Niko Tinbergen was a Dutch biologist and ornithologist, born in 1907. He is best known for his pioneering work in the field of ethology, which is the study of animal behavior. Tinbergen's research focused on understanding how animals interact with their environment and each other, leading to significant insights into instinctive behaviors. In 1973, Tinbergen was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine alongside Konrad Lorenz and Karl von Frisch for their contributions to the understanding of animal behavior. His work emphasized the importance of observing animals in their natural habitats, which laid the groundwork for future studies in behavioral ecology and evolutionary biology.