Randecker Maar Research Station

It studies birds, insects and other migratory creatures which tend to concentrate in the pass through the crater of the Randecker Maar as they fly over the Swabian Jura.

The research station is located at an elevation of 773 meters above sea level on the northern precipice of the Swabian Jura of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany.

At the site of an extinct volcano, the Randecker Maar, migration of insects and birds is concentrated both horizontally and vertically.

In the crater of the volcano and along the creek flowing out of it, remnants of camps of hunters and gatherers were found, who are believed to have hunted migrating animals here.

[2][3][4][5] Besides birds, flying insects also cross the Swabian Jura mountain range on their southward autumn migrations.

The crater of the Randecker Maar volcano, cut open by erosion on its northern side. Through this gap in the Swabian Jura mountains, birds and insects migrate south. The arrow indicates the location of the Randecker Maar Research Observatory for Bird and Insect Migration.
Bird watchers on the hilltop of the Randecker Maar Observatory overlooking the volcano with its northern gap, used by birds and insects used when crossing the Swabian Jura mountains on their southward migration. On the lower right the insect funnel trap is visible.
Bird watchers at the Randecker Maar Observatory look towards the north at migrating birds and insects.
Funnel trap for insects on their southern migration across the Swabian Jura mountains at the Randecker Maar Observatory, 2019.