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🐦 Swiss Ornithological Institute review calls for precautions to protect birds from radiation

June 20, 2026 (EMFS)
Jun 17, 2026 (original)
Source: diagnose:funk
Source category: Advocacy/NGO
AI use
diagnose:funk reports on a review by Swiss Ornithological Institute biologist Erich Bächler examining how non-ionizing radiation may affect birds. The review describes evidence for disruption of birds’ magnetic compass at low exposure levels, oxidative stress in laboratory studies and potential thermal harm to embryos near transmitters, and recommends precaution around breeding sites.
ℹ️ Underlying review: Erich Bächler (2025), Ornithologischer Beobachter 122(4). No DOI or PMID was identified.
Note: diagnose:funk is a German environmental and consumer advocacy organization focused on mobile communications and health. This piece summarizes a review published by the Swiss Ornithological Institute.

Quotes (our translation)

"The disruption of birds' magnetic compass by low-dose electromagnetic radiation is clearly scientifically proven."

[original: "Ebenfalls wissenschaftlich klar nachgewiesen ist die Beeinflussung des Magnetkompasses der Vögel durch niedrig dosierte elektromagnetische Strahlung."]

— Erich Bächler, Swiss Ornithological Institute

"A temperature increase of more than 0.5°C can damage the embryos."

[original: "eine Temperaturerhöhung von mehr als 0,5 °C kann die Embryonen schädigen"]

— Erich Bächler, Swiss Ornithological Institute

"Under controlled laboratory conditions, it has been almost consistently demonstrated that electromagnetic radiation, even at low doses, increases oxidative stress in body cells."

[original: "unter kontrollierten Laborbedingungen nahezu konsistent nachgewiesen werden, dass … elektromagnetische Strahlung selbst im Niedrigdosisbereich den oxidativen Stress in den Körperzellen erhöht."]

— Erich Bächler, Swiss Ornithological Institute

Source

Strahlung und Vogelschutz: Was die Wissenschaft heute weiß diagnose-funk.org

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