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A water rail tale with an unexpected twist

Johan
17 December 2020

The elusive and secretive habits of water rails make them challenging for ecologists to follow. Until recently, little was therefore known about movements in the species. In the current study, modern tracking technology proved...

Transparent Peer Review

Johan
14 November 2019

We are very happy to announce that Journal of Avian Biology is participating in a pilot on transparent peer review.

House finches add cigarette butts to their nests to avoid ectoparasites

Johan
12 September 2017

House finches in Mexico City break down cigarette butts and use them to line their nests. This may be a response to tick infestation, as these blood sucking parasites are repelled by substances such as the nicotine contained in the discarded butts, but can we be certain?

Smithsonian scientists track endangered bird through its annual cycle

Johan
3 March 2017

To fully know a species and develop sound conservation efforts, its full life cycle must be understood. But tracking small migratory birds for thousands of miles has proven challenging, if not impossible, in the past. However, using new and minute technology...

Avian malaria affects lekking behaviour of blue-crowned manakins

Johan
22 April 2016

This research shows the effects of avian malaria, caused by the infection of protozoans of the genus Plasmodium on the social behavior of Blue-crowned manakins. The birds of this species are well-known for holding exhibitions of dances to females during...

Gut microbiota of migratory passerines during stopover

Johan
13 April 2016

Studies from mammalian systems have highlighted an important role of the gut microbiota in regulating host digestion, metabolism, and immune function; however the makeup and impacts of gut microbiota in avian gastrointestinal tracts is poorly known.

Editor's Choice: A test for repertoire matching in eastern song sparrows

Johan
12 April 2016

By critical and elegant playback experiments the authors of this highly interesting study demonstrate that vocal signalling behaviour differs fundamentally between a western and eastern population of the same species (song sparrow, Melospiza melodia).

Comparing geolocator and high-precision GPS data

Johan
8 March 2016

Few recent technologies have been embraced by the ornithological community as rapidly as solar geolocation tracking devices. Although the first and rather large ‘geolocators’ became available more than two decades ago, with their recent miniaturization...

ORCiD now mandatory for submitting authors

Johan
4 March 2016

From March 2016, it is mandatory for the submitting author to provide an Open Researcher and Contributor ID (ORCiD) via our ScholarOne system. Co-authors and reviewers are strongly encouraged to also connect their ScholarOne accounts to ORCiD...

Directed flight and optimal airspeeds in gulls

Johan
16 February 2016

Diagnosing in-flight adjustment to wind by birds is challenging, since they may follow landmarks, take detours, soar in thermals or become wind drifted. Gulls are noted opportunists and flight generalists...

Evaluation of two methods for peripheral body temperature measurement

Johan
22 January 2016

Body temperature is a key physiological property of any animals, and its measurement is thus a valuable tool in ecological and physiological studies. In birds, variation in body temperaturer has been related to a range of parameters...

Editor's Choice: Is the denser feathers in grey Tawny owls an adaptation to cold environments?

Johan
19 January 2016

Surviving in cold environments at high latitudes puts a great premium on behavioral, morphological and physiological adaptations to conserve heat. One of the most prominent adaptations is the plumage of birds which when fluffed may form...

Impacts of nest predators and weather on reproductive success in American redstarts

Johan
11 December 2015

Understanding the population ecology of different phases in the complex annual cycle of long-distance migratory birds, and determining the importance of winter vs summer vs migration impacts, and their carry-over effects, on population dynamics...

Millions of mirrors - Iridescent coloration in birds

Johan
9 December 2015

Like the rainbow shimmer on a soap bubble, the blue color of this male tree swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) feather is iridescent. Light reaching the feather is reflected by its microstructure like a myriad of small mirrors, making it look very bright...

Nesting success of native and introduced forest birds on the island of Kaua‘i

Johan
4 December 2015

When I signed up to move to Kaua‘i and began an M.Sc. project studying the nesting biology of two recently-listed endangered forest bird species, the ‘Akikiki and ‘Akeke‘e, I knew I was in for a rewarding challenge!

Revealing the migration and winter movements of Swedish Red-necked Phalaropes

Johan
24 November 2015

Ever since I first visited Ammarnäs in Swedish Lapland in 2007, Red-necked Phalaropes captured my special interest. Well-known for their reversed sex roles, their pelagic lifestyle outside the breeding period has hampered the study of their non-breeding biology...

Editor's choice - Common loon parents defend chicks according to both value and vulnerability

Johan
16 November 2015

Breeding is obviously a very important part in the life of organisms. However, the effort put into breeding need to be traded off against effort put into defense of the parents’ own soma. One often neglected part of parental effort is to protect young...

Editor's Choice: Breeding season weather determines long-tailed tit reproductive success

Johan
5 October 2015

It is common that avian scientists working with breeding biology claim that weather has a large impact on breeding productivity although this is usually just a “feeling” and seldom formerly tested.

Editor's Choice: Consistent foraging strategies in individual seabirds

Johan
23 September 2015

New tracking techniques have opened up possibilities to record individuals on repeated foraging flights and investigate to what degree they show individuality in their behaviour.

Editor's Choice: Seasonal mortality and sequential density dependence in a migratory bird

Johan
28 July 2015

This study compares annual survival patterns of red knots Calidris canutus islandica between two periods, when winter food at the Wadden Sea was reduced by cockle harvesting and in following years when cockle-dredging was stopped...

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