Newcastle University

Introduction

After finishing my studies of Biology/Zoology in Freiburg (GER) I moved to Bristol to study UV vision in songbirds. In 2002 I started my PhD at Oldenburg (GER) investigating the neuronal background of bird orientation, combining behavioural research with neurobiology. I continued in this interdisciplinary field by taking up a postdoc at Newcastle in 2006 with Tom Smulders. Since 2008 I am a postdoc in the group of Melissa Bateson, investigating stereotypic behaviour in starlings. This study will possibly also involve an examination of the underlying neuronal mechanisms.

Research Interests

My main research interest is neuroethology, that is the connection of behaviour and brain: What brain regions are involved in what type of behaviour? How does the brain control behaviour? How does behaviour evolve/develop? Further, I am interested in the evolution of the brain: How (dis)similar are brains of different animal groups structured? What are the evolutionary contraints for analogous structures to develop similar functionality? My main study organism are birds as they provide a variety of behaviours that can be compared with mammals.

Other Expertise

member of:
ASAB
Royal Institute of Navigation - Animal Navigation Group
International Society for Neuroethology

• Brilot BO, Asher L, Feenders G, Bateson M. Quantification of abnormal repetitive behaviour in captive European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris). Behavioural Processes 2009, 82(3), 256-264.
• Feenders G, Liedvogel M, Rivas M, Zapka M, Horita H, Hara E, Wada K, Mouritsen H, Jarvis ED. Molecular mapping of movement-associated areas in the avian brain: A motor theory for vocal learning origin. PLoS ONE 2008, 3(3), e1768.
• Liedvogel M, Feenders G, Wada K, Troje NF, Jarvis ED, Mouritsen H. Lateralized activation of Cluster N in the brains of migratory songbirds. European Journal of Neuroscience 2007, 25(4), 1166-1173.
• Mouritsen H, Feenders G, Liedvogel M, Wada K, Jarvis ED. Night-vision brain area in migratory songbirds. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 2005,102 23 8339-8344.
• Mouritsen H, Feenders G, Liedvogel M, Kropp W. Migratory Birds Use Head Scans to Detect the Direction of the Earth’s Magnetic Field. Current Biology 2004,14 21 1946-1949.
• Feenders G, Klaus K, Bateson M. Fear and Exploration in European Starlings (Sturnus vulgaris): A Comparison of Hand-Reared and Wild-Caught Birds. PLoS ONE 2011, 6(4), e19074.
• Feenders G, Bateson M. Hand-Rearing Reduces Fear of Humans in European Starlings, Sturnus vulgaris. PLoS ONE 2011, 6(2), e17466.
• Feenders G, Smulders TV. Magpies can use local cues to retrieve their food caches. Animal Cognition 2011, 14(2), 235-243.