Songbirds rely on an endogenous program to follow species-specific routes and schedule their migrations to the annual cycle. The expression of the migration program has been shown to be controlled by geophysical information, such as the geomagnetic field and daylength. Most juvenile songbirds are thought to perform the migration completely alone and by relying primarily on their endogenous program, but to what extent they are affected by the social environment to make decisions on migration is not known. Based on our preliminary data we hypothesize that diurnally migrating dunnocks, frequently emitting flight calls, may be affected by conspecifics on migration. We aim to test the hypothesis that juvenile dunnocks can adjust their schedule of migratory fueling, migration activity, orientation to the presence of calls from conspecifics by bringing juvenile Dunnocks (Prunella modularis) into captivity. We are looking for a dedicated master’s student to conduct the experiment. We will capture Dunnocks in southern Sweden and will use purpose built behavioural labs (OriLAB) to simulate the experimental social situation during their typical migration and in a controlled light environment.
Fieldwork starts: September 2024
If understanding how songbirds are affected by conspecifics on migration excites you, then this may be your master’s project. Please, contact Professor Susanne Åkesson for more information.
Professor Susanne Åkesson, Department of Biology