CV

I am a zoologist and researcher with a strong focus on animal behaviour, vocal communication, and acoustic monitoring. Currently seeking a postdoctoral position!

My work centres on the use of modern bioacoustic techniques — such as passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) — to study wild birds in their natural environment. I am particularly interested in vocal individuality as a tool for identifying and tracking individual animals over time, which offers non-invasive insights into vocal behaviour. I combine fieldwork with automated call detection and classification using specialised software and statistical analysis to support long-term monitoring and conservation efforts.

Education
2024 Ph.D. in Zoology, University of South Bohemia, Faculty of science, Supervisor Dr. Pavel Linhart, Thesis topic: Factors affecting the amount of vocal individuality in songs and calls

2014 Msc. in Zoology, University of South Bohemia, Faculty of science, Supervisor Dr. Pavel Linhart, Thesis topic: Song variation in the Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita): song parameters for individuality coding

2012 B.Sc. in Biology, University of South Bohemia, Faculty of science, Supervisor Dr. Petr Veselý, Thesis topic: The importance of the colour and the spotted pattern in ladybird Harmonia axyridis warning colouration

Work experience

2014 – 2024 PhD candidate, Centre of cognitive ethology, Zoology department, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czech Republic (studies formally interrupted 2019 – 2024 due to parental leave and family responsibilities)

2019 – 2023 Active maternity leave, Maternity leave and childcare, while continuing work on PhD projects (data analysis, writing), supervising a BSc student, and managing relocation and integration to Germany. Successfully completed German language courses (B1, B2, C1) with certificates

04/2018 – 07/2019 Researcher, University of South Bohemia, Faculty of science, Zoology department, Centre of cognitive ethology, Dr. Petr Veselý, Ornithological field experiments, bioacoustics analysis, data analysis

09/2018 – 07/2019 Technical assistant, Biology centrum, Czech academy of science, Institute of Entomology, Lab of multitrophic interactions, Dr. Katerina Sam, Bird species identification in recordings, Bioacoustics expertise

Internships

09/2016 – 01/2017 University of Pavia, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Italy, Prof. Gianni Pavan

08/2014 University of Vienna, Department of cognitive biology, Austria, Prof. Thomas Bugnyar

Publications:

Madhavan, M., Hornátová L., Šálek M., Průchová A., Linhart P. (2025) Social environment affects vocal individuality in a non-learning species. Preprint. https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.06.06.658121

Průchová, A., Šálek, M., Linhart, P. (2025) Social factors affect vocal activity patterns of two common call types in Little Owl males.  Journal of Ornithology  166: 235–246. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10336-024-02220-w

Veselý, P., Nedvěd, O., Borovička, M., Adamovská, M., Průchová, A., Fuchs R. (2024) Responses of avian predators to the polymorphic harlequin ladybird (Harmonia axyridis). Ecological entomology 49(3): 357–367. https://doi.org/10.1111/een.13310

Průchová, A., Jaška, P., Linhart, P. (2017) Cues to individual identity in songs of songbirds: testing general song characteristics in chiffchaffs. Journal of Ornithology 158: 911–924. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10336-017-1455-6

Ptacek, L., Vanek, J., Eisner, J., Průchová, A., Linhart, P., Muller, L., Jirotkova, D. (2017) Bird-Adapted Filter for Avian Species and Individual Identification Systems Improvement. Talk. ICAA 2017: 19th International Conference on Acoustics and Applications, Copenhagen, Denmark – Conference paper

Průchová, A., Nedvěd, O., Veselý, P., Ernestová, B., Fuchs, R. (2014) Visual warning signals of the ladybird Harmonia axyridis: the avian predators’ point of view. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata https://doi.org/10.1111/eea.12176