© Archiv Vogelwarte

    Bird radar – BirdScan MR1

    The radar system BirdScan MR1 allows a continuous monitoring of the airspace of small birds up to 1000 m and of large birds up to 2000 m above ground level.

    Approach

    While crossing the vertical radar beam, echo signatures of birds are recorded enabling identification of flying objects. In this way, it is possible to distinguish birds from insects or other objects. Within birds, size and bird group categories can be determined based on the wing-beat pattern, e.g.

     

    Radar data are processed fully automatically and results are displayed almost in real-time. On the basis of flight movements recorded by radar, seasonal and 24h-flight activity patterns like the following examples are determinable:

     

     

    Ongoing bird migration can be watched on http://www.ornitho.ch/index.php?m_id=1626

    Information on research projects incorporating such radar data are available on Phenology of migration

    Technical details about the radar device are available on www.swiss-birdradar.com

    Partners

    A joint venture of ...