Our annual Ornithology Lecture in December always brings exciting tales of research and adventure, and this past lecture was no exception! Professor Jan-Ake Nilsson, of the University of Lund, has a passion for birds, which has led him to do some fascinating research to understand the life strategies of small passerines.

Naturally Speaking‘s Steve Larcombe and Karen Hotopp (@KarenHotopp) sat down with Jan-Ake to talk about his many research interests, some of his favorite birds, and the body strain of attempting to mimic a rock.

The marsh tit: Jan-Ake’s favorite character. Tony Sutton [CC BY-NC-ND 2.0], via Flickr.

Zebra finches are a common for aviary-based research. Kilayla Pilon [CC BY 2.0], via Flickr.

The colourful red-cheeked cordon-bleu is native to Sub-Saharan Africa. Corn Farmer [CC BY-ND 2.0], via Flickr.

The pine processionary moth studied by Jan-Ake. Ben Sale [CC BY 2.0], via Flickr.

You can see more photos from our Christmas celebrations, including the Institute band, the potluck, and the ceilidh, on our 2016 end-of-year podcast, Episode 47: Years Reflections (and Happy Holidays)!

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Intro and outro music sampled from: “The Curtain Rises” and “Early Riser” Kevin MacLeod [CC BY 3.0]