Dr. Brandon Mak
Chair for Terrestrial Ecology
Department for Life Science Systems
TUM School of Life Sciences
Technische Universität München
Hans-Carl-von-Carlowitz-Platz 2
D-85350 Freising-Weihenstephan
Room: 1.1.2.3
Phone: +49.8161.71.3713
Fax: +49.8161.71.4427
E-mail: brandon.mak[at]tum.de
Curriculum vitae
| 2024- | present | Postdoctoral researcher at Chair for Terrestrial Ecology, Technische Universität München, Germany |
|---|---|---|
| 2019- | 2023 | PhD in Geography, King’s College London, UK |
| 2017- | 2018 | MSc Sustainable Cities, King’s College London, UK |
| 2015- | 2017 | Master of Architecture, University of Edinburgh, UK |
| 2012- | 2017 | Bachelor of Arts (Architecture), University of Edinburgh, UK |
Research interest
Drawing from his background in Architecture and Geography, Brandon’s research intersects the environmental and social sciences to understand how human and nonhuman animals share urban landscapes. Through his work he has conducted empirical research surrounding peregrine falcons, pigeons and barn owls, focusing on human-animal interactions and their consequences for wildlife and society. He is knowledgeable on the (ecological) success of urban raptors, especially peregrines, and the politics behind their conservation in cities.
Brandon is currently interested in topics related to urban ecology and is particularly keen on human-wildlife conflict and coexistence, (biological) pest control and disease ecology. He encourages the exploration of quirky research questions and has a soft spot for pigeons, the “rats with wings”.
Projects
Happy pigeon project
2025-
Feral pigeons are commonly subject to population control, and often lethally. However, in Germany, non-lethal methods like the Augsburg model are used, where pigeons are attracted to breed in dovecots in which food and nest sites are provided, and their eggs subsequently replaced with dummies. Others are captured and housed in aviaries where they are similarly fed and their breeding controlled. While primarily aimed at reducing urban pigeon populations, resource security afforded by such non-lethal control measures may incidentally alleviate chronic stress in their pigeon subjects normally associated with food scarcity and predator threats. Thus, in this Wild Animal Initiative funded study, we explore how these control measures may counterintuitively benefit their pigeon subjects in terms of wellbeing. To do so, we integrate multiple animal welfare indicators to assess chronic stress of pigeons nesting in the streets, dovecots and aviaries.
Project partners: Dr. Otto Kalliokoski (University of Copenhagen), Dr. Beate Apfelbeck (Paris Lodron Universität Salzburg), Stadttauben München, Einsatz für Tierre München, Stadttiere Braunschweig, Gut Aiderbichl