Fieldwork and data analysis on great tits

Are you looking for an exciting internship or graduation project with plenty of fieldwork and handling of birds? You're in luck: we need students for the new 2026 season!

The Department of Animal Ecology is looking for students every year to collaborate with us on long-term research on hole-breeding birds like the great tit that breed in nest boxes. This research provides data used to answer questions on climate change and behaviour. For example: How do great tits adjust their breeding timing in response to the shifting of seasons caused by climate change? To what extent can great tits adapt their behaviour in response to urbanisation or climate change?

What will you do?

During the field season, which runs approximately from April to June, you will go out into the field daily to monitor hole-breeding birds (mainly great tits). This takes place in one of our research areas, such as the Hoge Veluwe, Westerheide, Vlieland or the Oosterhout estate. The breeding of the great tits will be monitored from nest-building to fledging. Additionally, adults and chicks are ringed and measured, and blood is collected for molecular data and DNA analysis.

May is usually the peak month of the breeding season, often involving long days and work that continues into the weekends. It is therefore important that you are flexible and don't mind working some weekends.

Outside the breeding season, there is room to conduct your own research under the supervision of one of our researchers. For this, you can for example use data from the long-term study that started back in the 1950s.

So, are you looking for an internship with plenty of fieldwork, and are you willing to work long days, including some weekends? Then send your CV and motivation to m.vandeventer@nioo.knaw.nl.