Bird migration is to a large degree a nocturnal affair, as many birds start their migratory flights soon after sunset and fly until early morning. It is however unclear how this pattern is affected by the large differences in night length that birds experience at different latitudes. When migrating at high latitudes the midnight sun means that there is no “night” at all for parts on the year, so what does this mean for the nocturnal schedule?
Using weather radar data we can identify the start and end of bird migratory movements at 14 different sites in Sweden, ranging from Kiruna to Ängelholm. Comparing the length of migratory activity at different night lengths can give us clues to what cues birds use to initiate migration, and why so many birds migrate during night at all. I am looking for a motivated student analyze weather radar data of migratory activity in relation to night length at different sites and times.
Required knowledge: Comfortable with, or willing to learn, to analyse data in R.
Length of the project: MSc or BSc, flexible depending on depth of analysis, number of sites included.
Start date: Flexible
Contact info: Cecilia Nilsson, Cecilia.nilsson@biol.lu.se
Link to research profile: