Jain

 

 

woman with kestrel in hand

Sarah Guttenberger, BSc

Project title: Space use of urban and rural Eurasian kestrels in Austria

Supervisor: Petra Sumasgutner

Regine Peschel, BSc

Project title:The influence of group size and social rank on social complexity in Neolamprologus multifasciatus

Supervisor: Petra Sumasgutner

Co-Supervisor: Stefan Fischer

portrait of a young woman

Sabrina Cighetti, BSc

Project title: emotional contagion and comfort behaviours in ravens (Corvus corax)

Supervisor: Thomas Bugnyar

Co-Supervisor: Silvia Damini

portrait of a young friendly looking man

Maximilian Schwengel, BSc

Project title: Which factors affect the variation in calling in corvus corax? Do calls change in base of social / foraging environment?

Supervisor: Thomas Bugnyar

Co-Supervisor: Silvia Damini

young woman with binoculars in the forest

Isabella Graßmann, BSc

Project title: Boldness, sociability and survival of captive-released common ravens

Supervisor: Petra Sumasgutner

Co-Supervisor: Silvia Damini

portrait of a young a man with a goat

Gregory Nikolopoulos, BSc

Project title: The role of raven communication on foraging

Supervisor: Thomas Bugnyar

youngwoman on a ladder, checking the nest boxes

Evi Ulm, BSc.

Project title: Breeding ecology of secondary cavity breeders

Supervisor: Didone Frigerio

Co-Supervisor: Sonia Kleindorfer

Portrait of a young man

Amit Kumar, BSc

Project title: The impact of traffic noise on the heart rate in Great tits

Supervisor: Sonia Kleindorfer

Young Woman standing in front of mountain landscape

Alina Döhring, BSc

Project title: Mirror trials in Greylag Geese: Personality and object permanence

Supervisor: Sonia Kleindorfer

Co-Supervisor: Lauren Common, Andrew Katsis

Mariia Klymenko, Dipl.Tzt.

Project title: Components of relationship quality in greylag geese monogamous pair bonds

Supervisor: Sonia Kleindorfer

 

 

Barbara Steininger, BSc

Project title: Social integration of hand-raised greylag geese (Anser anser)

Supervisor: Didone Frigerio
Co-Supervisor: Sonia Kleindorfer

Volunteers

Student Assistant

young female scientist with 2 cockatoos on her shoulders

Anna Geisler, BSc

student doing fieldwork, geese in background

Katherine Alban Morales, BSc

Social Services

Paul Holzinger

Associated Scientists

portrait of a man

Picture: D. Matejschek

Dr. Josef Hemetsberger

Biodiversity Project, University of Vienna

Email: josef.hemetsberger@univie.ac.at

 

 

Prof. Dr. Kurt Kotrschal

Wolf Science Center, University of Veterinary Medicine (Vienna)

University of Vienna

Email: kurt.kotrschal[at]univie.ac.at

Prof. Dott. Leonida Fusani, MPhil PhD

Department of Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna

Email: leonida.fusani[at]univie.ac.at

portrait of a man

Ass.-Prof. Dr. Jorg Massen

Utrecht University

Email: j.j.m.massen@uu.nl

Dr. Shane Sumasgutner

Email: shane.mcpherson[at]gmail.com

portrait of a woman wearing a leather hat

Dr. Rachael Dudaniec

Macquarie University, Sidney

Email:

Alumni

SURLEMONT, M. | University of Vienna (Master thesis, 2025)

OSSOLA, M. | University of Göttingen (Master thesis, 2025)

BONTE, E. | University of Padua (Master thesis, 2024)

ERNSTEN, R. | Wageningen University (Master thesis, 2024)

CASTELLAZZI, F. | Wageningen University (Master thesis, 2024)

GÖTZ, R. | University of Vienna (Master thesis, 2024)

PLODERER, J. | University of Vienna (Master thesis, 2024)

PAETOW DE JESUS, I. | University of Vienna (Master thesis, 2024)

GEHBAUER, M. | University of Vienna (Master thesis, 2024)

BACHMANN, S. | University of Vienna (Master thesis, 2024)

REICHEBNER, M. | University of Vienna (Master thesis, 2024)

LESIGANG, J. | University of Vienna (Master thesis, 2024)

WEBER, J. | University of Vienna (Master thesis, 2024)

BOLD, A. | University of Kaiserslautern-Landau (Master thesis, 2024)

SCHORN, J. | University of Vienna (Master thesis, 2024)

LIND, E.| University of Vienna (Master thesis, 2024)

LAUFFER, J. University of Greifswald (Master thesis, 2023)

LINDEMAN, A. | Wageningen University (Master thesis, 2023)

KREIKENBOHM, R. | University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna (Master thesis, 2023)

HORLEBEIN, S. | University of Vienna (Master thesis, 2023)

BERNATOVIC, G. | University of Vienna (Master thesis, 2023)

RUF, A. | University of Vienna (Master thesis, 2023)

SCHÖN, M. | University of Huddersfield and University of Vienna (Master thesis, 2022)

VOGEL, T. | University of Vienna (Master thesis, 2022)

WERDERITSCH, S. | University of Vienna (Master thesis, 2022)

PÜHRINGER-STURMAYR, V. | University of Vienna (Dissertation, 2022)

FABBRI, A. | University of Vienna (Master thesis, 2022)

GALLEGO-ABENZA, M. | University of Vienna (Dissertation, 2022)

MENTHONNEX, T. | Université de Bourgogne Franche-Comté (Master thesis, 2022)

HUGE, A. | University of Vienna (Master thesis, 2022)

NILLES, T. | University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna (Master thesis, 2022)

FRIRY, S. | University of Lille (Master thesis, 2022)

FELKER, L. | University of Vienna (Master thesis, 2022)

KÖRMER, E.-M. | University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna (Master thesis, 2022)

WEINHÄUPL, V. | University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna (Master thesis, 2022)

HEGER, B. | University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna (Master thesis, 2022)

COMIN, V.N. | University of Padova (Master thesis, 2022)

MURARI, G. | University of Turin (Master thesis, 2022)

GUGGENBERGER, M. | University of Tübingen (Master thesis, 2021)

JAIN, V. | University of Cape Town (Master thesis, 2021)

HOCHLEITNER, L. | University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna (Master thesis, 2021)

ARBEITHUBER, K. | University of Vienna (Master thesis, 2021)

GATTRINGER, J. | University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna (Master thesis, 2021)

HUCHLER, K. | University of Vienna (Master thesis, 2020)

RIBELLI, F. | University of Turin (Master thesis, 2020)

SCHIRZ, K. | University of Vienna (Master thesis, 2020)

WEMER, L. | University of Vienna (Master thesis, 2019)

BOEKELMAN, F.E. | University of Groningen (Master thesis, 2019)

JUNGHEIM, S. | University of Vienna (Master thesis, 2019)

STEINBACHER, C. | University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna (Master thesis, 2019)

CZERNY, T. | University of Vienna (Master thesis, 2018)

DEPENAU, M. | University of Osnabrück (Master thesis, 2018)

POKRIEFKE, M. | (Bachelor thesis, 2018)

BÖHM, F. | University of Greifswald (Master thesis, 2017)

HERZHAUSER, K. | University of Köln (Bachelor thesis, 2017)

SZIPL, G. | University of Vienna (Dissertation, 2017)

LORETTO, M.-C. | University of Vienna (Dissertation, 2016)

REIMANN, S. | University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna (Master thesis, 2015)

KREJCI, J. | University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna (Master thesis, 2015)

SCHÜSSLER, M. | University of Vienna (Diploma Thesis, 2014)

STIVAL, L. | University of Udine (Diploma Thesis, 2014)

WILLER, J. | University of Berlin (Diploma Thesis, 2014)

BAUER, A.C. | University of Vienna (Diploma Thesis, 2013)

BLOCK, S.A. | University of Tübingen (Diploma Thesis, 2013)

ELSÄSSER, O. | University of Tübingen (Diploma Thesis, 2013)

EDER, C. | University of Graz (Diploma Thesis, 2012)

IONESCU, S.A. | University of Tübingen (Diploma Thesis, 2012)

MIKOLASCH, S. | (Dissertation, 2012)

VIBLANC, V.A. | University of Strasbourg (Dissertation, 2011)

WEDL, M. | University of Vienna (Dissertation, 2011)

AUER, M. | University of Graz (Diploma Thesis, 2010)

BRUST, V. | University of Osnabrück (Diploma Thesis, 2010)

HOHNSTEIN, A. | University of Berlin (Diploma Thesis, 2010)

KEHMEIER, S. | University of Hamburg (Diploma Thesis, 2010)

KRALJ FISER, S. | University of Ljubljana (Dissertation, 2009)

KUBITZA, R. | University of Osnabrück (Diploma Thesis, 2009)

MÖSLINGER, H. | University of Vienna (Diploma Thesis, 2009)

SCHÖBERL, G. I. | University of Vienna (Diploma Thesis, 2009)

WASCHER, C. A. F. | University of Vienna (Dissertation, 2009)

HINNERICHS, C. | University of Potsdam (Dissertation, 2008)

KAUFMANN, G. | University of Vienna (Diploma Thesis, 2008)

SCHLÖGL, H. C. | University of Vienna (Dissertation, 2008)

SCHWAB, C. | University of Vienna (Dissertation, 2008)

SZIPL, G. | University of Hamburg (Diploma Thesis, 2008)

GATTERMAYR, M. | University of Vienna (Diploma Thesis, 2007)

STÖWE, M. | University of Vienna (Dissertation, 2007)

BRAUN, A. | University of Kiel (Diploma Thesis, 2006)

MASON, F. | University of Udine (Bachelor Thesis, 2006)

PISA, P. E. | University of Trieste (Bachelor Thesis, 2006)

SWOBODA, R. | University of Vienna (Diploma Thesis, 2006)

WEDL, M. | University of Vienna (Diploma Thesis, 2006)

BONECHI, B. | University of Triest (Bachelor Thesis, 2005)

DOPPELSTEIN, K. | University of Rostock & University of Leipzig (Diploma Thesis, 2005)

SCHEIBLER, E. | University of Halle(Dissertation, 2005)

SCHLÖGL, C. | University of Bayreuth (Diploma Thesis, 2005)

WASCHER, C.A.F. | University of Graz (Diploma Thesis, 2005)

DORN, S. | University of Vienna (Diploma Thesis, 2004)

EISING, C. | University of Groningen (Dissertation, 2004)

KIRNBAUER, M. | University of Graz (Diploma Thesis, 2004)

MÜLLER, W. | University of Groningen (Dissertation, 2004)

NAAR, L. | University of Graz (Diploma Thesis, 2004)

SCHWAB, C. | University of Vienna (Diploma Thesis, 2004)

SELVA, N. | University of Sevilla (Dissertation, 2004)

ZOHMANN, M. | University of Vienna (Diploma Thesis, 2004)

CARERE, C. | University of Groningen (Dissertation, 2003)

DINGEMANSE, N. J. | University of Groningen (Dissertation, 2003)

ENGLÄNDER, W. | University of Salzburg (Dissertation, 2003)

KREUTZMANN, B. | University of Halle (Dissertation, 2003)

MESSMER, C. | University of Salzburg (Diploma Thesis, 2003)

SCHNASE, A. | University of Düsseldorf (Dissertation, 2003)

VAN OERS, K. | University of Groningen (Dissertation, 2003)

FRIGERIO, D. | University of Vienna (Dissertation, 2002)

HAUHART, B. | University of Vienna (Diploma Thesis, 2002)

HEMETSBERGER, J. | University of Vienna (Dissertation, 2002)

HOFFMANN, I. E. | University of Vienna (Dissertation, 2002)

LEITENBERGER, A. | University of Vienna (Diploma Thesis, 2002)

LUDWIG, B. | University of Marburg (Diploma Thesis, 2002)

MERAN, I. | University of Vienna (Diploma Thesis, 2002)

SANDERS, B. | University of Würzburg (Diploma Thesis, 2002)

SPIELAUER, E. | University of Vienna (Diploma Thesis, 2002)

BYRNE, R. | University of Vienna (Diploma Thesis, 2001)

GEISBAUER, G. | University of Vienna (Diploma Thesis, 2001)

ORTBAUER, B. | University of Vienna (Diploma Thesis, 2001)

AUST, U. | University of Vienna (Dissertation, 2000)

BAYER, S. | University of Salzburg (Diploma Thesis, 2000)

BUGNYAR, T. | University of Vienna (Dissertation, 2000)

FRITZ, J. | University of Vienna (Dissertation, 2000)

NOWOTNY, R. | University of Vienna (Diploma Thesis, 2000)

PFEFFER, K. | University of Salzburg (Diploma Thesis, 2000)

PRASCHBERGER, M. C. | University of Vienna (Diploma Thesis, 2000)

STÖWE, M. | University of Vienna (Diploma Thesis, 2000)

TINTNER, A. | University of Vienna (Diploma Thesis, 2000)

VÖLKL, B. | University of Vienna (Diploma Thesis, 2000)

WEISS, B. | University of Vienna (Diploma Thesis, 2000)

HIRSCHENHAUSER, K. | University of Vienna (Dissertation, 1998)

MACHATSCHKE, I. | University of Vienna (Diploma Thesis, 1998)

SZEDLARIK, C. M. | University of Salzburg (Diploma Thesis, 1998)

ZISSER, B. | University of Salzburg (Diploma Thesis, 1998)

JAHN, R. | University of Vienna (Dissertation, 1997)

LOONEN, M.J.J.E. | University of Groningen (Dissertation, 1997)

SCHINDLER, M. | University of Munich (Dissertation, 1997)

TUCKOVA, K. | University of Vienna (Diploma Thesis, 1997)

FRITZ, J. | University of Innsbruck (Diploma Thesis, 1996)

GRIEBEL, U. | University of Vienna (Dissertation, 1996)

HAMMER, G. | University of Salzburg (Diploma Thesis, 1996)

KABICHER, G. | University of Vienna (Diploma Thesis, 1996)

LANGENHORST, T. | University of Salzburg (Diploma Thesis, 1996)

BODNER, M. | University of Salzburg (Diploma Thesis, 1995)

BUGNYAR, T. | University of Vienna (Diploma Thesis, 1995)

HAGINGER, H. | University of Salzburg (Diploma Thesis, 1995)

HIRSCHENHAUSER, K. | University of Vienna (Diploma Thesis, 1995)

IMHOF, M. | University of Vienna (Diploma Thesis, 1995)

JÜTTE, A. | University of Vienna (Diploma Thesis, 1995)

KNOLLEISEN, M. | University of Vienna (Diploma Thesis, 1995)

PFISTER-GFELLER, U. | University of Bern (Dissertation, 1995)

DRACK, G. | University of Salzburg (Dissertation, 1994)

ESSLER, H. | University of Salzburg (Dissertation, 1994)

FISCHER, B. | University of Salzburg (Diploma Thesis, 1994)

KICKERT, J. | University of Vienna (Dissertation, 1994)

LINDNER, R. | University of Salzburg (Diploma Thesis, 1994)

DRACK, G. | University of Salzburg (Diploma Thesis, 1991)

GROOTHUIS, T. | University of Groningen (Dissertation, 1989)

GUBLER, H. | (Dissertation, 1989)

GUBLER, H. | University of Zürich (Dissertation, 1989)

SCHMITT, A. | University of Vienna (Dissertation, 1988)

BRANDSTÄTTER, R. | University of Salzburg (Diploma Thesis, 1987)

HUBER, R. | University of Salzburg (Diploma Thesis, 1985)

TEN THOREN, A. | University of Osnabrück (Diploma Thesis, 1985)

SCHINDLER, M. | University of Munich (Diploma Thesis, 1984)

TEN THOREN, B. | University of Osnabrück (Diploma Thesis, 1984)

SONTAG, W. A. | University of Mainz (Dissertation, 1983)

MARTYS, M. | University of Salzburg (Dissertation, 1982)

BACON, P. J. | University of Oxford (Dissertation, 1980)

WALTHER, C. | University of Hohenheim (Diploma Thesis, 1980)

RUMMEL, L. H. | University of Maryland (Diploma Thesis, 1979)

RUMMEL, L.H. | University of Maryland (Diploma Thesis, 1979)

SCOTT, D. K. | University of Cambridge (Dissertation, 1978)

BAKHUS,W. L. | University of Gorningen (Dissertation, 1977)

KIRCHMAYER, B. | University of Munich (Diploma Thesis, 1977)

SCHMIDT, W. | University of Düsseldorf (Dissertation, 1975)

MERGLER, M. A. L. | University of Ohio (Diploma Thesis, 1974)

SCHÄFER, S. | University of Giessen (Diploma Thesis, 1972)

BÖTTGER, H. | University of Munich (Diploma Thesis, 1971)

FEEKES, F. | University of Groningen (Dissertation, 1971)