Research on formation flight
Newsletter 16/02/2018
Waldrappteam has been awarded a three-year research project by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF). In this project we want to use the unique possibilities of human-led migrations with the NBI to explore in depth the fascinating phenomenon of the formation flight in migratory birds.
The project is managed by the scientific coordinator of Waldrappteam, Bernhard Voelkl, who works at the University of Bern.
In the project we build on the results of our previous basic research on the function and coordination of the formation flight. During the next three seasons, all birds will be equipped with data loggers during human-led migration flights, to record the bird's position and wing beat in high frequency and precision. In addition, we aim to measure the heart rate and body temperature of the birds with body-worn sensors, so as to capture the actual energy consumption during the flight and thus the energy savings of the formation flight for the first time.
Of course, there is a special requirement that the birds are influenced as little as possible by the data collections in order not to jeopardize the objectives of the LIFE+ project. The research results will also help us to continue optimizing the methods for the reintroduction.
As part of the project, Waldrappteam is offering two three-year PhD positions. One PhD project will focus on energy consumption during the migration flight, with the main question “Why are birds flying in formation?”. The specific challenge will be to empirically prove and quantify that birds indeed save energy during formation flights.
The focus of the second PhD project is on social dynamics of formation flight, with the question “How are the birds in a formation coordinating and cooperating?” There are several hypotheses to this question, but only few empirical data was collected so far.
Details of the call can be found on our homepage. If interested, please contact our scientific coordinator B Voelkl (bvoelkl [at] waldrapp.eu).
Picture (P Przesang): Human-led migration flight across the Karawanks at the Austrian-Italian border at a flight level of about 2500 m; the birds form the characteristic V-formation, independent of the microlight airplane.
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