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: capekivb.cz

BIOGRAPHY

I was born and grew up in Banská Štiavnica (Central Slovakia), Czechoslovakia, where I attended elementary and high school. At an early age I was attracted to nature and cut my birding teeth in the 1970s. Following a degree in forestry at a college in Brno I started my career in academic ornithology in the late 1980s, and I have lived in the Czech Republic since.

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND

Education

- Ing. (MSc) degree, Forestry School of Agricultural College (currently Mendel University), Brno, 1985

- graduate course in ecology, Institute of Systematic and Ecological Biology, Brno, 1988

- CSc. (PhD) degree in zoology, Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences, Prague, 1992

Work History

Current Position

- 1998–present, research scientist, Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, v. v. i., Brno

Previous Positions

- 1987, graduate assistant, Institute of Systematic and Ecological Biology, Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences, Brno

- 1987–1988, research fellowship, Institute of Systematic and Ecological Biology, Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences, Brno

- 1988–1991, research assistantship, Institute of Systematic and Ecological Biology, Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences, Brno

- 1991–1993, research assistant, Institute of Systematic and Ecological Biology, Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences, Brno

- 1993–1995, research assistant, Institute of Landscape Ecology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Brno

- 1995–1998, research scientist, Institute of Landscape Ecology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Brno

University Teaching and Supervising

- 1997–present, lectures on Ornithology, School of Science, Masaryk University, Brno

- supervisor of MSc students.

Member

- Rarities Committee of the Czech Ornithological Society, 1994–2004

- South Moravian Branch of the Czech Ornithological Society

- IOC Standing Committee on Ornithological Nomenclature

- Scientific Advisory Board under the Czech Committee for the Convention on Biological Diversity (consultative body of the Ministry of the Environment of the Czech Republic)

- Grant Agency of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Council No. 6 Ecological-Biological Sciences, 2005-2014

National/International Collaboration

- Veterinary and Pharmaceutical University, Brno, Czech Republic

- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Center AS CR v. v. i., České Budějovice, Czech Republic

- Institute of Zoology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia

- University of Trnava, Slovakia

- University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia

- Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Saint Petersburg, Russia

- National Biodiversity Institute of Costa Rica (INBio), Santo Domingo de Heredia, Costa Rica

- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia e Conservação, Universidade Federal do Mato Grosso do Sul (UFMS), Campo Grande, Brazil

- Instituto das Águas da Serra da Bodoquena, Bonito, Brazil

- Departamento de Medicina Veterinaria Preventiva e Saude Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinaria e Zootecnia, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil

- Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources (IEBR), Vietnamese Academy of Sciences and Technology (VAST), Hanoi, Vietnam

- Laboratorio de Invertebrados, Museo de Historia Natural, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Ricardo Palma, Lima, Peru

Field Experience and Studies

- various European countries: 1983–present

- Middle East: 1995, 1996, 2000, 2005, 2010

- North America: 2000, 2012

- Australia: 2002

- Southern Africa: 2005

- Western Africa: 2007

- Central America: 2004, 2009, 2010

- South America: 2006, 2011

- South East Asia: 2002, 2010

- Indian Subcontinent: 2011

I have participated in 16 research projects and grants since 1993

PUBLICATIONS, LECTURES AND MEDIA CONTRIBUTIONS

- author/co-author/editor of 10 monographs/books, 52 articles in refereed academic journals, 11 magazine, newspaper and online articles, 35 book reviews, another 22 publications, and 36 research reports

- since 1990 I have given 82 specialized lectures, lectures for the general public and conference talks

- five TV and radio interviews

Selected Monographs, Books, Book Chapters, Encyclopedia Entries

ČAPEK, M., 1994: Birds in Mountain Ecosystems under Pressure of Air Pollution. Acta Sc. Nat. Brno 28 (4): 1-46.

ČAPEK, M., Jr., 1994: Birds of Prey, Cuckoos, Gallinaceous Birds, Herons, Ibises, Storks and Allies, Nightjars, Pigeons and Doves, Waders. In: Poleno, Z., Morávek, F. & Sýkora, P. (eds.): Encyclopedia of Forestry. Vol. I: A-O. Ministerstvo zemědělství, Praha: pp. 30, 64, 143, 282, 440, 465, 527 (in Czech).

ČAPEK, M., Jr., 1995: Birds, Granivorous Birds, Insectivorous Birds, Owls, Passerines, Swans, Geese and Ducks, Woodpeckers. In: Poleno, Z., Morávek, F. & Sýkora, P. (eds.): Encyclopedia of Forestry. Vol II.: P-Ž. Ministerstvo zemědělství, Praha: pp. 28, 178-179, 329, 418, 560 (in Czech).

DANKO, Š., ČAPEK, M, Jr., 2002: Aquatic Warbler (Acrocephalus paludicola). In: Danko, Š., Darolová, A. & Krištín, A (eds.): Birds Distribution in Slovakia. Veda, Bratislava, pp. 497-498 (in Slovak with a summary in English).

TRNKA, A., ČAPEK, M., Jr., 2002: Moustached Warbler (Acrocephalus melanopogon). In: Danko, Š., Darolová, A. & Krištín, A (eds.): Birds Distribution in Slovakia. Veda, Bratislava, pp 495-497 (in Slovak with a summary in English).

TRNKA, A., ČAPEK, M., Jr. & KLOUBEC, B., 2003: Birds of the National Nature Reserve Parížske močiare Marsh. Veda, Bratislava. 163 pp. (in Slovak with a summary in English)

HUDEC, K., ČAPEK, M., Jr., HANÁK, F., KLIMEŠ, J. & PAVÍZA, R., 2003: World Bird Species Checklist: Scientific and Czech Names. Muzeum Komenského, Přerov. 462 pp. (in Czech with a summary in English).

KOVALIK, P., PAČENOVSKÝ, S., ČAPEK, M., TOPERCER, J., 2010: Slovak Names for the Birds of the World. SOS/BirdLife Slovensko, Bratislava, 398 pp. (in Slovak with a summary in English).

ČAPEK, M., KLOUBEC, B., FOLK, Č., ŠŤASTNÝ, K., PIKULA, J., HAVLÍN, J., 2011: Species accounts (sections on habitat, breeding and food) of 18 passerine species: Corvus corax, representatives of the genera Loxia (3 species) and Emberiza (12 species), Calcarius lapponicus, and Plectrophenax nivalis. In: Šťastný, K., Hudec K. (eds.) Fauna of the Czech Republic, Birds 3/II. 2nd. ed. Academia, Praha: 883-888, 1036-1037, 1044-1047, 1051-1052, 1078-1080, 1085-1089,1092, 1095-1097, 1102-1105, 1108-1109, 1111,1113-1114, 1117, 1120, 1122-1123, 1130-1134, 1137-1138, 1142-1143 (in Czech with a summary in German).

KLOUBEC, B., ČAPEK, M., 2011: Seasonal and diel patterns of calling activity in 67 passerine species (introductory chapter Singing activity, text on Field Identification – section on seasonal and diel rhythms of calling activity): representatives of the genera Lullula (1 species), Alauda (1), Motacilla (1), Anthus (2), Troglodytes (1), Prunella (1) Turdus (4), Luscinia (2), Erithacus (1), Phoenicurus (2), Saxicola (2), Muscicapa (1), Ficedula (2), Regulus (2), Locustella (3), Acrocephalus (5), Hippolais (1), Phylloscopus (3), Sylvia (5), Panurus (1), Poecile (2), Periparus (1), Lophophanes (1), Parus (1), Cyanistes (1), Sitta (1), Certhia (2), Remiz (1), Oriolus (1), Garrulus (1), Nucifraga (1), Sturnus (1), Passer (2), Fringilla (1), Serinus (1), Carduelis (4), Loxia (1), Coccothraustes (1) and Emberiza (2 species). In: Šťastný, K., Hudec K. (eds.) Fauna of the Czech Republic, Birds 3/I a 3/II. 2nd. ed. Academia, Praha: 12-13, 48, 56-57, 126, 155-156, 164-165, 206-207, 226-227, 238, 246-247, 280-281, 291, 317-318, 330, 342-343, 352-353, 362, 373, 380-381, 402, 420, 428-429, 438, 444-445, 458-459, 465-466, 471-472, 481-482, 492-493, 502, 512, 520-521, 537, 546-547, 555-556, 571,594-595, 605-606, 614-615, 622-623, 631, 655-656, 677, 684, 691, 699, 706, 716-717, 728-729, 744-745, 751-752, 758-759, 769-770, 814, 831, 895-896, 907-908, 919, 935-936, 953-954, 964, 972-973, 982, 993-994, 1039-1040, 1064-1065, 1083-1084, 1126-1127 (in Czech with a summary in German).

Projects

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

TTM PROJECT

Publications

2012

I. LITERÁK, A. V. BOCHKOV, J. CÁRDENAS-CALLIRGOS, M. ČAPEK: The first records of mites of the genus Neharpyrhynchus (Acariformes: Harpyrhynchidae) from birds in Peru, Neotropical Helminthology 6 (2012) 109-114.

S. MIRONOV, I. LITERÁK, N. M. HUNG, M. ČAPEK: New feather mites of the subfamily Pterodectinae (Acari: Proctophyllodidae) from passerines and woodpeckers (Aves: Passeriformes and Piciformes) in Vietnam, Zootaxa 3440 (2012) 1-49.

T. NAJER, O. SYCHRA, N. M. HUNG, M. ČAPEK, P. PODZEMNÝ, I. LITERÁK: Chewing lice (Phthiraptera: Amblycera, Ischnocera) from wild passerines (Aves: Passeriformes) in northern Vietnam, with descriptions of three new species, Zootaxa 3530 (2012) 59-73.

T. NAJER, O. SYCHRA, N. M. HUNG, M. ČAPEK, P. PODZEMNÝ, I. LITERÁK: New species and new records of chewing lice (Phthiraptera: Amblycera and Ischnocera) from bulbuls (Passeriformes: Pycnonotidae) in Vietnam, Zootaxa 3357 (2012) 37-48.

T. NAJER, O. SYCHRA, I. LITERÁK, P. PROCHÁZKA, M. ČAPEK, P. KOUBEK: Chewing lice (Phthiraptera) from wild birds in Senegal, with descriptions of three new species of the genera Brueelia and Philopteroides, Acta Parasitologica 57 (2012) 90-98.

M. OGRZEWALSKA, I. LITERÁK, J. M. CÁRDENAS-CALLIRGOS, M. ČAPEK, M.B. LABRUNA: Rickettsia bellii in ticks Amblyomma varium Koch, 1844, from birds in Peru, Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases 3 (2012) 254-256.

2011

M. N. GODOI, M. ČAPEK, M. A. C. PIVATTO, I. LITERÁK, J. KOKEŠ: Masked Tityra Tityra semifasciata in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, Revista Brasileira de Ornitologia 19 (2011) 428-433.

M. HONZA, P. PROCHÁZKA, K. MORONGOVÁ, M. ČAPEK, V. JELÍNEK: Do nest light conditions affect rejection of parasitic eggs? A test of the light environment hypothesis, Ethology 117 (2011) 539-546.

S. KALÚZ, I. LITERÁK, M. ČAPEK, A. KONEČNÝ, P. KOUBEK: A new mite species of the genus Lasioseius (Acarina: Gamasina,Blattisociidae) associated with the flowers of Englerina lecardii and Chalcomitra senegalensis (Aves: Nectariniidae) in Senegal, International Journal of Acarology 37 (2011) 511-524.

F. KOUNEK, O. SYCHRA, M. ČAPEK, I. LITERÁK: Chewing lice of the genus Myrsidea (Phthiraptera: Menoponidae) from New World warblers (Passeriformes: Parulidae) from Costa Rica, with descriptions of four new species, Zootaxa 3137 (2011) 56-63.

F. KOUNEK, O. SYCHRA, M. ČAPEK, A. LIPKOVÁ, I. LITERÁK: Chewing lice of the genus Myrsidea (Phthiraptera: Menoponidae) from the Cardinalidae, Emberizidae, Fringillidae and Thraupidae (Aves: Passeriformes) from Costa Rica, with descriptions of four new species, Zootaxa 3032 (2011) 1-16.

I. LITERÁK, J. SITKO, O. SYCHRA, M. ČAPEK: Cutaneous trematode Collyriclum faba in wild birds in Costa Rica, Helminthologia 48 (2011) 288-289.

S. V. MIRONOV, I. LITERÁK, O. SYCHRA, M. ČAPEK: A new feather mite species of the genus Picalgoides Černý, 1974 (Astigmata: Psoroptoididae) from a passerine host in Costa Rica, Systematic Parasitology 79 (2011) 63-70.

O. SYCHRA, F. KOUNEK, M. ČAPEK, I. LITERÁK: Myrsidea povedai (Phthiraptera: Menoponidae), a new species of chewing louse from Phainoptila melanoxantha (Passeriformes: Bombycillidae), Journal of Parasitology 97 (2011) 593-595.

2010

M. ČAPEK, M. POŽGAYOVÁ, P. PROCHÁZKA, M. HONZA: Repeated presentations of the Common Cuckoo increase nest defense by the Eurasian Reed Warbler but do not induce it to make recognition errors, Condor 112 (2010) 763-769.

S. V. MIRONOV, I. LITERÁK, M. ČAPEK, P. KOUBEK: New species of the feather mite subfamily Pterodectinae (Astigmata, Proctophyllodidae) from passerines in Senegal, Acta Parasitologica 55 (2010) 399-413.

O. SYCHRA, I. LITERÁK, T. NAJER, M. ČAPEK, P. KOUBEK, P. PROCHÁZKA: Chewing lice (Insecta: Phthiraptera) from estrildid finches (Aves: Passeriformes: Estrildidae) and louse-flies (Insecta: Diptera: Hippoboscidae) from birds in Senegal, with descriptions of three new species of the genus Brueelia, Zootaxa 2714 (2010) 59-68.

O. SYCHRA, E. BARLEV, I. LITERÁK, M. ČAPEK, P. KOUBEK, P. PROCHÁZKA: The chewing lice (Phthiraptera) of red-billed quelea (Quelea quelea) in Senegal, with a description of a new species, African Entomology 18 (2010) 17-22.

O. SYCHRA, T. NAJER, F. KOUNEK, M. ČAPEK, I. LITERÁK: Chewing lice (Phthiraptera) on manakins (Passeriformes: Pipridae) from Costa Rica, with description of a new species of the genus Tyranniphilopterus (Phthiraptera: Philopteridae), Parasitology Research 106 (2010) 925-931.

2009

V. BENEDIKT, V. BARUŠ, M. ČAPEK, M. HAVLÍČEK, I. LITERÁK: Blood parasites (Haemoproteus and microfilariae) in birds from the Caribbean slope of Costa Rica, Acta Parasitologica 54 (2009) 197-204.

O. SYCHRA, I. LITERÁK, M. ČAPEK: Chewing lice of the genus Myrsidea Waterston (Phthiraptera: Menoponidae) from the Emberizidae and Thraupidae (Passeriformes) in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, Neotropical Entomology 38 (2009) 501-503.

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 1947 (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 1206 (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.