Theunis Piersma

Theunis Piersma (born 15 June 1958) is a Dutch ornithologist, ecologist, and educator. RTV Drenthe referred to him in 2012 as the "first migratory bird professor in the world."

He is currently a professor and chair of the Global Flyway Ecology department at the University of Groningen and Senior Research Leader at Royal Netherlands Institute of Sea Research (NIOZ). and the discovery that "migratory birds can change the structure of their bodies radically in order to adapt to the diverse conditions they encounter on their journeys."

He is heavily involved in Wader's Study Groups and served as vice-chair of the International Wader Study Group for 15 years.

Work in Friesland Piersma helped found start the Station Fryslân 2018, a citizens' ecological organization dedicated to looking after Friesland's environment. In 2012, the initiative established ‘Kening fan ’e Greide’ (King of the Meadow, a reference to the godwit), which enabled farmers, scientists, and artists to collaborate in an effort to "promote sustainable attitudes to nature and the landscape."

Awards and honours In 2001, a red knot subspecies from the New Siberian Islands was named Calidris canutus piersmai in his honour.

Books Year Title Title language Title in English Subject Notes Ref. 1982 English Wintering waders on the Banc d'Arguin, Mauritania: Report of the Netherlands Ornithological Mauritanian Expedition 1980 Ornithology Written with Wibe Altenburg, Meinte Engelmoer, and Ron Mes 1992 English The Migration of Knots Ornithology With Nick Davidson 1994 English Close to the edge: Energetic bottlenecks and the evolution of migratory pathways in knots Ornithology, biology 1999 Ecologische Atlas van de Nederlandse Wadvogels Dutch Ecology Written with Bruno J. Ens and Leo Zwarts; photographs by Jan van de Kam 2000 De onvrije natuur: Verkenningen van natuurlijke grenzen Dutch Ecology Edited with J.M. Tinbergen, J.P. Bakker, and J.M. van den Broek Op de vleugels van de wind: Wadvogelverhalen Dutch Ornithology Photographs by Jan van de Kam 2001 Goudplevieren en wilsterflappers: Eeuwenoude fascinatie voor trekvogels Dutch Ornithology Written with Joop Jukema, Jan Hulscher, Erik J. Bunskoeke, Anita Koolhaas, and A. Veenstra 2003 English Life along land's edge: Wildlife on the shores of Roebuck Bay, Broome Animal ecology Written with Danny I. Rogers, Marc S.S. Lavaleye, Grant Pearson, and Petra de Goeji; photographs by Jan van de Kam 2004 English Shorebirds: An illustrated behavioural ecology Behavioral ecology Written with Bruno Ens and Leo Zwarts; photographs by Jan van de Kam 2005 English Seeking Nature's Limits: Ecologists in the field Ecology Edited with Joost Tinbergen and Jan Bakker; translated by R.H. Drent 2006 Waarom nonnetjes samen klaarkomen en andere wonderen van het Wad Dutch Ecology 2008 English Invisible Connections: Why Migrating Shorebirds Need the Yellow Sea Ornithology Edited with Jan Lewis; photographs by Jan van de Kam 2011 English The Flexible Phenotype: A Body-Centred Integration of Ecology, Physiology, and Behaviour Biology Photographs by Jan A. van Gils 2014 Sweltsjes fan Gaast Frisian Guests of Summer: A House Martin love story 2016 Knooppunt Waddenzee Dutch Intersection Wadden Sea Ecology Rob Buiter, Laura Govers, Metawad team Reisvogels Dutch Marathon Migrants Ornithology, migration Photographs by Jan van de Kam 2018 Een horizon vol weidevogels in Zuidwest-Friesland: Inzichten uit de workshop van de International Wader Study Group, 28 september 2018 Dutch Meadowbirds on the horizon of southwest Friesland: Insights of the International Wader Study Group workshop, 28 September 2018 Animal ecology, ornithology With Ruth Howison, Heinrich Belting, Jennifer Smart, Mark Smart, Rob Shuckard, Ole Thorup, and International Wader Study Group De ontsnapping van de natuur: Een nieuwe kijk op kennis Dutch The Escape of Nature: A new perspective on knowledge Written with Thomas Oudman