Professor Richard Holland

Professor in Animal Behaviour / Director of Research

Contact info

Room: 531 Brambell

Email: r.holland@bangor.ac.uk

Phone: +44 (0)1248 382344

Web: Bangor Animal Navigation Group  Google Scholar Researchgate

Director of research, School of Natural Sciences

My research and teaching interests fall broadly in the area of animal behaviour and sensory biology. I am the course co-ordinator for the Zoology with Animal Behaviour degree (C3D3) and teach on several animal behaviour focused modules, as well as ornithology. My research questions focus the cognitive processes and sensory mechanisms by which animals navigate and migrate. While my principle focus is at the level of the whole organism I also incorporate aspects of neurobiology, molecular biology, and physics to identify the  environmental cues, sensory pathways and mechanisms used by animals to decide how, when and where to move. My work also operates in a comparative framework as I compare and contrast across species, taxa, age class, spatial scale and sensory mechanisms to reveal how natural selection has acted to shape navigation behaviour in different animal groups.

Biography:

2020-current, Professor in Animal Behaviour

2017-2020, Senior Lecturer, Bangor University

2016-2017, Lecturer, Bangor University

2011-2016, Lecturer, Queen’s University Belfast

2009-2010, Research scientist, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology

2006-2008, Marie Curie Outgoing International fellow, Princeton University and University of Leeds

2002-2005, Postdoctoral research fellow, University of Leeds

1999-2002, Postdoctoral research fellow, University of Nebraska

1994-1998, DPhil, Oxford University

1990-1993, BSc (Hons), University of Nottingham

Research Area:

Animal Physiology, Behaviour and Conservation

  1. Article › Research › Peer-reviewed
  2. Published

    A comparison of machine-learning assisted optical and thermal camera systems for beehive activity counting

    Morton Williams, S., Bariselli, S., Palego, C., Holland, R. & Cross, P., 1 Dec 2022, In: Smart Agricultural Technology. 2, 100038.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  3. Accepted/In press

    A conceptual framework on the role of magnetic cues in songbird migration ecology

    Karwinkel, T., Peter, A., Holland, R., Thorup, K., Bairlein, F. & Schmaljohann, H., 10 Apr 2024, (Accepted/In press) In: Biological Reviews.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  4. Published

    A functional role of the sky’s polarization pattern for orientation in the greater mouse-eared bat

    Greif, S., Borissov, I., Yovel, Y. & Holland, R., 2014, In: Nature Communications. 5, 4488.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  5. Published

    A magnet attached to the forehead disrupts magnetic compass orientation in a migratory songbird

    Packmor, F., Kishkinev, D., Bittermann, F., Kofler, B., Machowetz, C., Zechmeister, T., Zawadzki, L., Guilford, T. & Holland, R., Nov 2021, In: Journal of Experimental Biology. 224, 22, 10 p., 243337.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  6. A magnetic pulse does not affect homing pigeon navigation: a GPS tracking experiment

    Holland, R., Filannino, C. & Gagliardo, A., 29 May 2013, In: Journal of Experimental Biology. 216, 12, p. 2192-2200 9 p.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  7. A nocturnal mammal, the greater mouse-eared bat, calibrates a magnetic compass by the sun

    Holland, R., Borissov, I. & Siemers, B. M., 13 Apr 2010, In: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA. 107, 15, p. 6941-6945 5 p.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  8. A strong magnetic pulse affects the precision of departure direction of naturally migrating adult but not juvenile birds

    Holland, R. A. & Helm, B., 6 Apr 2013, In: Journal of the Royal Society, Interface. 10, 81, 20121047.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  9. Published

    Anosmic migrating songbirds demonstrate a compensatory response following long-distance translocation: a radio-tracking study

    Kishkinev, D., Anashina, A., Ishchenko, I. & Holland, R. A., Jan 2020, In: Journal of Ornithology. 161, 1, p. 47-57

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  10. Bats use magnetite to detect the earth's magnetic field

    Holland, R., Kirschvink, J. L., Doak, T. G. & Wikelski, M., 27 Feb 2008, In: PLoS ONE. 3, 2

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  11. Published

    Corneal sensitivity is required for orientation in free-flying migratory bats

    Lindecke, O., Holland, R., Petersons, G. & Voigt, C. C., 5 May 2021, In: Communications Biology. 4, 1, 522.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

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