2010
Award Winner: Dr. Beat Naef-Daenzer

Dr. Beat Naef-Daenzer of the Swiss Ornithological Institute in Sempach received
the 2010 Hans Löhrl Prize for his contributions to a comprehensive understanding of the ecological mechanisms underlying the evolution of life history traits in small birds.

Dr. Naef-Daenzer succeeded in uncovering the causes of differences in parental reproductive performance and the survival rates of their young in the broods of titmice and barn swallows by combining various methodological approaches and incorporating many aspects of ecology and behavior. He paid particular attention to the period immediately following fledging, a crucial but previously little-studied life stage. According to his findings, the fate of fledged great tits and barn swallows is largely determined by their physical condition—which is more significant for later-hatched chicks—and the date of their hatching. Food availability, predation pressure, and the quality of care provided by adult birds influence these two factors in complex ways. Dr. Naef-Daenzer also achieved outstanding results in his study of the spatial use of endangered species, such as the whinchat and the partridge, thereby laying the scientific foundation for targeted conservation measures. Field studies on all these topics were made possible only by the miniaturization of telemetry transmitters, which allowed even small birds to be tracked anytime and anywhere, thereby closing significant gaps in our knowledge. Mr. Naef-Daenzer also played a key role in the development of this technology.