Lecture: Ornithology / Ornithologie

Dear students,

Welcome to Ornithology SS 2025!! ;-)

The module ornithology consists of 1) lecture, 2) seminar (E15 for MSc BEE and E14 for LandEcol), and 3) practical exercises (E16 for MSc BEE and E15 for LandEcol). While lecture and seminar are offered during the regular semester time, the exercises will be done in September (23^rd to 30^th). I present here my plan for lecture and seminar.  The exercises will have their own Moodle module (https://moodle.uni-greifswald.de/course/view.php?id=11399).

Ornithology - Lecture (2 SWS) I will provide material (handouts in PDF) for self-study and a time schedule for regular classes via the Moodle link for all in HIS registered students. We will meet in the seminar room (SR228, Soldmannstr. 23) once a week (on the regular times on Tuesdays at 8:30) to discuss the material of each subject according to the time schedule.

First general meeting for Ornithology: Tuesday 08.04.2025, 8:30 SR228

Although we will use Moodle to exchange material, you may contact me directly anytime by E-Mail (angela.schmitz@uni-greifswald.de).

I wish us all a great semester!!!

•  Morrison, M. L. et al (eds). 2018. Ornithology: Foundation, Analysis, and Application. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, MD. •ISBN 9781421424712.

•  Lovette, I.J. & Fitzpatrick, J.W. 2016. Handbook of Bird Biology. 3. Ed. Cornell Lab of Ornithology. 

•  Podulka, S., R. W. Rohrbaugh, Jr., & R. Bonney (Edit.). 2004. Handbook of Bird Biology. 2nd Ed. Cornell Lab of Ornithology & Princeton University Press. 

•  Dyke, G. and Kaiser, G. 2011. Living dinosaurs. The evolutionary history of modern birds. Wiley-Blackwell.

•  Newton, I. 2023. The migration ecology of birds, 2nd edition. Academic Press, Cambridge/Massachusetts

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

Examen (60 min)

Subjects included in the lecture (Vorlesungsinhalte):

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

· Origin and evolution of birds. Evolution of flight.

· Special anatomical and physiological adaptations in birds.

· Reproduction, growth and development.

· Breeding behavior. Mating systems.

· Social systems, territoriality.

· Foraging behavior. Adaptations to different types of habitats.

· Sexual selection. Feathers and colours.

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

· Daily and annual cycles of birds

· Migration and navigation.

· Systematics and phylogeny. Current hypotheses and methods.

· Avian diversity and biogeography.

M.Sc. Biodiversität & Ökologie

M.Sc. Landscape Ecology and Nature Conservation