PhD Studentship: Global Change and the Dynamics of Seasonal Migration in White Stork

University of East Anglia - School of Environmental Sciences

Placed On: 12th November 2025

Closes: 10th December 2025

Reference: SOMVEILLEM_U26SCI

Primary supervisor - Dr Marius Somveille

Bird migration – one of nature’s most fascinating spectacles – is rapidly changing. In western Europe, migratory birds are shortening their journeys, with many populations even stopping to migrate altogether. To design effective conservation strategies for birds on the move, it is crucial to understand the drivers of changing migration patterns. Notably, what are the relative roles of climate change, land-use change and intrinsic behavioural mechanisms?

The project will focus on the migrations of White Stork, Ciconia ciconia, a species with a culturally transmitted migration and a flexible diet, which facilitate rapid adaptation to changing conditions. Over the last decades, this species has been undergoing dramatic change, notably with important re-routing and loss of migration across western Europe.

Benefitting from the strong expertise of the supervisory team in stork ecology, movement analysis and spatial models, the project will leverage large existing datasets on (i) the demography and seasonal movement of white storks across western Europe, and (ii) the spatio-temporal dynamics of environmental conditions and human activity.

You will address the following objectives, which will be developed and prioritised according to your interests.

• Map White Stork migration patterns and quantify how they are changing
• Investigate the underlying drivers of migration change, notably climate change and attraction to landfills, which are increasingly being exploited by storks to access supplementary food
• Explore the role of social learning and behavioural conformity in shaping migration patterns
• Predict the migration patterns of storks being reintroduced in the UK

Training

You will be part of a supportive and dynamic research environment at UEA and work with collaborators across Europe. You will receive hands-on training in spatial data analysis, while developing conceptual understanding and critical thinking in movement ecology, animal behaviour and conservation. You will also build strong transferable and interdisciplinary research skills.

Entry requirements

The standard minimum entry requirement is 2:1 in biology, environmental sciences or related discipline.

Mode of study

Full-time

Start date

1 October 2026

Funding

This PhD project is in a competition for a Faculty of Science funded studentship. Funding is available to UK applicants and comprises ‘home’ tuition fees and an annual stipend for 3 years.

Closing Date

10/12/2025

To apply for this role, please click on the ‘Apply’ button above.