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WERNER-SUNKEL Award

The Werner Sunkel Award was established in 1985 by Marianne Sunkel and commemorates her husband Werner Sunkel’s motto: “Working in a confined space with a broad perspective.” The award supports research conducted by members of the DOG, particularly in the fields of bird migration, banding, and nature conservation. Projects addressing innovative research questions or those that lay the groundwork for nature conservation and environmental protection are also eligible for support. The grant amount is up to €2,600 and is determined by the returns on the foundation’s endowment.

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Current Award Recipients

For his outstanding contributions to bird migration and movement research, his pioneering services to the further development of bird ringing, and his exceptional commitment to conservation, support for early-career researchers and international ornithology.

Past Award Recipients

2010 Award Recipient
Dr. Bernd Nicolai

Dr. Bernd Nicolai of the Heineanum Museum in Halberstadt received the 2010 Werner Sunkel Foundation Award for his research on the biology of the black redstart.

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2007 – Ommo and Kathrin Hüppop

Award-Winning Work:
Bird Migration on Heligoland

2005 – Martin Boschert

Award-Winning Work:
Greater Curlew on the Upper Rhine in Baden

2003 – Egbert Günther & Michael Hellmann

Award-Winning Work:
Tree-Nesting Swifts

Laudatory speech:
Vogelwarte 42: 274–275.

2002 – Martin Flade

Award-Winning Work:
Avimonitoring, Conservation Strategies for the Reed Warbler and the Corncrake

Laudation:
J. Ornithol. 144: 108

2001 – Wolfgang Winkel

Award-Winning Work:
Long-Term Population Dynamics of Black-headed Shrikes and Tits

Laudation:
J. Ornithol. 143: 117

1999 – Wulf Gatter

Award-Winning Work:
Bird Migration Over the Inland Region; Randecker Maar

Laudatory Address:
J. Ornithol. 141: 116–117

1998 – Herwig Zang

Award-Winning Work:
Population Dynamics of Various Bird Species in the Harz Mountains

Laudation:
J. Ornithol. 140: 120

1997 – Thomas Grünkorn

Award-Winning Work:
Ravens in Schleswig-Holstein

Laudatory Address:
J. Ornithol. 139: 106

1996 – Kai Gedeon

Award-Winning Work:
Owl Monitoring

Laudation:
J. Ornithol. 138: 249

1995 – Peter Becker

Award-Winning Work:
The Biology of Rails

Laudation:
J. Ornithol. 137: 275

1994 – Reinhard Möckel

Award-Winning Work:
Cave-Nesting Songbirds in the Western Ore Mountains

Laudation:
J. Ornithol. 136: 237

1993 – Jochen Hölzinger

Award-Winning Work:
Avifauna of Baden-Württemberg and Greece

Laudation:
J. Ornithol. 135: 637

1992 – OAG Lake Constance, Deputy Chair: Harald Jacoby, Gerhard Knötsch, and Siegfried Schuster

Award-Winning Work:
Avifauna of the Lake Constance Region

Laudatory Address:
J. Ornithol. 134: 462

1991 – Hans Jakober & Wolfgang Stauber

Award-Winning Work:
The Biology of the Red-backed Shrike

Laudatory Address:
J. Ornithol. 133: 231

1990 – Erwin Lang

Award-Winning Work:
Breeding Biology of the Stock Dove, the Tengmalm's Owl, and the Black Woodpecker

Laudation:
J. Ornithol. 132: 118

1989 – Frank Neuschulz

Award-Winning Work:
Population Ecology of the Red-backed Shrike and the Spotted Cuckoo

Laudation:
J. Ornithol. 132: 348

1988 – Karl-Heinz Schmidt

Award-Winning Work:
The Biology of Titmice

Laudation:
J. Ornithol. 130: 144.

FAQ: Werner Sunkel Award

Who can apply?

This award is reserved exclusively for members of the German Ornithological Society.

What topics are eligible for funding?

Funding is provided for projects related to bird migration and banding, as well as work relevant to nature conservation and environmental protection.

How much is the endowment?

The grant amount is up to 2,600 €, depending on the returns on the foundation's endowment

How does the award process work?

The DOG Research Commission decides on the awarding of grants. Selection is based on the DOG guidelines for research funding.