Vogelwarte, Swiss Ornithological Institute
Vogelwarte, Swiss Ornithological Institute
Location: Sempach - Central Switzerland
Discipline: Life Sciences
The Swiss Ornithological Institute Sempach is a non-profit foundation for ornithology and bird protection.
The Swiss Ornithological Institute was founded in 1924 as a ringing center for the study of bird migration in the Alpine region. It has its headquarters in Sempach. In 1954, the Swiss Ornithological Institute Sempach was transformed into an independent foundation under Swiss law. From a one-man operation run on a voluntary basis, it has developed into an independent institute recognized both in Switzerland and abroad with a staff of about 80.
The Swiss Ornithological Institute Sempach monitors the native bird world, researches the way of life of wild birds and gets to the bottom of the causes of threats to the bird world. It develops protection and promotion measures for endangered bird species and, together with its partners, ensures that the findings benefit the bird world and nature.
The Swiss Ornithological Institute Sempach is financially supported by donations from the entire population. For the nationwide monitoring of bird populations, it can count on the support of more than 1500 volunteers.
news.myScience
Even though the summer is still in progress - for many birds the migration to the African winter quarters has already begun. Among them is the wheatear, which breeds in mountainous areas. On its 4500-kilometer journey, which takes about 30 days, the small bird can climb to an altitude of more than 5000 meters. This is shown by a new study of the ornithological
Switzerland has a new breeding bird: the cattle egret has nested on Swiss soil for the first time, the culmination of a long evolutionary process. Sightings of the little white heron have multiplied in recent years
The woodcock's habits are discreet and nocturnal. A true ghost of the forest, it is rarely seen. We now know that its tail feathers are the purest white in the bird world.
Less high-quality food and less space: these are the problems that the snow sparrow may face in Switzerland in the future. Its future depends on what we do to mitigate the effects of climate change.
In the last few days it has been exceptionally hot. Not only we humans feel the effects of the current weather situation, also the birds have to come to terms with the high temperatures. While they are well equipped for it, we can still support our feathered friends: Native bushes in the garden provide shade, and bird baths with fresh water every day are popular
Not so long ago, seeing a griffon vulture in Switzerland was an extraordinary sight. For the past ten years, the species has been regularly crossing our skies. Many vulture species are threatened worldwide. The return of the griffon vulture to Europe goes against this trend and is a great success for nature conservation
Biodiversity promoting areas (BPAs) are important habitats for many animal species, some of which are now rare. BPAs will be mandatory on at least 3.5% of arable land from 2024. This is an ideal time to plan for such elements. Quality PPSs also offer advantages from an agronomic point of view.
