News and Research Highlights of the Department Ornithology

Daurian redstarts move closer to humans to protect their nests from brood parasitism more

The breeding pair jointly builds a complex nest with asymmetric architecture more

Artificial intelligence succeeds where we struggle more

A test of the sperm storage hypothesis more

As a result, the plumage absorbs less solar energy and thus prevents overheating during long flights. more

Females remain unmated when competition for preferred mates is too big - but then often smuggle their eggs into other nests more

Competition for mates leads to a deeper voice than expected based on size more

Why zebra finches have problems with reproduction more

Blue tits that are already associated in winter are more likely to have young together in spring more

A polygynous shorebird decides where to breed based on the prevailing wind conditions more

Arriving early in the breeding area is crucial for successful reproduction also in non-migratory birds more

Precipitation and temperature can be used to predict the colouring of birds more

Female age and laying order drive variation of egg quality in blue tits more

Brood failure in blue tits is almost always due to the loss of a parent more

The colour of bands attached to the legs of birds for individual identification does not have an effect on the birds’ behaviour, physiology, life-history or fitness. This result of a study from the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology in Seewiesen contradicts long established text-book “knowledge” and questions whether ornaments play a major role in mate choice of monogamous species. more

Gene inversion gives reproductive advantage to zebra finches more

The shorebirds have a huge breeding range across the Arctic more

Parents need to synchronize the care for their offspring. This leads to extreme and unexpected diversity in how parents attend their nest in shorebirds. Some pairs switched duties 20 times a day, while in others one parent sat on the nest for up to 50 hours. The key factor underlying this variation is risk of predation, not risk of starvation. more

Explaining variation in plumage colour of male and female birds more

Zebra finches allowed to breed with their preferred partner achieved a 37 percent higher reproductive success compared to pairs that were forced to mate more