Motus Radiotelemetry // University of Oldenburg

A method for recording bird movements

Robin — Elastic loops on the radio transmitter are placed around the base of the bird’s legs, enabling the bird to carry it like a backpack.

Why radio telemetry?

While large birds such as storks, birds of prey or waterfowl can be tracked using satellite or cellular-based GPS transmitters, songbirds are too small and too light to be able to carry such devices without their behaviour being affected. Radio transmitters, on the other hand, have become so small that very light animals, such as bats, songbirds or even insects, can be outfitted with them and then tracked.

How does radio telemetry work?

The transmitters emit an individual radio signal that resembles a short 'click' every few seconds. This signal is picked up by a radio receiver. To increase the range of detection, directional Yagi antennas, such as those found on rooftops for TV reception, are used. Until a few years ago, the animals were tracked on foot with hand-held receivers, but nowadays, permanently installed, fully automated receiving stations have been established for detection.

Network effect

The individual antennas of a receiving station have a range of up to 20 km. Outside of this range, the flight path of the bird remains unknown. In order to record longer flight paths, several receiving stations are set up along suspected migration routes. International cooperation and standardisation allow for the creation of a global network. This means that not only one scientific team benefits from each station set up, but the entire community of bird researchers. More information, public data (including your future station) and current maps are available at: www.motus.org/dashboard

You too can contribute to this network and support bird migration research by providing a strategic location! Further, also technical, information can be found in our flyer to download:

Information Radiotelemetry

Information (pdf)

Publications of the working group Migration Ecology using the Motus radio telemetry network

The method of radio telemetry with Motus can be used for a variety of questions: from studies on the physiology and ecology of birds, to their orientation on the magnetic field, to species conservation with regard to potential conflicts with offshore wind turbines. The publications from the working group reflect this broad spectrum well.

Publications

Mitchell, L., Brust, V., Karwinkel, T., Åkesson, S., Kishkinev, D., Norevik, G., Szep, T., Hedenström, A., Lagerveld, S., Helm, B., & Schmaljohann, H. (2025). Conservation-focused mapping of avian migratory routes using a pan-European automated telemetry network. Conservation Biology, e70017. https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.70017

Lagerveld, S., de Vries, P., Harris, J., Parsons, S., Debusschere, E., Hüppop, O., ... & Schmaljohann, H. (2024). Migratory movements of bats are shaped by barrier effects, sex-biased timing and the adaptive use of winds. Movement Ecology, 12(1), 81. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40462-024-00520-7

Mitchell, L., Brust, V., Karwinkel, T., Åkesson, S., Kishkinev, D., Norevik, G., ... & Schmaljohann, H. (2024). Mapping migratory routes: Avian conservation-focused opportunities for a pan-European automated telemetry network. https://doi.org/10.32942/X2TG99

Karwinkel, T., Winklhofer, M., Allenstein, D., Brust, V., Christoph, P., Holland, R. A., ... & Schmaljohann, H. (2024). A refined magnetic pulse treatment method for magnetic navigation experiments with adequate sham control: a case study on free-flying songbirds. Journal of the Royal Society Interface, 21(214), 20230745.

Rüppel, G., Hüppop, O., Schmaljohann, H., & Brust, V. (2023). The urge to breed early: Similar responses to environmental conditions in short‐and long‐distance migrants during spring migration. Ecology and Evolution, 13(7), e10223.

Rüppel, G., Hüppop, O., Lagerveld, S., Schmaljohann, H., & Brust, V. (2023). Departure, routing and landing decisions of long-distance migratory songbirds in relation to weather. Royal Society Open Science, 10(2), 221420.

Eikenaar, C., Ostolani, A., Brust, V., Karwinkel, T., Schmaljohann, H., & Isaksson, C. (2023). The oxidative balance and stopover departure decisions in a medium-and a long-distance migrant. Movement Ecology, 11(1), 7.

Brust, V., Schmaljohann, H., & Hüppop, O. (2023). Two subspecies of a songbird migrant optimise departure from a coastal stopover with regard to weather and the route lying ahead. Journal of Avian Biology, 2023(1-2), e03004.

Brust, V., Eikenaar, C., Packmor, F., Schmaljohann, H., Hüppop, O., & Czirják, G. Á. (2022). Do departure and flight route decisions correlate with immune parameters in migratory songbirds?. Functional ecology, 36(12), 3007-3021.

Bach, P., Voigt, C. C., Göttsche, M., Bach, L., Brust, V., Hill, R., ... & Seebens‐Hoyer, A. (2022). Offshore and coastline migration of radio‐tagged Nathusius' pipistrelles. Conservation Science and Practice, 4(10), e12783.

Karwinkel, T., Winklhofer, M., Janner, L. E., Brust, V., Hüppop, O., Bairlein, F., & Schmaljohann, H. (2022). A magnetic pulse does not affect free-flight navigation behaviour of a medium-distance songbird migrant in spring. Journal of Experimental Biology, 225(19), jeb244473.

Karwinkel, T., Winklhofer, M., Christoph, P., Allenstein, D., Hüppop, O., Brust, V., ... & Schmaljohann, H. (2022). No apparent effect of a magnetic pulse on free-flight behaviour in northern wheatears (Oenanthe oenanthe) at a stopover site. Journal of the Royal Society Interface, 19(187), 20210805.

Brust V, Hüppop O (2021) Underestimated scale of songbird offshore migration across the south-eastern North Sea during autumn. Journal of Ornithology, 1-10.

Michalik B, Brust V, Hüppop O (2020) Are movements of daytime and nighttime passerine migrants as different as day and night? Ecology and Evolution 00: 1-12,

Schmaljohann, H., & Klinner, T. (2020). A quasi-experimental approach using telemetry to assess migration-strategy-specific differences in the decision-making processes at stopover. BMC ecology, 20, 1-12.

Packmor, F., Klinner, T., Woodworth, B. K., Eikenaar, C., & Schmaljohann, H. (2020). Stopover departure decisions in songbirds: do long-distance migrants depart earlier and more independently of weather conditions than medium-distance migrants?. Movement Ecology, 8, 1-14.

Eikenaar, C., Schaefer, J., Hessler, S., Packmor, F., & Schmaljohann, H. (2020). Diel variation in corticosterone and departure decision making in migrating birds. Hormones and behavior, 122, 104746.

Brust V, Michalik B, Hüppop O (2019) To cross or not to cross – thrushes at the German North Sea coast adapt flight and routing to wind conditions in autumn, Movement Ecology 7:32,

Eikenaar, C., Packmor, F., Schmaljohann, H., & Hegemann, A. (2019). Stopover departure decisions in autumn are not associated with constitutive immune function in Northern Wheatears Oenanthe oenanthe. Journal of ornithology, 160, 813-817.

Eikenaar, C., Hessler, S., Ballstaedt, E., Schmaljohann, H., & Kaiya, H. (2018). Ghrelin, corticosterone and the resumption of migration from stopover, an automated telemetry study. Physiology & behavior, 194, 450-455.

Schmaljohann, H., Mueller, F., Klinner, T., & Eikenaar, C. (2018). Potential age differences in the migratory behaviour of a nocturnal songbird migrant during autumn and spring. Journal of Avian Biology, 49(7), e01815.

Müller, F., Eikenaar, C., Crysler, Z. J., Taylor, P. D., & Schmaljohann, H. (2018). Nocturnal departure timing in songbirds facing distinct migratory challenges. Journal of Animal Ecology, 87(4), 1102-1115.

Eikenaar, C., Müller, F., Leutgeb, C., Hessler, S., Lebus, K., Taylor, P. D., & Schmaljohann, H. (2017). Corticosterone and timing of migratory departure in a songbird. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 284(1846), 20162300.

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A method for recording bird movements

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