CAnMove

My main interest is in sense and behavioral ecology and I think that one of the most fascinating phenomena in nature is how animals find their way during migration. I did my undergraduate studies at Stockholm University with the master thesis “The significance of geomagnetic cues for hormonal levels, fuel deposition and orientation in migratory European robins” in 2008. I started my PhD studies at the department of animal ecology in Lund during September 2009 with the project title “Orientation and magnetic compass calibration in migratory birds”, supervised by Rachel Muheim and co-supervised by Thomas Alerstam.

It has been shown that birds use different compasses to be able to orient properly during migration and since cue availability changes with weather conditions, time of day, and latitude, birds must calibrate the different compasses with respect to a common reference both before and during migration to avoid navigational errors. My work will concentrate in the calibration of the magnetic compass by polarized light cues during sunrise and sunset.

I will use several methods to investigate my questions, for example orientation cage experiments with different magnetic or polarized light cues, cue-conflict experiments and radio telemetry tracking of free flying migrants. Most of my field work will be conducted in Falsterbo, the southernmost tip of Sweden.