The Section undertakes research and monitoring to provide advice relating to huntable quarry species and threatened taxa to support their effective nature conservation management, but increasingly includes study of the commoner terrestrial bird and mammal species to more broadly understand population processes. Particular emphasis is placed on gathering information to support the future provision of advice regarding hunting (e.g. through changes to hunting regulations) and maintenance of nature conservation interests (e.g. providing information suitable to support the development of specific management plans) under the EU Habitats and Birds Directives. As a result, the section is responsible for a major part of monitoring all bird and mammal populations in Denmark (e.g.The Danish Game Bag Record and organisation of annual national duck, goose and swan counts for reporting to Wetlands International) and for provision of advise at national and international levels. The activities of the Section broadly fall into two main categories, with major elements that include the following themes: 

Population ecology:

• Investigating the effects of changes in land use, recreational activities (e.g. hunting and disturbance) and climate on natural bird and mammal populations. 
• The study of single species ecology to establish the relationships between breeding success and survival and factors affecting these processes acting upon populations at all points in the annual cycle, both throughout the flyway in long distance migrants and sedentary species. 
• Modelling the effects of large construction projects on avian populations (e.g. major bridge constructions, offshore wind farms and road constructions). 

Wildlife ecology:

• Monitoring population size and annual change amongst huntable quarry populations
• Studying the effects of hunting regulations on changes in population size and the effects of crippling on huntable populations
• Provision and analysis of annual hunting statistics and an assessment of production rates from voluntary wing collections received from hunters.

Aksel Bo Madsen 

Director of Research Department, PhD