Vorlesung: Ornithology / Ornithologie

• Lovette, I.J. & Fitzpatrick, J.W. 2016. Handbook of Bird Biology. 3^rd Ed. Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Wiley-Blackwell. 736 pages.
• Gill, F. B. 2007. Ornithology. 3 ed. W. H. Freeman and Company. 758 pp.
• Podulka, S., R. W. Rohrbaugh, Jr., & R. Bonney (Edit.). 2004. Handbook of Bird Biology. 2nd Ed. Cornell Lab of Ornithology & Princeton University Press, Ithaca, NY.
• Dyke, G. & Kaiser, G. 2011. Living dinosaurs. The evolutionary history of modern birds. Wiley-Blackwell.
• Selected papers about each subject.

See "Seminar references" for specific and recent papers about each subject.

Subjects included in the lecture (Vorlesungsinhalte):

· Theme 1. Introduction to ornithology. History of ornithology. Definitions. Basic concepts.

· Theme 2. Origin and evolution of birds. Evolution of flight.

· Theme 3. Special anatomical and physiological adaptations in birds.

· Theme 4. Reproduction, growth and development.

· Theme 5 Breeding behavior. Mating systems.

· Theme 6 Social systems, territoriality.

· Theme 7 Foraging behavior. Adaptations to different types of habitats.

· Theme 8 Sexual selection. Feathers and colours.

· Theme 9 Other ways for perception and communication. For ex. Vocalizations.

· Theme 10. Daily and annual cycles of birds

· Theme 11. Migration and navigation.

· Theme 12. Systematics and phylogeny. Current hypotheses and methods.

· Theme 13. Avian diversity and biogeography.

· Theme 14. People and birds. Management and Conservation. Study cases.

M.Sc. Biodiversität & Ökologie

M.Sc. Landscape Ecology and Nature Conservation