Bielefeld biologists reveal the influence of genes on
dispersal behaviour
Be it hibernation or the routes of migratory birds: all
animal behaviour that is subject to annual rhythms is controlled by a molecular
clock. Although this has been known for a long time, in many cases it is still
unclear how far genes are involved in setting this internal clock. Up to now,
this also applied to the common buzzard and its migration from parental
breeding grounds. Behavioural scientists in Professor Dr. Oliver Krüger’s team
at Bielefeld University’s Faculty of Biology have now confirmed that a genetic
clock determines when young buzzards leave their parents’ territory. The key to
these findings were observations from the general public who reported tagged
birds to the researchers. The researchers have now published their study in the
journal Molecular Ecology.