Bird radar – BirdScan MR1

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