Kees Schreven MSc
PhD StudentAnimal Ecology |
Research themes
Research expertiseAvian Ecology Behavioural ecology Life history strategies
Page last updated: 16-02-2021
My research at NIOO focuses on dispersal as mechanism to cope with climate change. In Svalbard, Pink-footed Geese (Anser brachyrhynchus) traditionally breed in the west, whereas nowadays also the east (Edgeoya) becomes snow-free early enough in the season to serve as breeding habitat. Pink-footed Geese have recently colonized this area, and we expect them to be better matched with the local food pulse than geese on traditional grounds, resulting in higher fitness. We also investigate to what extent the annual cycle differs between geese of both areas in terms of energy and time budgets and migration timing and routes, and whether geese of both areas are genetically differentiated. We will test aggression, docility and stress resistance during handling as measures of personality to see if personality may have played a role in the colonization process.
I did my Bachelor at Wageningen Universtiy focusing on Ecology and Biodiversity, with a thesis on Age- and density-dependent breeding success of Goshawks (at NIOO, A.J. van Noordwijk, and WUR, D. Kleijn). I moved to Groningen for the Topmaster Programme Evolutionary biology, with theses on Tidal migration of mobile benthic prey of Red Knots (at NIOZ, P.J. van den Hout and T. Piersma), the Relationship of personality with early-life body mass in Blue tits (at University of Turku, J.E. Brommer and B. Class), and Sex-ratio and sexual dimorphism in chicks of Honey Buzzard (at University of Groningen, C. Both and R.G. Bijlsma). After graduation I contiued working in Turku on the blue tit personalities.
Before and throughout my studies I have joined long-term breeding biology studies on raptors and meadow birds around my home-town Groesbeek, and assisted in fieldwork with Great Skuas on the Faroe Islands (University of Glasgow, S. Hammer), and with Arctic Skuas, Red-necked Phalaropes and Barnacle geese on Tobseda, Russia (NIOO, T.K. Lameris, and IMARES, R.S.A. van Bemmelen).
I am a keen fieldwork-based ecologist, valuing a holistic view and precise and standardised observations, also leaving room to respond to unexpected phenomena. Illustrative of such attitude is this quote by Tinbergen in the sixties:
"We did not tackle the problem by systematic experimentation but by collecting incidental evidence, which is not too difficult provided one has the problem continuously in mind during watching. As a rule, Nature makes numerous experiments for us and it is amazing how much evidence on can collect if one is continuously on the alert and appreciative of the possibilities." (N. Tinbergen (1960) The Herring Gull's World, p.99)
- Schreven, K. H. T., & Hammer, S. (2021). Tail feather elongation in Great Skuas: a sexual ornament signalling individual quality? Bird Study. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00063657.2021.1882936
- Nolet, B. A., Schreven, K. H. T., Boom, M. P., & Lameris, T. (2020). Contrasting effects of the onset of spring on reproductive success of Arctic-nesting geese. Auk, 137(1,2), [ukz063]. https://doi.org/10.1093/auk/ukz063
- Clausen, K. K., Schreven, K. H. T., & Madsen, J. (2020). Effects of capture and marking on the behaviour of moulting Pink-footed Geese Anser brachyrhynchus on Svalbard. Wildfowl, 70(1), 13-29. https://wildfowl.wwt.org.uk/index.php/wildfowl/article/view/2717
- Madsen, J., Jaspers, J., Frikke, J., Gundersen, O. M., Nolet, B. A., Nolet, K., Schreven, K. H. T., Sonne, C., & De Vries, P. P. (2019). A gloomy future for light-bellied brent geese in Tusenøyane, Svalbard, under a changing predator regime. Polar Research, 38, [3393]. https://doi.org/10.33265/polar.v38.3393
- Schreven, K. H. T., & Hammer, S. (2019). Why do afternoon copulations mainly occur after the egg-laying peak date in a colony of Great Skuas on Skúvoy, Faroe Islands? Dansk Ornitologisk Forenings Tidsskrift, 113(2), 65-70. http://pub.dof.dk/dof/DOFT/Why_do_afternoon_copulations.pdf
2021
2020
2019
International journals
Schreven K.H.T. 2020. Can Starlings imitate a Blackbird's song upon seeing a silent Blackbird? Fróðskapparit 65-66: 163-166.
Schreven K.H.T., Dooley J.L., Leafloor J.O. & Tijsen W. 2020. Records of a 'crested' Lesser Snow Goose and Brent Goose in the wild, and a discussion of previous records in relation to environmental pollution. Goose Bulletin 25: 6-10.
Schreven K.H.T. 2020. Lanceolated Warbler on Hornøya, Svalbard. Dutch Birding 42(3): 175-179.
Schreven K.H.T. 2020. Arctic Skuas caring for Common Eider duckling. British Birds 113(4): 235-238.
Schreven K.H.T. 2020. Blue Tit feeding a Great Tit brood. British Birds 113(3): 182.
Schreven K.H.T. & Hammer S. 2019. Primary moult of Great Skuas on the breeding grounds, with special attention to the Faroe Islands. Sula 27: 1-16.
Schreven K.H.T. & Lehikoinen A.E. 2019. A 'crested' Pink-footed Goose observed in Norway, and possible explanations why crested waterfowl are rare in the wild. Goose Bulletin 24: 4-7.
Schreven K.H.T. & Kangassalo K. 2019. Male Blue Tit feeding an injured female. British Birds 112: 49-50.
National journals
Schreven K.H.T. 2016. Predation by raptors and mammals on a large flock of Common Starlings Sturnus vulgaris at a night roost in a reedbed. De Takkeling 24(2): 102-110 (in Dutch with English summary)
Van Turnhout C., Nienhuis J., Majoor F., Ottens G., Schreven K. & Schoppers J. 2016. Breeding performance of Common Starlings Sturnus vulgaris in the Netherlands. Limosa 89(2): 37-45 (in Dutch with English summary)
Schreven K. & van der Horst, Y. 2016. A Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus nestling without yellow carotenoid pigmentation. Limosa 89(2): 23-26 (in Dutch with English summary)
Müskens G.J.D.M., Thissen J.B.M., van der Horst Y., Schreven K.H.T., Visser D., Zollinger R. 2015. Extremely high raptor breeding densities in the Reichswald Forest near Kleve. Charadrius 51(2): 63-79 (in German with English summary)
Schreven K.H.T., Mooijman P.J.W. & Helder J. 2015. The parasitic nematode Synhimantus laticeps, identified using 18S rDNA sequencing, in the stomach of an emaciated Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus. De Takkeling 23(2): 134-140 (in Dutch with English summary)
Klaassen R., Klaassen H., Berghuis A., Berghuis M., Schreven K., van der Horst, Y., Verkade, H. & Kearsley, L. 2014. Migration routes and wintering areas of Dutch Common Swifts Apus apus revealed using geolocators. Limosa 87(4): 173-181 (in Dutch with English summary)
Schreven K.H.T. 2014. An airgun pellet in the food of a Northern Goshawk Accipiter gentilis, in the context of hunting and lead poisoning. De Takkeling 22(3): 225-229 (in Dutch with English summary)
Schreven K.H.T. 2012. Egg-capping: a case in Common Buzzard Buteo buteo and evolutionary aspects. De Takkeling 20(2): 126-132 (in Dutch with English summary)
Local journals
Thissen J., van der Horst Y. & Schreven K. 2017. Weidevogelbescherming in Groesbeek 2002-2017. Groesbeeks Milieujournaal 40(3): 8-14 (in Dutch)
Schreven K. 2017. Verspreiding en trends van de Veldleeuwerik als broedvogel in Groesbeek in 2009-2016. Mourik 43(1): 26-36 (in Dutch)
Schreven K. 2012. Staatssecretaris Bleker, de jagers, en de boeren. Groesbeeks Milieujournaal 35(1-2): 22-24 (in Dutch)
Schreven K. 2011. Viltkruiden en droogbloemen in Groesbeek. Groesbeeks Milieujournaal 34(4): 15-19 (in Dutch)
Schreven K. 2011. Helpgedrag bij het Waterhoen. Mourik 37(3): 103-106 (in Dutch)
Schreven K. 2010. Bekentellingen in Groesbeek: watervogels in een glaciaal bekken in de winter. Mourik 36(3): 82-92 (in Dutch)
