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Karwinkel T, Peter A, Holland RA, Thorup K, Bairlein F, Schmaljohann H. A conceptual framework on the role of magnetic cues in songbird migration ecology. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2024; 99:1576-1593. [PMID: 38629349 DOI: 10.1111/brv.13082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2024] [Accepted: 03/29/2024] [Indexed: 07/06/2024]
Abstract
Migrating animals perform astonishing seasonal movements by orienting and navigating over thousands of kilometres with great precision. Many migratory species use cues from the sun, stars, landmarks, olfaction and the Earth's magnetic field for this task. Among vertebrates, songbirds are the most studied taxon in magnetic-cue-related research. Despite multiple studies, we still lack a clear understanding of when, where and how magnetic cues affect the decision-making process of birds and hence, their realised migratory behaviour in the wild. This understanding is especially important to interpret the results of laboratory experiments in an ecologically appropriate way. In this review, we summarise the current findings about the role of magnetic cues for migratory decisions in songbirds. First, we review the methodological principles for orientation and navigation research, specifically by comparing experiments on caged birds with experiments on free-flying birds. While cage experiments can show the sensory abilities of birds, studies with free-flying birds can characterise the ecological roles of magnetic cues. Second, we review the migratory stages, from stopover to endurance flight, in which songbirds use magnetic cues for their migratory decisions and incorporate this into a novel conceptual framework. While we lack studies examining whether and when magnetic cues affect orientation or navigation decisions during flight, the role of magnetic cues during stopover is relatively well studied, but mostly in the laboratory. Notably, many such studies have produced contradictory results so that understanding the biological importance of magnetic cues for decisions in free-flying songbirds is not straightforward. One potential explanation is that reproducibility of magnetic-cue experiments is low, probably because variability in the behavioural responses of birds among experiments is high. We are convinced that parts of this variability can be explained by species-specific and context-dependent reactions of birds to the study conditions and by the bird's high flexibility in whether they include magnetic cues in a decision or not. Ultimately, this review should help researchers in the challenging field of magnetoreception to design experiments meticulously and interpret results of such studies carefully by considering the migration ecology of their focal species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thiemo Karwinkel
- Institute of Avian Research 'Vogelwarte Helgoland', An der Vogelwarte 21, 26386, Wilhelmshaven, Germany
- Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, School of Mathematics and Science, Institute of Biology and Environmental Sciences, Ammerländer Heerstraße 114-118, 26129, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Annika Peter
- Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, School of Mathematics and Science, Institute of Biology and Environmental Sciences, Ammerländer Heerstraße 114-118, 26129, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Richard A Holland
- School of Environmental and Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, LL57 2UW, UK
| | - Kasper Thorup
- Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, DK-2100, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Franz Bairlein
- Institute of Avian Research 'Vogelwarte Helgoland', An der Vogelwarte 21, 26386, Wilhelmshaven, Germany
- Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Am Obstberg 1, Radolfzell, 78315, Germany
| | - Heiko Schmaljohann
- Institute of Avian Research 'Vogelwarte Helgoland', An der Vogelwarte 21, 26386, Wilhelmshaven, Germany
- Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, School of Mathematics and Science, Institute of Biology and Environmental Sciences, Ammerländer Heerstraße 114-118, 26129, Oldenburg, Germany
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2
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Rudolf J, Philipello N, Fleihan T, Dickman JD, Delmore KE. Night-time neuronal activation of Cluster N in a North American songbird. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0300479. [PMID: 38512887 PMCID: PMC10956746 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0300479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Night-migrating songbirds utilize the Earth's magnetic field to help navigate to and from their breeding sites each year. A region of the avian forebrain called Cluster N has been shown to be activated during night migratory behavior and it has been implicated in processing geomagnetic information. Previous studies with night-migratory European songbirds have shown that neuronal activity at Cluster N is higher at night than during the day. Comparable work in North American migrants has only been performed in one species of swallows, so extension of examination for Cluster N in other migratory birds is needed. In addition, it is unclear if Cluster N activation is lateralized and the full extent of its boundaries in the forebrain have yet to be described. We used sensory-driven gene expression based on ZENK and the Swainson's thrush, a night-migratory North American songbird, to fill these knowledge gaps. We found elevated levels of gene expression in night- vs. day-active thrushes and no evidence for lateralization in this region. We further examined the anatomical extent of neural activation in the forebrain using 3D reconstruction topology. Our findings demonstrate that Swainson's thrushes possess an extensive bilateral night-activated Cluster N region in the forebrain similar to other European avian species, suggesting that Cluster N is highly conserved in nocturnal migrants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Rudolf
- Biology Department, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| | - Natalie Philipello
- Biology Department, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| | - Tamara Fleihan
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - J. David Dickman
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Kira E. Delmore
- Biology Department, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
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3
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Valachovic AC, Chaves JN, DeMoranville KJ, Garbenis T, Nguyen BMH, Hughes M, Huss JM, Schaeffer PJ. Manipulation of photoperiod induces fat storage, but not fat mobilization in the migratory songbird, Dumetella carolinensis (Gray Catbird). J Comp Physiol B 2023; 193:569-580. [PMID: 37728689 DOI: 10.1007/s00360-023-01508-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2022] [Revised: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023]
Abstract
The annual cycle of migratory birds requires significant phenotypic remodeling. We sought to induce the migratory phenotype in Gray Catbirds by exposing them to a short-day light cycle. While adipose storage was stimulated, exceeding that typically seen in wild birds, other aspects of the migratory phenotype were unchanged. Of particular interest, the rate of lipid export from excised adipose tissue was nearly halved. This is in contrast to wild migratory birds in which lipid export rates are increased. These data suggest that exposure to an altered light cycle only activated the lipid storage program while inhibiting the lipid transport program. The factors governing lipid mobilization and transport remain to be elucidated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abigail C Valachovic
- Department of Biology, Miami University, 700 E. High St., 212 Pearson Hall, Oxford, OH, 45056, USA
- Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
| | - Jussara N Chaves
- Department of Biology, Miami University, 700 E. High St., 212 Pearson Hall, Oxford, OH, 45056, USA
- Rua Maria Do Bom Sucesso de Proença Moraes, No. 200 - Casa c34, São Paulo, 18214-570, Brazil
| | - Kristen J DeMoranville
- Department of Biology, Miami University, 700 E. High St., 212 Pearson Hall, Oxford, OH, 45056, USA
- Department of Natural Resources Science, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, 02881, USA
| | - Taylor Garbenis
- Department of Statistics, Miami University, Oxford, OH, 45056, USA
- Nationwide Insurance, Columbus, OH, 43215, USA
| | - Boi Minh Ha Nguyen
- Department of Statistics, Miami University, Oxford, OH, 45056, USA
- Deloitte & Touche LLP, Chicago, IL, 60601, USA
| | - Michael Hughes
- Department of Statistics, Miami University, Oxford, OH, 45056, USA
| | - Janice M Huss
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, 91010, USA
- Center for Cardiovascular Research, Cardiovascular Division, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, USA
| | - Paul J Schaeffer
- Department of Biology, Miami University, 700 E. High St., 212 Pearson Hall, Oxford, OH, 45056, USA.
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4
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Vernasco BJ, Watts HE. Telomere length predicts timing and intensity of migratory behaviour in a nomadic songbird. Biol Lett 2022; 18:20220176. [PMID: 35920029 PMCID: PMC9346355 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2022.0176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Our understanding of state-dependent behaviour is reliant on identifying physiological indicators of condition. Telomeres are of growing interest for understanding behaviour as they capture differences in biological state and residual lifespan. To understand the significance of variable telomere lengths for behaviour and test two hypotheses describing the relationship between telomeres and behaviour (i.e. the causation and the selective adoption hypotheses), we assessed if telomere lengths are longitudinally repeatable traits related to spring migratory behaviour in captive pine siskins (Spinus pinus). Pine siskins are nomadic songbirds that exhibit highly flexible, facultative migrations, including a period of spring nomadism. Captive individuals exhibit extensive variation in spring migratory restlessness and are an excellent system for mechanistic studies of migratory behaviour. Telomere lengths were found to be significantly repeatable (R = 0.51) over four months, and shorter pre-migratory telomeres were associated with earlier and more intense expression of spring nocturnal migratory restlessness. Telomere dynamics did not vary with migratory behaviour. Our results describe the relationship between telomere length and migratory behaviour and provide support for the selective adoption hypothesis. More broadly, we provide a novel perspective on the significance of variable telomere lengths for animal behaviour and the timing of annual cycle events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ben J. Vernasco
- School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
| | - Heather E. Watts
- School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
- Center for Reproductive Biology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
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Vanni L, Cerritelli G, Turchi A, Giunchi D. Migratory restlessness and stopover duration in Wood sandpiper Tringa glareola. ETHOL ECOL EVOL 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/03949370.2021.1878282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lorenzo Vanni
- Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Via A. Volta 6, Pisa 56126, Italy
| | - Giulia Cerritelli
- Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Via A. Volta 6, Pisa 56126, Italy
| | - Alessandro Turchi
- Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Via A. Volta 6, Pisa 56126, Italy
| | - Dimitri Giunchi
- Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Via A. Volta 6, Pisa 56126, Italy
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6
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Åkesson S, Ilieva M, Bianco G. Flexibility and Control of Circadian Activity, Migratory Restlessness and Fueling in Two Songbird Migrants. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.666176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Juvenile songbirds rely on an endogenous program, encoding direction, distance, fueling, and timing of migration. Migratory distance is species-specific, expressed as a period of migratory restlessness, for which the length is correlated with distance, while fueling is modified to meet anticipated flight distances controlled by geomagnetic cues and amount of day-light available for foraging. How daylength affect onset and level of migratory activity and fueling decisions in wild birds have so far received limited attention. Here we study how photoperiod controls onset, level and extent of autumn migratory activity and fueling in juvenile diurnally migrating dunnocks, and nocturnally migrating European robins by experimentally increasing daylength. For both species, we kept a control group indoors at the location of capture in southern Sweden exposed to the natural photoperiod, and an experimental group with increased and advanced photoperiod by 2 h in the morning. Dunnocks initiated migratory activity at sunrise (or artificial sunrise) in both groups, demonstrating a highly responsive and flexible component for the onset of migration triggered by light. Experimental robins anticipated the end of nocturnal migratory activity predicting the earlier sunrise immediately after the time-shift and expressed this behavior already under darkness, supporting a fast-resetting mechanism to the new diel period. Timing of end of morning activity was not affected by the earlier sunrise in both species, suggesting a fixed endogenous control that persisted throughout the 13-day study period. Experimental dunnocks expressed higher overall activity and lower fuel loads than controls, while robins did not change their overall activity and fuel load in response to the shifted and increased photoperiod. These results reveal important adaptations for circadian timekeeping including both a flexible onset open to fast modifications and a more rigid end, with differential effects by the treatment on migratory activity and fueling in the two species.
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7
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Schmaljohann H, Klinner T. A quasi-experimental approach using telemetry to assess migration-strategy-specific differences in the decision-making processes at stopover. BMC Ecol 2020; 20:36. [PMID: 32641125 PMCID: PMC7346510 DOI: 10.1186/s12898-020-00307-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2020] [Accepted: 06/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Migrant birds travel between their breeding areas and wintering grounds by alternating energetically and physiologically demanding flights with periods of rest and fuelling, so-called stopovers. An important intrinsic factor influencing the decision to resume migration is the amount of energy stores available for the next flight. Correlative studies with free-flying birds and experimental studies with caged birds have shown that the amount of energy stores affects the day-to-day, within-day and the directional decision of departure. The methodological advantages of both the correlative and experimental approach are combined when radio-tagging many individuals on the same day and subsequently determining the departure decisions at a high spatiotemporal resolution. Making use of such a quasi-experimental approach with an automated radio-tracking system at stopover, we studied the effect of energy stores on departure decisions and whether they vary between species of different migration strategies experiencing contrasting time constraints. For this, we chose a long-distance migrant, the common redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus), and a medium-distance migrant, the European robin (Erithacus rubecula), because the former has to travel at relatively higher speed to reach its wintering ground in a reasonable time at the expense of relatively higher energetic costs for travelling than the latter. Results Common redstarts with higher energy stores were more likely to resume migration than their conspecifics with lower energy stores, whereas this pattern was absent in the European robins. The amount of energy stores significantly affected the timing of departure within the day, with large energy stores yielding early departures in both species. Departure directions from the stopover site during the first night after capture were oriented towards the seasonally appropriate direction but were not affected by variation in energy stores. Conclusions We demonstrate the importance of variation in energy stores on the departure decisions and that it may affect species with different migration strategies dissimilarly in autumn. Nevertheless, knowledge of other intrinsic factors, such as feeding conditions, health status and physiological consequences of previous flights, is additionally required to better understand the departure decisions of migrants, as this is the key to providing an overall assessment of the decision-making process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heiko Schmaljohann
- Institute for Biology und Environmental Sciences (IBU), Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Carl-von-Ossietzky-Straße 9-11, 26129, Oldenburg, Germany. .,Institute of Avian Research, An der Vogelwarte 21, 26386, Wilhelmshaven, Germany.
| | - Thomas Klinner
- Institute of Avian Research, An der Vogelwarte 21, 26386, Wilhelmshaven, Germany
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8
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Kelly TR, Rubin BD, MacDougall-Shackleton SA, MacDougall-Shackleton EA. Experimental Malaria Infection Affects Songbirds' Nocturnal Migratory Activity. Physiol Biochem Zool 2020; 93:97-110. [PMID: 32013740 DOI: 10.1086/707495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Migratory animals encounter multiple parasite communities, raising concerns that migration may aid transport of infectious disease. How migration affects disease spread depends fundamentally on how disease affects migration, specifically whether infection alters individuals' migratory physiology and behavior. We inoculated white-throated sparrows (Zonotrichia albicollis) with avian malaria parasites (Plasmodium sp.), monitored parasite loads for 5 wk as the birds reached spring migratory condition, and compared nocturnal migratory restlessness (Zugunruhe), body composition (fat, lean, and whole-body mass), and hematocrit among experimentally infected birds, sham-inoculated birds, and birds that were exposed to parasites but resisted infection. Migratory restlessness increased over time in the study, but the rate of change varied between sham (control) birds, infected birds, and birds that resisted infection. We were unable to detect any effects of malaria exposure on body condition. Our findings suggest that encountering parasites affects migratory activity, regardless of whether infection occurs or is resisted.
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9
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Bianco G, Ilieva M, Åkesson S. Magnetic storms disrupt nocturnal migratory activity in songbirds. Biol Lett 2019; 15:20180918. [PMID: 30862307 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2018.0918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Birds possess a magnetic sense and rely on the Earth's magnetic field for orientation during migration. However, the geomagnetic field can be altered by solar activity at relative unpredictable intervals. How birds cope with the temporal geomagnetic variations caused by solar storms during migration is still unclear. We addressed this question by reproducing the effect of a solar storm on the geomagnetic field and monitoring the activity of three songbird species during autumn migration. We found that only the European robin reduced nocturnal migratory restlessness in response to simulated solar storms. At the same time, robins increased activity during early morning. We suggest that robins reduced activity at night when the perception of magnetic information would be strongly disrupted by temporal variations of the magnetic field, to extend their migration during daytime when several visual cues become available for orientation. The other two species, chiffchaff and dunnock, showing low or no nocturnal migratory activity, did not respond to the solar storm by changing activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Bianco
- 1 Centre for Animal Movement Research, Department of Biology, Lund University , Ecology Building, 223 62 Lund , Sweden
| | - Mihaela Ilieva
- 1 Centre for Animal Movement Research, Department of Biology, Lund University , Ecology Building, 223 62 Lund , Sweden.,2 Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences , 2 Gagarin Street, 1113 Sofia , Bulgaria
| | - Susanne Åkesson
- 1 Centre for Animal Movement Research, Department of Biology, Lund University , Ecology Building, 223 62 Lund , Sweden
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10
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Ilieva M, Bianco G, Åkesson S. Effect of geomagnetic field on migratory activity in a diurnal passerine migrant, the dunnock, Prunella modularis. Anim Behav 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2018.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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11
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12
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Interrupted breeding in a songbird migrant triggers development of nocturnal locomotor activity. Sci Rep 2018; 8:5520. [PMID: 29615823 PMCID: PMC5882773 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-23834-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2017] [Accepted: 03/19/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Long-distance avian migrants, e.g. Eurasian reed warblers (Acrocephalus scirpaceus), can precisely schedule events of their annual cycle. However, the proximate mechanisms controlling annual cycle and their interplay with environmental factors are poorly understood. We artificially interrupted breeding in reed warblers by bringing them into captivity and recording birds’ locomotor activity for 5–7 days. Over this time, most of the captive birds gradually developed nocturnal locomotor activity not observed in breeding birds. When the birds were later released and radio-tracked, the individuals with highly developed caged activity performed nocturnal flights. We also found that reed warblers kept indoors without access to local cues developed a higher level of nocturnal activity compared to the birds kept outdoors with an access to the familiar environment. Also, birds translocated from a distant site (21 km) had a higher motivation to fly at night-time after release compared to the birds captured within 1 km of a study site. Our study suggests that an interrupted breeding triggers development of nocturnal locomotor activity in cages, and the level of activity is correlated with motivation to perform nocturnal flights in the wild, which can be restrained by familiar environment.
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Müller F, Eikenaar C, Crysler ZJ, Taylor PD, Schmaljohann H. Nocturnal departure timing in songbirds facing distinct migratory challenges. J Anim Ecol 2018; 87:1102-1115. [PMID: 29504627 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.12821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2017] [Accepted: 02/14/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Most migratory songbirds travel between their breeding areas and wintering grounds through a series of nocturnal flights. The timing of their departures defines the potential flight duration and thus the distance covered during a migratory night. Yet, migratory songbirds show substantial variation in their nocturnal departure timing. With this study, we aim to assess whether the respective challenges of the migration route, namely its distance and nature, help to explain this variation. At a stopover site, we caught Northern Wheatears (Oenanthe oenanthe) of two subspecies that differ in distance and nature of their onward migration route in spring, but not in autumn. We determined the start of their nocturnal migratory restlessness during short-term captivity, and radiotracked their nocturnal departure timing after release in both migration seasons. Northern Wheatears started their nocturnal migratory restlessness earlier when facing a long remaining migration distance and an extended sea barrier in spring. Individual departure directions generally affected the nocturnal departure timing with early departures being directed towards the respective migratory destination. In spring, this pattern was predominantly found in birds carrying relatively large fuel stores, but was absent in lean birds. At the same time, birds facing a short remaining migration distance and no extended sea barrier strongly reacted to relatively large fuel stores by an early start of nocturnal migratory behaviour (migratory restlessness and departure timing), whereas this reaction was not found in birds facing a long remaining migration distance and sea barrier. These results suggest that the basic diel schedule of birds' migratory activity is adapted to the onward migration route. Further, they suggest that birds adjust their behavioural response, that is start of nocturnal migratory behaviour, to fuel stores in relation to their impending migratory challenges. This is a substantial step in understanding variation of nocturnal departure timing and its adjustments in migratory songbirds. Further, it emphasizes the importance of interpreting birds' nocturnal migratory behaviour in the respective ecological context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Müller
- Institute of Avian Research "Vogelwarte Helgoland", Wilhelmshaven, Germany
| | - Cas Eikenaar
- Institute of Avian Research "Vogelwarte Helgoland", Wilhelmshaven, Germany
| | - Zoe J Crysler
- Department of Biology, Acadia University, Wolfville, NS, Canada.,Bird Studies Canada, Port Rowan, ON, Canada
| | - Philip D Taylor
- Department of Biology, Acadia University, Wolfville, NS, Canada.,Bird Studies Canada, Port Rowan, ON, Canada
| | - Heiko Schmaljohann
- Institute of Avian Research "Vogelwarte Helgoland", Wilhelmshaven, Germany.,Institute for Biology and Environmental Sciences (IBU), Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
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14
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Measuring Recovery to Build up Metrics of Flood Resilience Based on Pollutant Discharge Data: A Case Study in East China. WATER 2017. [DOI: 10.3390/w9080619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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15
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Heyers D, Elbers D, Bulte M, Bairlein F, Mouritsen H. The magnetic map sense and its use in fine-tuning the migration programme of birds. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2017; 203:491-497. [PMID: 28365788 DOI: 10.1007/s00359-017-1164-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2016] [Revised: 03/06/2017] [Accepted: 03/07/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
The Earth's magnetic field is one of several natural cues, which migratory birds can use to derive directional ("compass") information for orientation on their biannual migratory journeys. Moreover, magnetic field effects on prominent aspects of the migratory programme of birds, such as migratory restlessness behaviour, fuel deposition and directional orientation, implicate that geomagnetic information can also be used to derive positional ("map") information. While the magnetic "compass" in migratory birds is likely to be based on radical pair-forming molecules embedded in their visual system, the sensory correlates underlying a magnetic "map" sense currently remain elusive. Behavioural, physiological and neurobiological findings indicate that the sensor is most likely innervated by the ophthalmic branch of the trigeminal nerve and based on magnetic iron particles. Information from this unknown sensor is neither necessary nor sufficient for a functional magnetic compass, but instead could contribute important components of a multifactorial "map" for global positioning. Positional information could allow migratory birds to make vitally important dynamic adaptations of their migratory programme at any relevant point during their journeys.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Heyers
- AG Animal Navigation, Faculty of Biology/Environmental Sciences, University of Oldenburg, 26111, Oldenburg, Germany. .,Research Centre for Neurosensory Sciences, University of Oldenburg, 26111, Oldenburg, Germany.
| | - D Elbers
- AG Animal Navigation, Faculty of Biology/Environmental Sciences, University of Oldenburg, 26111, Oldenburg, Germany.,Research Centre for Neurosensory Sciences, University of Oldenburg, 26111, Oldenburg, Germany.,AG Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine/Health Sciences, University of Oldenburg, 26111, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - M Bulte
- , Schmidtkunzstraße 13, 86199, Augsburg, Germany.,Institute for Avian Research "Vogelwarte Helgoland", 26386, Wilhelmshaven, Germany
| | - F Bairlein
- Institute for Avian Research "Vogelwarte Helgoland", 26386, Wilhelmshaven, Germany
| | - H Mouritsen
- AG Animal Navigation, Faculty of Biology/Environmental Sciences, University of Oldenburg, 26111, Oldenburg, Germany.,Research Centre for Neurosensory Sciences, University of Oldenburg, 26111, Oldenburg, Germany
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16
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Seasonal expression of migratory behavior in a facultative migrant, the pine siskin. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-016-2248-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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17
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Eikenaar C, Müller F, Kämpfer S, Schmaljohann H. Fuel accumulation advances nocturnal departure: a migratory restlessness study on northern wheatears at stopover. Anim Behav 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2016.04.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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18
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Müller F, Taylor PD, Sjöberg S, Muheim R, Tsvey A, Mackenzie SA, Schmaljohann H. Towards a conceptual framework for explaining variation in nocturnal departure time of songbird migrants. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2016; 4:24. [PMID: 27833750 PMCID: PMC5066284 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-016-0089-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2016] [Accepted: 09/22/2016] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Most songbird migrants travel between their breeding areas and wintering grounds by a series of nocturnal flights. The exact nocturnal departure time for these flights varies considerably between individuals even of the same species. Although the basic circannual and circadian rhythms of songbirds, their adaptation to migration, and the factors influencing the birds' day-to-day departure decision are reasonably well studied, we do not understand how birds time their departures within the night. These decisions are crucial, because the nocturnal departure time defines the potential flight duration of the migratory night. The distances covered during the nocturnal migratory flights in the course of migration in turn directly affect the overall speed of migration. To understand the factors influencing the arrival of the birds in the breeding/wintering areas, we need to investigate the mechanisms that control nocturnal departure time. Here, we provide the first conceptual framework for explaining the variation commonly observed in this migratory trait. The basic schedule of nocturnal departure is likely regulated by both the circannual and circadian rhythms of the innate migration program. We postulate that the endogenously controlled schedule of nocturnal departures is modified by intrinsic and extrinsic factors. So far there is only correlative evidence that birds with a high fuel load or a considerable increase in fuel load and significant wind (flow) assistance towards their migratory goal depart early within the night. In contrast, birds migrating with little fuel and under unfavorable wind conditions show high variation in their nocturnal departure time. The latter may contain an unknown proportion of nocturnal movements not directly related to migratory flights. Excluding such movements is crucial to clearly identify the main drivers of the variation in nocturnal departure time. In general we assume that the observed variation in the nocturnal departure time is explained by individually different reactions norms of the innate migration program to both intrinsic and extrinsic factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Müller
- Institute of Avian Research “Vogelwarte Helgoland”, An der Vogelwarte 21, 26386 Wilhelmshaven, Germany
| | - Philip D. Taylor
- Department of Biology, Acadia University, 33 Westwood Avenue, Wolfville, NS B4P 2R6 Canada
- Bird Studies Canada, 115 Front Street, Port Rowan, ON N0E 1M0 Canada
| | - Sissel Sjöberg
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Biology Building, Sölvegatan 35, 223 62 Lund, Sweden
| | - Rachel Muheim
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Biology Building, Sölvegatan 35, 223 62 Lund, Sweden
| | - Arseny Tsvey
- Biological Station Rybachy, Zoological Institute RAS, RU-238535 Rybachy, Kaliningrad region Russia
| | | | - Heiko Schmaljohann
- Institute of Avian Research “Vogelwarte Helgoland”, An der Vogelwarte 21, 26386 Wilhelmshaven, Germany
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