Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology

The Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology (also Fitztitute ) is the oldest Institute for Ornithology on the African continent and an affiliated institute of the University of Cape Town, South Africa, Cape Town. It is one of six institutions that have been awarded " Excellent" by the National Research Council of the country as.

The Institute was founded in 1959 today is located in the premises of the Zoological Department of the University. Today, the Institute is working in many aspects of ornithological research. The research questions were expanded over the years on taxonomic issues on the landscape context, ecosystem functions of birds and the migratory bird research using satellite telemetry.

The establishment of this facility was operated by Cecily Niven, daughter of James Percy FitzPatrick (1862-1931, South African politician, entrepreneur and writer ), according to which the institution was named.

Workspaces

In addition to a Master's course in Conservation Biology Institute, especially in the research is active.

Main areas of work in ornithology are:

  • Systematics and Biogeography of the Avifauna
  • Life-history strategies
  • Social Biology and Population Biology
  • Ecology of bird migration
  • Ecological and evolutionary physiology
  • Rarity messages for South African birds
  • Island biogeography
  • Seevogelforschung
  • Birds as game
  • Spatial Parasitology and Epidemiology
  • Spatial patterns in landscape ecological contexts
  • Environmental and resource economics, water and Ästurarökologie and Conservation
  • Climate adaptation
Conservation Biology (journal) Sociobiology
335937
de