Program Overview

Avian research is increasingly being used to inform conservation efforts and track the effects of climate change.

We have a team of staff specialising in research into avian evolution, behaviour, physiology, flight, navigation, and conservation. Additional expert input into teaching comes from the BTO, who’s office is located at the University. This also provides opportunities for volunteering and fieldwork with BTO, such as analysing bird song or examining bird migration patterns.

We have our own natural history museum with a diverse collection of vertebrate and invertebrate specimens. Uniquely situated in a prime area for local birds, including a diverse array of habitats and breeding ranges. Previous research from Bangor has included Bardsey Island Manx shearwaters and the puffins of Puffin Island. Treborth Botanic Garden has a pigeon loft for avian research, for example, into pigeon homing navigation and the influence of factors such as familiarity, landmarks, clock shift and the magnetic compass. We also have dedicated facilities for reptiles, rodents, insects and a research farm.

Situated next to the Irish Sea, Menai Strait and mountains of Eryri, you will benefit from our proximity to an exceptional range of terrestrial, marine, and freshwater habitats. Our location is ideal for study sites for final-year research projects and field work.

We boast being a home to the Environment Centre for Wales, a partnership with the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (UKCEH), whose Welsh branch is based there. We also host the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) Wales. Elsewhere in Bangor, you’ll find regional offices for Natural Resources Wales (NRW), D?r Cymru/Welsh Water, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and North Wales Wildlife Trust (NWWT). Strong links with these employers provide opportunities for work placements and volunteering, and some contribute to teaching.

You’ll never be short of things to do. The Students’ Union offers a full range of student societies for those with an interest in all manner of animals. Bangor University Zoological Society, Bangor Herpetological Society, Bangor University Birdwatching Society (BUBS), Bangor University Entomology Society and Endeavour regularly collaborate on social and educational events. A recent Bioblitz Weekend, for example, featured moth trapping, mammal print traps, bush beating, sweep netting, woodland searching, and pond dipping.