How do migratory birds orient themselves on their long journeys? What role does the Earth’s magnetic field play? And how can this fascinating behaviour be studied scientifically?

In this article from the series „Die Flugbegleiter“ by RiffReporter, Prof. Dr. Miriam Liedvogel talks about her research at the Institute of Avian Research. The focus is on bird migration, magnetoreception, evolutionary genetics, tracking technology and behavioural observations in the field.

The article also provides insights into Miriam’s path into ornithology and shows why the combination of modern genetics, behavioural experiments and field research is so important for better understanding the orientation abilities of migratory birds.

The german article by Christian Schwägerl / Die Flugbegleiter, with Miriam Liedvogel, published by RiffReporter on 1. June 2021 can be found here.