Ornithology
Course content
The course aims to provide students with a theoretical and
systematic knowledge of ornithology as a basis for continued
learning about birds. The students will learn about the methods
used in ornithological research and thereby obtain the ability to
evaluate ornithological studies. Furthermore, they will obtain
competences in communicating about scientific ornithological
studies. After the course the students will be well qualified to
start Master’s Thesis project within ornithology.
Key areas: Bird biology, including identification and taxonomy,
functional morphology, ecology, evolution and behavior.
MSc Programme in Biology - restricted elective
MSc Programme in Biology with a minor subject - restricted
elective
Competencies
Evaluate scientific ornithological papers
Define ornithological questions and devise solutions
Reflect on the solution to ornithological problems and general
inference
Skills
Describe ornithological methods and apply a selection of these
method Analyse ornithological data sets
Identify most Danish bird species
Knowledge
All extant bird orders
Basic aspects of the ecology, evolution, functional morphology and
behaviour of birds
Three weekly three-hour teaching blocks, one full day teaching block and two one-day and one two-day weekend field excursion. A teaching block can be a combined one-hour lecture and two-hour colloquias or practical exercises, and lectures and colloquias may be combined. The practical exercises include: Field excursions (capture and marking, counts; potentially bioacustics or collection of tissue samples), identification exercises, preparation of specimens, and operational exercises (calculus), Throughout the course, the students will work on their own ornithological project which will be handed in at the end of the course in the form of a scientific paper.
“See Absalon for a list of course literature. Example of course literature: Graham Scott Essential Ornithology. Oxford University Press.”
Various original research papers
Knowledge of Danish birds on a level corresponding to the
bachelor course Danmarks Fauna – hvirveldyr.
Academic qualifications equivalent to a BSc degree is
recommended.
Open for credit transfer students and other external students. Apply here:
Credit transfer students apply here
Other external students apply here
- ECTS
- 7,5 ECTS
- Type of assessment
-
Oral examination, 20 minutes (incl. grading)Written assignment
- Type of assessment details
- The group report must be handed in one week before the exam.
The oral examination consists of a discussion of a scientific paper
and a specimen, both known from the course, and the written
report/project. Oral examination without preparation time.
Weight: written assignment 40% and oral exam 60%. Only an overall grade is given.
It is a requirement that the student has participated in writing a group report. - Aid
- Only certain aids allowed
The written assignment is with all aids allowed
The oral exam is without aids
- Marking scale
- 7-point grading scale
- Censorship form
- No external censorship
Several internal examiners.
- Re-exam
-
As the ordinary exam - the same or revised written report can be handed in before the Re-exam.
Criteria for exam assessment
See Learning Outcome
Single subject courses (day)
- Category
- Hours
- Lectures
- 11
- Class Instruction
- 20
- Preparation
- 75
- Practical exercises
- 24
- Excursions
- 25
- Project work
- 50
- Exam
- 1
- English
- 206
Kursusinformation
- Language
- English
- Course number
- SGBK20003U
- ECTS
- 7,5 ECTS
- Programme level
- Full Degree Master
- Duration
-
1 block
- Placement
- Block 3
- Schedulegroup
-
B
- Capacity
- Max 30 participants
- Studyboard
- Study Board for the Biological Area
Contracting department
- Globe
- The Natural History Museum of Denmark
Contracting faculty
- Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences
Course Coordinator
- Kasper Thorup (13-6d637572677430766a717477724275777066306d7730666d)
Teacher
Kasper Thorup, Peter Hosner (SNM) and Anders P. Tøttrup (SNM)
Timetable
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Courseinformation of students