New technologies for monitoring bird migration and behaviour

Bird ringing and other tracking technologies have the potential to be equal partners in ornithology, with the former being ideal for broad, large‐sample‐size approaches and the latter being more suitable for focused studies in much greater detail. Bird tracking methods such as radio tracking, satellite tracking, geolocator loggers, passive integrated transponders or even the use of the worldwide mobile phone network for animal tracking are rapidly evolving and offer high spatial and temporal resolution for following bird movements. However, there are still limitations in equipment size and costs as well as in long‐term data management which is still far from the highly standardised database system established for bird ringing data. Ornithology and conservation profit considerably from the existence of these individual marking and tracking methods as part of a common toolbox from where the most suitable tools or combination of tools may be selected to address important scientific questions.