Current Appointment: Senior Lecturer

Contact: Department of Environmental Sciences
University of Technology, Sydney
PO Box 123
BRAODWAY NSW 2007 Australia
Office: CB04.05.54A
Phone: +61 2 9514 4150
Fax: +61 2 9514 4079
E-mail: Ursula.Munro@uts.edu.au

Research Interests

• Animal Movements
• Bird Migration
• Bird Orientation
• Orientation Mechanisms
• Magnetoreception
• Biorhythms
• Animal Nutrition and Digestion
• Conservation of Birds

Recent Publications

Wiltschko, W., Munro, U., Ford, H and Wiltschko, R. 2001. Time-associated relearning of celestial cues in migratory birds. In: Proceedings RIN 01. Orientation & Navigation - Birds, Humans & Other Animals. Royal Institute of Navigation, London, Paper 13, pages 13.1-13.8.

Wiltschko, R., Munro, U., Ford, H. and Wiltschko, W. 2001. Orientation in migratory birds: time-associated relearning of celestial cues. Animal Behaviour 62, 245-250.

Munro, U. 2001. Migration of Yellow-faced Honeyeaters. IB Interpretive Birding Bulletin 5(2), 1-3.

Wiltschko, W., Munro, U., Wiltschko, R. and Kirschvink, J. 2002. Magnetite-based magnetoreception in birds: the effect of a biasing field and a pulse on migratory behavior. Journal of Experimental Biology 205, 3031-3037.

Jacklyn, P.M. and Munro, U. 2002. Evidence for the use of magnetic cues in termite mound construction. Australian Journal of Zoology 50, 357-368.

Munro, U. 2003. Life history and ecophysiological adaptations to migration in Australian birds. In: Avian Migration. Berthold, P., Gwinner, E. and Sonnenschein, E. (eds.). Springer-Verlag, Heidelberg, pp 141-154

Fischer, J.H., Munro, U. and Phillips, J.B. 2003. Magnetic navigation by an avian migrant? In: Avian Migration. Berthold, P., Gwinner, E. and Sonnenschein, E. (eds.). Springer-Verlag, pp 423-432.

Munro, U., McCloskey, K. and Cooke, B. 2003. Seasonal trends in food resource use and body mass of captive Regent Honeyeaters, Xanthomyza phrygia (Meliphagidae). Corella 27(2), 47-51.

Wiltschko, W., Munro, U., Ford, H. and Wiltschko, R. 2003. Magnetic orientation in birds: non-compass responses under monochromatic light of increased intensity. Proceedings of the Royal Society London, B 270, 2133-2140 Wiltschko, W., Munro, U., Ford, H. and Wiltschko, R. 2003. Lateralisation of magnetic compass orientation in Silvereyes, Zosterops lateralis. Australian Journal of Zoology 51, 597-602.

Munro, U., Munro, J.A., Phillips, J.B., Wiltschko, R and Wiltschko, W., 1997. Evidence for a magnetite-based navigational "map" in birds. Naturwissenschaften 84,26-28.

Munro, U., Munro, J.A., Phillips, J.B. and Wiltschko, W., 1997. Effect of wavelength of light and pulse magnetisation on different magnetoreception systems in a migratory bird. Australian Journal of Zoology 45, 189-198.

Wiltschko, W., Munro, U. and Wiltschko, R., 1997. Magnetoreception in migratory birds: Light-mediated and magnetite-mediated processes? In: Orientation and Navigation - Birds, Humans and other Animals. Royal Institute of Navigation: London. Paper No. 1, pp. 1.1-1.9.

Wiltschko, R., Wiltschko, W. and Munro, U., 1997. Migratory orientation in birds: the effects and after-effects of exposure to conflicting celestial and magnetic cues. In: Orientation and Navigation - Birds, Humans and other Animals. Royal Institute of Navigation: London. Paper No. 6, pp. 6.1-6.14.

Munro, U. and Munro, J.A., 1998. Migratory restlessness in the Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Lichenostomus chrysops (Meliphagidae), an Australian diurnal migrant. Ibis 140, 599-604.

Wiltschko, W., Wiltschko, R., Munro, U. and Ford, H., 1998. Magnetic versus celestial cues: cue-conflict experiments with migrating Silvereyes at dusk. Journal of Comparitive Physiology A 182, 521-529.


Wiltschko, W., Munro, U., Ford, H. and Wiltschko, R., 1998. Effect of a magnetic pulse on the orientation of Silvereyes, Zosterops l. lateralis, during spring migration. Journal of Experimental Biology 201, 3257-3261.

Wiltschko, R., Munro, U., Ford, H. and Wiltschko, W., 1999. After-effects of exposure to conflicting celestial and magnetic cues at sunset in migratory Silvereyes, Zosterops l. lateralis. Journal of Avian Biology 30, 56-62.

Munro, U., 1999. Adaptations to a migratory lifestyle - An Australian perspective. In: Proceedings XXII Congressus Internationalis Ornithologici. Adams, N & Slotow, R. (Eds). University of Natal, Durban, pp. 956-978.

Phillips, J.B., Wiltschko, W. and Munro, U., 1999. Visual system involvement in magnetoreception in birds. In: Proceedings XXII Congressus Internationalis Ornithologici. Adams, N. & Slotow, R. (Eds). University of Natal, Durban, pp.2759-2774.

Wiltschko, W., Munro, U. and Wiltschko, R., 2000. Light-dependent magnetoreception in birds: does directional information change with light intensity? Naturwissenschaften 87, 36-40.

Cooke, B. and Munro, U., 2000. Orientation studies on the Regent Honeyeater, Xanthomyza phrygia (Meliphagidae), an endangered bird from southeastern Australia. Australian Journal of Zoology, 379-384.

Wiltschko, W., Wiltschko, R. and Munro, U., 2000. Light-dependent magnetoreception in birds: the effect of intensity of 565-nm green light. Naturwissenschaften 87, 366-369.

Recent Grants

1997 University of Technology, Sydney International Research Grant
Magnetic Orientation and magnetoreception in Migratory Birds
$22,000 1998 Ausralian Research Council (ARC) Small Grant
Potential Side-Effects of Radiotransmitter Electromagnetic Emissions on Birds
$24,000

Vice-Chancellors University Staff Conference Fund
Attendance at the International Ornithological Congress, Durban, South Africa
$1,100 2000-2001 Australian Research Council (ARC) Large Grant
Physiological Adaptations to Migration in Australian Birds
$70,000

Teaching Duties

• Animal Behaviour and Physiology
• Wildlife Ecology
• Terrestrial Ecology
• Vertebrate Biology