Prof.; long-term employee of the University of Warsaw, in 1982-1985 rector of UW; 1988-1996 - Director of the Institute of Ecology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, 1996-1997 Chief Nature Conservator; famoust specialist in bird ecology; author of 100 scientific publications, including 12 books and a huge number of popular science articles; promoter 22 doctoral theses; erudite and storyteller with a great sense of humor.