Ing. Miroslav Čapek, CSc.

Position: research scientist
Research topics: ecology and behaviour of birds, bird parasites
Department: Department of Avian Ecology
Phone: +420 543 422 538
Mobile: +420 728 152 584
E-mail: capekbrno.cas.cz; capek

Research

My research activities cover ecology and behavior of birds. I carry out both basic and applied research to contribute to the advancement of science and the conservation of European bird species and communities. I have studied effects of forest decline and dieback on mountain avifauna as well as other factors related to human activity that affect welfare of birds. I am currently studying seasonal and diel patterns of singing activity in marsh and mountain birds, parasites associated with Neotropical and Afrotropical birds and other topics. In the past 16 years, I have participated in 14 grants and projects.


National and International Cooperation

My recent research has been conducted in collaboration with a variety of partners including Veterinary and Pharmaceutical University Brno, Institute of Parasitology AS CR v. v. i. Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic; institutes of the Slovak Academy of Sciences; University of Trnava, Slovakia; University of Queensland, Australia; Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Russia; National Biodiversity Institute of Costa Rica (INBio), Costa Rica.


Field experience and studies:

Spain: 1991; United Kingdom & Irish Republic 1997, 1998; Middle East: 1995, 1996, 2000, 2005; USA: 2000; Australia 2002; South Africa 2005; Costa Rica 2004; Brazil 2006; Senegal 2007.


University lecturing and supervising

Since 1997 I have been lecturing on Ornithology at the School of Science, Masaryk University in Brno. A supervisor of MSc. students.


Other activities

Besides scientific ornithological studies, my interests include conservation, vertebrate zoology, taxonomy, nomenclature, distribution and identification of birds worldwide. From 1994 through 2004, I was a member of the Czech Rarities Committee and I am chair of the Czech Language Committee on Common Names for Birds.


Publications, lectures

An author or co-author of 32 papers (peer-reviewed journals), 5 books, another 18 publications, and 31 book reviews. Since 1990, I have given 66 specialized lectures and other lectures for the general public.


Publications



Projects

Ectoparasites associated with mountain birds in Costa Rica: linking ecology, biodiversity and genetics

Publications

2008

M. ČAPEK, L. NOVÁČKOVÁ: Tribute to prominent Czech ornithologist Karel Hudec on his 80th birthday, Folia zoologica 57 (2008) 199-200.

Z. HUBÁLEK, M. ČAPEK: Migration distance and the effect of North Atlantic Oscillation on the spring arrival of birds in Central Europe, Folia zoologica 57 (2008) 212-220.

S. V. MIRONOV, I. LITERÁK, M. ČAPEK: New feather mites of the subfamily Pterodectinae (Acari: Astigmata: Proctophyllodidae) from passerines (Aves: Passeriformes) in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, Zootaxa (2008) 1-38.


2007

A. V. BOCHKOV, I. LITERÁK, M. ČAPEK: Neharpyrhynchus baile n. sp. (Prostigmata: Harpirhynchidae) parasitizing Turdus leucomelas Vieillot (Aves: Turdidae) from Brazil, International Journal of Acarology 33 (2007) 35-39.

F. DUSBÁBEK, I. LITERÁK, M. ČAPEK, M. HAVLÍČEK: Ascid mites (Acari: Mesostigmata: Ascidae) from Costa Rican hummingbirds (Aves: Trochilidae), with description of three new species and a key to the Proctolaelaps belemensis species group, Zootaxa 1484 (2007) 51-67.

A. A. STEKOL'NIKOV, I. LITERÁK, M. ČAPEK, M. HAVLÍČEK: Chigger mites (Acari: Trombiculidae) from wild birds in Costa Rica, with a description of three new species, Folia Parasitologica 54 (2007) 59-67.

O. SYCHRA, I. LITERÁK, M. ČAPEK, M. HAVLÍČEK: Chewing lice (Phthiraptera) from buntings, cardinals and tanagers (Passeriformes: Emberizidae, Cardinalidae, Thraupidae) from Costa Rica, with descriptions of two new species of the genus Myrsidea (Phthiraptera: Menoponidae), Zootaxa 1631 (2007) 57-68.

O. SYCHRA, I. LITERÁK, M. ČAPEK, M. HAVLÍČEK: Chewing lice (Phthiraptera) from ovenbirds, leaftossers and woodcreepers (Passeriformes: Furnariidae: Furnariinae, Sclerurinae, Dendrocolaptinae) from Costa Rica, with descriptions of four new species of the genera Rallicola and Myrsidea, Caribbean Journal of Science 43 (2007) 117-126.


2006

F. DUSBÁBEK, I. LITERÁK, M. ČAPEK, M. HAVLÍČEK: Three species of the genus Pellonyssus (Acari: Macronyssidae) including a new species from Costa Rican birds, International Journal of Acarology 32 (2006) 175-178.

O. SYCHRA, I. LITERÁK, M. ČAPEK, M. HAVLÍČEK: Chewing lice (Phthiraptera) from typical antbirds and ground antbirds (Passeriformes: Thamnophilidae, Formicariidae) from Costa Rica, with descriptions of three new species of the genera Formicaphagus and Myrsidea, Zootaxa (2006) 47-61.


2005

B. KLOUBEC, M. ČAPEK: Seasonal and diel budgets of song: a study of Savi's warbler (Locustella luscinioides), Journal of Ornithology 146 (2005) 206-214.


2004

M. HONZA, T. GRIM, M. ČAPEK JR., A. MOKSNES, E. ROSKAFT: Nest defence, enemy recognition and nest inspection behaviour of experimentally parasitized Reed Warblers Acrocephalus scirpaceus, Bird Study 51 (2004) 256-263.

M. HONZA, P. PROCHÁZKA, B. G. STOKKE, A. MOKSNES, E. ROSKAFT, M. ČAPEK JR., V. MRLÍK: Are blackcaps current winners in the evolutionary struggle against the common cuckoo?, Journal of Ethology 22 (2004) 175-180.


2003

V. MRLÍK, M. ČAPEK JR.: Jeřábek lesní (Bonasa bonasia) ve vrcholových částech Moravskoslezských Beskyd, Crex - Zpravodaj Jihomoravské pobočky ČSO 21 (2003) 114-119.


2002

M. ČAPEK JR., B. KLOUBEC: Seasonal and diel patterns of song output by great reed warblers Acrocephalus arundinaceus, Biologia 57 (2002) 267-276.


2001

M. HONZA, J. PICMAN, T. GRIM, V. NOVÁK, M. ČAPEK JR., V. MRLÍK: How to hatch from an egg of great structural strength. A study of the common cuckoo, Journal of avian biology 32 (2001) 249-255.


2000

M. ČAPEK JR., M. HONZA, V. MRLÍK: Female blackcap adoption of a yellowhammer clutch, Wilson Bulletin 112 (2000) 542-543.

B. KLOUBEC, M. ČAPEK JR.: Diurnal, nocturnal, and seasonal patterns of singing activity in marsh warblers, Biologia 55 (2000) 185-193.


1999

F. HANÁK, V. PRÁŠEK, M. ČAPEK: Cizokrajní ptáci a někteří další obratlovci na Státním hradě Bítov, Zprávy Moravského ornitologického spolku 57 (1999) 189-209.