In our new study, we investigated how reproductive timing in Northern Wheatears on Norderney island is related to site- and individual-level characteristics. We collected nest data on over five consecutive years and found some interesting patterns depending on the habitat type. Our results highlight the importance of conserving natural dune habitats, maintaining rabbit populations, and avoiding further expansion of anthropogenic areas to preserve suitable habitat for the species on the island.

Sandretti-Silva, G., Kirsten, L., Züst, Z., Peter, A., Reich, H., Ulber, J., Schmaljohann, H. (2026) Hatching date in Northern Wheatears, as a proxy of nest site selection, shows a longitudinal gradient in the white dunes and occurs earlier in older males in the grey dunes on Norderney. Journal of Ornithology . https://doi.org/10.1007/s10336-026-02435-z

We compiled data from 159 experiments conducted worldwide and used meta-analytic approaches to evaluate the overall effectiveness of lasers in reducing bird occupancy, e.g. to protect aircraft or agricultural fields. Our findings revealed the following: (i) although the primary objective of laser deterrents is to prevent property damage, the majority of experiments (96%) quantified effectiveness indirectly based on bird behaviour rather than direct property-related outcomes; (ii) empirical evidence predominantly originated from wetlands, while data from airports were particularly scarce; (iii) laser operations reduced bird occupancy by 59%, though this deterrent effect gradually diminished after the cessation of laser use, resulting in a statistically non-significant persistence effect; (iv) Class 3B, green lasers, whether applied manually or automatically, were supported by considerable to moderate evidence for deterring waterfowls and songbirds, especially under low light conditions in natural field settings; and (v) existing evidence does not show clear habituation. Our results indicate that laser deterrents represent a promising non-lethal intervention for mitigating human–bird conflicts across multiple scenarios. Wieland Heim contributed data of tracked Barnacle Geese from his Postdoc in Finland.

Huang C, Heim W, Elbers A, Lee TM, Yang L (2026) Evaluating the effectiveness of lasers in deterring birds based on global systematic evidence. Journal of Applied Ecology 63(8): e70540 [https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.70540]

Based on data from multi-sensor geolocators for 411 individuals from 56 small- or medium-sized landbird species across four continents we measured the proportion of each flight that occurred during night or day. Our species-level quantification confirmed nocturnal migration as the dominant strategy among small landbirds, while also providing precise flight proportion estimates across a broad taxonomic sample and refining the classification of several species previously described as partial or facultative diurnal migrants. Wieland Heim contributed data from Siberian Thrushes and Siberian Rubythroats.

Dufour P, Nussbaumer R, Doniol-Valcroze P, …. Heim W, … Briedis M (2026) Multi-sensor tracking reveals the extent of nocturnal migration in landbirds. Current Biology 36(14): 3697-3706.e3 [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2026.06.030]