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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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Pot MT, Visser ME, Helm B, von Rönn JAC, van der Jeugd HP. Revisiting Perdeck's massive avian migration experiments debunks alternative social interpretations. Biol Lett 2024; 20:20240217. [PMID: 38955225 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2024.0217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2024] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Whether avian migrants can adapt to their changing world depends on the relative importance of genetic and environmental variation for the timing and direction of migration. In the classic series of field experiments on avian migration, A. C. Perdeck discovered that translocated juveniles failed to reach goal areas, whereas translocated adults performed 'true-goal navigation'. His translocations of > 14 000 common starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) suggested that genetic mechanisms guide juveniles into a population-specific direction, i.e. 'vector navigation'. However, alternative explanations involving social learning after release in juveniles could not be excluded. By adding historical data from translocation sites, data that was unavailable in Perdeck's days, and by integrated analyses including the original data, we could not explain juvenile migrations from possible social information upon release. Despite their highly social behaviour, our findings are consistent with the idea that juvenile starlings follow inherited information and independently reach their winter quarters. Similar to more solitarily migrating songbirds, starlings would require genetic change to adjust the migration route in response to global change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morrison T Pot
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Vogeltrekstation - Dutch Centre for Avian Migration and Demography, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Marcel E Visser
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Barbara Helm
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
- Swiss Ornithological Institute, Sempach, Lucerne, Switzerland
| | | | - Henk P van der Jeugd
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Vogeltrekstation - Dutch Centre for Avian Migration and Demography, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
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3
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Züst Z, Mukhin A, Taylor PD, Schmaljohann H. Pre-migratory flights in migrant songbirds: the ecological and evolutionary importance of understudied exploratory movements. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2023; 11:78. [PMID: 38115134 PMCID: PMC10731812 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-023-00440-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
Across the animal kingdom, from honeybees to cranes to beavers, exploratory movements to exploit resources, scout prospective territories, or otherwise gain valuable experiences and information that promote fitness have been documented. For example, exploratory movements to investigate potential dispersal targets have been observed in roe deer, Northern cardinals, and tigers alike. However, despite how widespread these movements are, a cohesive definition of exploratory movements has been lacking. We first provide a clear definition of exploratory movements, and use one particular group-migratory songbirds-to catalogue exploratory movements across the annual cycle. The exceptional mobility of migratory songbirds results in exploratory movements not only at a local scale, but also on a regional scale, both in and out of the breeding season. We review the extent to which these movements are made within this group, paying particular attention to how such movements confer fitness benefits, as by securing high-quality territories, prospecting for extra-pair paternity, or even exploiting ephemeral resources. We then zoom in one step further to a particular exploratory movement that has been, to date, almost completely overlooked within this group: that of pre-migratory flights. These flights, which occur during the transitional period between the stationary breeding period and the onset of migration, occur at night and may not be made by all individuals in a population-reasons why these flights have been heretofore critically understudied. We provide the first definition for this behaviour, summarise the current knowledge of this cryptic movement, and hypothesise what evolutionary/ecological advantages conducting it may confer to the individuals that undertake it. As these flights provide experience to the individuals that undertake them, we expect that birds that make pre-migratory flights are better equipped to survive migration (direct fitness benefits) and, due to orientation/navigation abilities, may also reach preferred territories on breeding and wintering grounds faster (indirect fitness benefits). We hope to encourage ecologists to consider such hidden movements in their research concepts and to enhance the framework of movement ecology by this behaviour due to its presumed high biological importance to the annual cycle of birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zephyr Züst
- Institute for Biology and Environmental Sciences (IBU), Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany.
| | - Andrey Mukhin
- Zoological Institute Russian Academy of Science, Biological Station Rybachy, Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia
| | - Philip D Taylor
- Department of Biology, Acadia University, Wolfville, NS, Canada
| | - Heiko Schmaljohann
- Institute for Biology and Environmental Sciences (IBU), Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
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4
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Lee JW, Kang SG, Lee JY, Kim HN, Jin SJ, Bae GW, Hur WH, Park JY. Long-distance migration of Korean common cuckoos with different host specificities. Glob Ecol Conserv 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2023.e02426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/07/2023] Open
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5
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Wynn J, Leberecht B, Liedvogel M, Burnus L, Chetverikova R, Döge S, Karwinkel T, Kobylkov D, Xu J, Mouritsen H. Naive songbirds show seasonally appropriate spring orientation in the laboratory despite having never completed first migration. Biol Lett 2023; 19:20220478. [PMCID: PMC9943868 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2022.0478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The role of inherited orientation programmes in determining the outbound migratory routes of birds is increasingly well understood, though less is known about the influence of inherited information on return migration. Previous studies suggest that spatial gradient cues learnt through experience could be of considerable importance when relocating the natal site, though such cues could, in principle, augment rather than replace inherited migratory information. Here, we show that juvenile Eurasian blackcaps (Sylvia atricapilla) that have never left northwest Europe (i.e. never had the opportunity to learn navigational information on a continental scale) show significant spring orientation in a direction near-identical to that expected based on ringing recoveries from free-flying individuals. We suggest that this is probably indicative of birds inheriting an orientation programme for spring as well as autumn migration and speculate that, as long as the birds are not displaced far from their normal migration route, the use of inherited spring migratory trajectories might make uni-coordinate ‘stop signs’ sufficiently accurate for the long-distance targeting of their breeding sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joe Wynn
- Institut für Vogelforschung “Vogelwarte Helgoland”, An Der Vogelwarte 21, 26386, Wilhelmshaven, Germany
| | - Bo Leberecht
- AG ‘Neurosensorik/Animal Navigation’, Carl-von-Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, 26111 Oldenburg, Germany,Research Centre for Neurosensory Sciences, University of Oldenburg, 26111 Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Miriam Liedvogel
- Institut für Vogelforschung “Vogelwarte Helgoland”, An Der Vogelwarte 21, 26386, Wilhelmshaven, Germany,MPRG Behavioural Genomics, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, 24306 Plön, Germany
| | - Lars Burnus
- AG ‘Neurosensorik/Animal Navigation’, Carl-von-Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, 26111 Oldenburg, Germany,Research Centre for Neurosensory Sciences, University of Oldenburg, 26111 Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Raisa Chetverikova
- AG ‘Neurosensorik/Animal Navigation’, Carl-von-Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, 26111 Oldenburg, Germany,Research Centre for Neurosensory Sciences, University of Oldenburg, 26111 Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Sara Döge
- AG ‘Neurosensorik/Animal Navigation’, Carl-von-Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, 26111 Oldenburg, Germany,Research Centre for Neurosensory Sciences, University of Oldenburg, 26111 Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Thiemo Karwinkel
- Institut für Vogelforschung “Vogelwarte Helgoland”, An Der Vogelwarte 21, 26386, Wilhelmshaven, Germany,AG ‘Neurosensorik/Animal Navigation’, Carl-von-Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, 26111 Oldenburg, Germany,Research Centre for Neurosensory Sciences, University of Oldenburg, 26111 Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Dmitry Kobylkov
- AG ‘Neurosensorik/Animal Navigation’, Carl-von-Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, 26111 Oldenburg, Germany,Research Centre for Neurosensory Sciences, University of Oldenburg, 26111 Oldenburg, Germany,Center for Mind/Brain Science, University of Trento, Piazza Manifattura 1, 38068 Rovereto, TN, Italy
| | - Jingjing Xu
- AG ‘Neurosensorik/Animal Navigation’, Carl-von-Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, 26111 Oldenburg, Germany,Research Centre for Neurosensory Sciences, University of Oldenburg, 26111 Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Henrik Mouritsen
- AG ‘Neurosensorik/Animal Navigation’, Carl-von-Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, 26111 Oldenburg, Germany,Research Centre for Neurosensory Sciences, University of Oldenburg, 26111 Oldenburg, Germany
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6
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Sokolov LV, Lubkovskaia RS, Bulyuk VN. Migration Routes and Wintering Grounds of Common Cuckoos (Cuculus canorus, Cuculiformes, Cuculidae) from the Southeastern Part of the Baltic Region (Based on Satellite Telemetry). BIOL BULL+ 2022. [DOI: 10.1134/s1062359022070226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
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7
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Patchett R, Kirschel ANG, Robins King J, Styles P, Cresswell W. Age-related changes in migratory behaviour within the first annual cycle of a passerine bird. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0273686. [PMID: 36260548 PMCID: PMC9581414 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0273686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
First time migrants (juveniles hereafter) of many species migrate without specific knowledge of non-breeding locations, but experience may aid adults in timing and route decisions because they can migrate more efficiently to their previous non-breeding sites. Consequently, we expect a transition to more efficient migratory behaviour with age, but when and how this happens is little known. We used light-level geolocator data from Cyprus wheatears Oenanthe cypriaca to compare migration timing and route directness between juveniles and adults, and repeatability of their timing and non-breeding locations. We predicted that juveniles would depart and arrive later than adults for both autumn and spring migration; that duration of migration would be greater for juveniles; that routes taken by juveniles would be less direct than those for adults; and that autumn and spring departure timing, and non-breeding locations, would be more repeatable for adults between two years than for juveniles between their first and subsequent migration. We found that juveniles departed significantly later than adults in autumn but there was no difference in arrival timing, and although spring departure timings did not differ, juveniles arrived on the breeding grounds later than adults. Nevertheless, we found no significant age-related difference in the duration of migration in autumn or spring. Yet, juvenile migrations were less direct than those of adults in autumn, but not spring. We found evidence that spring departure timing and non-breeding locations were repeatable for adults but not juveniles. Our findings show that age-related changes in migratory behaviour begin to occur during the first annual cycle demonstrating the potential for early adaptation to environmental variability within an individual's life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Patchett
- Centre for Biological Diversity, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, United Kingdom
| | | | - Joanna Robins King
- Centre for Biological Diversity, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, United Kingdom
| | - Patrick Styles
- Centre for Biological Diversity, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, United Kingdom
| | - Will Cresswell
- Centre for Biological Diversity, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, United Kingdom
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8
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McLaren JD, Schmaljohann H, Blasius B. Predicting performance of naïve migratory animals, from many wrongs to self-correction. Commun Biol 2022; 5:1058. [PMID: 36195660 PMCID: PMC9532420 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03995-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Migratory orientation of many animals is inheritable, enabling inexperienced (naïve) individuals to migrate independently using a geomagnetic or celestial compass. It remains unresolved how naïve migrants reliably reach remote destinations, sometimes correcting for orientation error or displacement. To assess naïve migratory performance (successful arrival), we simulate and assess proposed compass courses for diverse airborne migratory populations, accounting for spherical-geometry effects, compass precision, cue transfers (e.g., sun to star compass), and geomagnetic variability. We formulate how time-compensated sun-compass headings partially self-correct, according to how inner-clocks are updated. For the longest-distance migrations simulated, time-compensated sun-compass courses are most robust to error, and most closely resemble known routes. For shorter-distance nocturnal migrations, geomagnetic or star-compass courses are most robust, due to not requiring nightly cue-transfers. Our predictive study provides a basis for assessment of compass-based naïve migration and mechanisms of self-correction, and supports twilight sun-compass orientation being key to many long-distance inaugural migrations. A model is developed for assessing compass-based naïve animal migration, revealing effects of spherical geometry on migratory performance, and related mechanisms of self-correction.
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Affiliation(s)
- James D McLaren
- Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment (ICBM), University of Oldenburg, 26129, Oldenburg, Germany.
| | - Heiko Schmaljohann
- Institute for Biology and Environmental Sciences (IBU), Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, 26129, Oldenburg, Germany.,Institute of Avian Research, 26386, Wilhelmshaven, Germany
| | - Bernd Blasius
- Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment (ICBM), University of Oldenburg, 26129, Oldenburg, Germany.,Helmholtz Institute for Functional Marine Biodiversity (HIFMB), University of Oldenburg, 26129, Oldenburg, Germany
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9
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Flack A, Aikens EO, Kölzsch A, Nourani E, Snell KR, Fiedler W, Linek N, Bauer HG, Thorup K, Partecke J, Wikelski M, Williams HJ. New frontiers in bird migration research. Curr Biol 2022; 32:R1187-R1199. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.08.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
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10
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Zein B, Long JA, Safi K, Kölzsch A, Benitez-Paez F, Wikelski M, Kruckenberg H, Demšar U. Simulating geomagnetic bird navigation using novel high-resolution geomagnetic data. ECOL INFORM 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoinf.2022.101689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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11
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Space, the original frontier. Curr Opin Behav Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cobeha.2022.101106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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12
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Wynn J, Padget O, Mouritsen H, Morford J, Jaggers P, Guilford T. Magnetic stop signs signal a European songbird's arrival at the breeding site after migration. Science 2022; 375:446-449. [PMID: 35084979 DOI: 10.1126/science.abj4210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Although it is known that birds can return to their breeding grounds with exceptional precision, it has remained a mystery how they know when and where to stop migrating. Using nearly a century's worth of Eurasian reed warbler (Acrocephalus scirpaceus) ringing recoveries, we investigated whether fluctuations in Earth's magnetic field predict variation in the sites to which birds return. Ringing recoveries suggest that magnetic inclination is learned before departure and is subsequently used as a uni-coordinate "stop sign" when relocating the natal or breeding site. However, many locations have the same inclination angle. Data from populations with different migratory directions indicate that birds solve this ambiguity by stopping at the first place where the right inclination is encountered on an inherited return vector.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joe Wynn
- Oxford Navigation Group, Department of Zoology, Oxford OX1 3SZ, UK
| | - Oliver Padget
- Oxford Navigation Group, Department of Zoology, Oxford OX1 3SZ, UK
| | - Henrik Mouritsen
- AG "Neurosensorik/(Animal Navigation)," Carl-von-Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, 26111 Oldenburg, Germany.,Research Centre for Neurosensory Sciences, University of Oldenburg, 26111 Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Joe Morford
- Oxford Navigation Group, Department of Zoology, Oxford OX1 3SZ, UK
| | - Paris Jaggers
- Oxford Navigation Group, Department of Zoology, Oxford OX1 3SZ, UK
| | - Tim Guilford
- Oxford Navigation Group, Department of Zoology, Oxford OX1 3SZ, UK
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13
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Barker KJ, Xu W, Van Scoyoc A, Serota MW, Moravek JA, Shawler AL, Ryan RE, Middleton AD. Toward a new framework for restoring lost wildlife migrations. Conserv Lett 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/conl.12850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Kristin J. Barker
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management University of California—Berkeley Berkeley California
| | - Wenjing Xu
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management University of California—Berkeley Berkeley California
| | - Amy Van Scoyoc
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management University of California—Berkeley Berkeley California
| | - Mitchell W. Serota
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management University of California—Berkeley Berkeley California
| | - Jessie A. Moravek
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management University of California—Berkeley Berkeley California
| | - Avery L. Shawler
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management University of California—Berkeley Berkeley California
| | - Rachael E. Ryan
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management University of California—Berkeley Berkeley California
| | - Arthur D. Middleton
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management University of California—Berkeley Berkeley California
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14
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Horton KG, Van Doren BM, Albers HJ, Farnsworth A, Sheldon D. Near-term ecological forecasting for dynamic aeroconservation of migratory birds. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2021; 35:1777-1786. [PMID: 33826183 PMCID: PMC9290813 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2020] [Revised: 03/06/2021] [Accepted: 03/12/2021] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Near-term ecological forecasting has the potential to mitigate negative impacts of human modifications on wildlife by directing efficient action through relevant and timely predictions. We used the U.S. avian migration system to highlight ecological forecasting applications for aeroconservation. We used millions of observations from 143 weather surveillance radars to construct and evaluate a migration forecasting system for nocturnal bird migration over the contiguous United States. We identified the number of nights of mitigation required to reduce the risk of aerial hazards to 50% of avian migrants passing a given area in spring and autumn based on dynamic forecasts of migration activity. We also investigated an alternative approach, that is, employing a fixed conservation strategy based on time windows that historically capture 50% of migratory passage. In practice, during both spring and autumn, dynamic forecasts required fewer action nights compared with fixed window selection at all locations (spring: mean of 7.3 more alert days; fall: mean of 12.8 more alert days). This pattern resulted in part from the pulsed nature of bird migration captured in the radar data, where the majority (54.3%) of birds move on 10% of a migration season's nights. Our results highlight the benefits of near-term ecological forecasting and the potential advantages of dynamic mitigation strategies over static ones, especially in the face of increasing risks to migrating birds from light pollution, wind energy infrastructure, and collisions with structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle G. Horton
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation BiologyColorado State UniversityFort CollinsColoradoUSA
| | - Benjamin M. Van Doren
- Edward Grey Institute, Department of ZoologyUniversity of OxfordOxfordUK
- Cornell Lab of OrnithologyCornell UniversityIthacaNew YorkUSA
| | - Heidi J. Albers
- Department of EconomicsUniversity of WyomingLaramieWyomingUSA
| | | | - Daniel Sheldon
- College of Information and Computer SciencesUniversity of MassachusettsAmherstMassachusettsUSA
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15
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Verhoeven MA, Loonstra AHJ, McBride AD, Kaspersma W, Hooijmeijer JCEW, Both C, Senner NR, Piersma T. Age-dependent timing and routes demonstrate developmental plasticity in a long-distance migratory bird. J Anim Ecol 2021; 91:566-579. [PMID: 34822170 PMCID: PMC9299929 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Longitudinal tracking studies have revealed consistent differences in the migration patterns of individuals from the same populations. The sources or processes causing this individual variation are largely unresolved. As a result, it is mostly unknown how much, how fast and when animals can adjust their migrations to changing environments. We studied the ontogeny of migration in a long‐distance migratory shorebird, the black‐tailed godwit Limosa limosa limosa, a species known to exhibit marked individuality in the migratory routines of adults. By observing how and when these individual differences arise, we aimed to elucidate whether individual differences in migratory behaviour are inherited or emerge as a result of developmental plasticity. We simultaneously tracked juvenile and adult godwits from the same breeding area on their south‐ and northward migrations. To determine how and when individual differences begin to arise, we related juvenile migration routes, timing and mortality rates to hatch date and hatch year. Then, we compared adult and juvenile migration patterns to identify potential age‐dependent differences. In juveniles, the timing of their first southward departure was related to hatch date. However, their subsequent migration routes, orientation, destination, migratory duration and likelihood of mortality were unrelated to the year or timing of migration, or their sex. Juveniles left the Netherlands after all tracked adults. They then flew non‐stop to West Africa more often and incurred higher mortality rates than adults. Some juveniles also took routes and visited stopover sites far outside the well‐documented adult migratory corridor. Such juveniles, however, were not more likely to die. We found that juveniles exhibited different migratory patterns than adults, but no evidence that these behaviours are under natural selection. We thus eliminate the possibility that the individual differences observed among adult godwits are present at hatch or during their first migration. This adds to the mounting evidence that animals possess the developmental plasticity to change their migration later in life in response to environmental conditions as those conditions are experienced.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mo A Verhoeven
- Conservation Ecology Group, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - A H Jelle Loonstra
- Conservation Ecology Group, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Alice D McBride
- Conservation Ecology Group, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Wiebe Kaspersma
- Conservation Ecology Group, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Jos C E W Hooijmeijer
- Conservation Ecology Group, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Christiaan Both
- Conservation Ecology Group, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Nathan R Senner
- Conservation Ecology Group, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Theunis Piersma
- Conservation Ecology Group, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.,Department of Coastal Systems, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Texel, The Netherlands
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Kashetsky T, Avgar T, Dukas R. The Cognitive Ecology of Animal Movement: Evidence From Birds and Mammals. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.724887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Cognition, defined as the processes concerned with the acquisition, retention and use of information, underlies animals’ abilities to navigate their local surroundings, embark on long-distance seasonal migrations, and socially learn information relevant to movement. Hence, in order to fully understand and predict animal movement, researchers must know the cognitive mechanisms that generate such movement. Work on a few model systems indicates that most animals possess excellent spatial learning and memory abilities, meaning that they can acquire and later recall information about distances and directions among relevant objects. Similarly, field work on several species has revealed some of the mechanisms that enable them to navigate over distances of up to several thousand kilometers. Key behaviors related to movement such as the choice of nest location, home range location and migration route are often affected by parents and other conspecifics. In some species, such social influence leads to the formation of aggregations, which in turn may lead to further social learning about food locations or other resources. Throughout the review, we note a variety of topics at the interface of cognition and movement that invite further investigation. These include the use of social information embedded in trails, the likely important roles of soundscapes and smellscapes, the mechanisms that large mammals rely on for long-distance migration, and the effects of expertise acquired over extended periods.
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Hauber ME, Elek Z, Moskát C. Advancing onset of breeding dates in brood parasitic common cuckoos and their great reed warbler hosts over a 22-year period. ETHOL ECOL EVOL 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/03949370.2021.1871968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Márk E. Hauber
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Behavior, School of Integrative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Zoltán Elek
- MTA-ELTE-MTM Ecology Research Group, a Joint Research Group of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, the Biological Institute of Eötvös Loránd University and the Hungarian Natural History Museum, MTM, Baross u. 13, Budapest H-1088, Hungary
| | - Csaba Moskát
- MTA-ELTE-MTM Ecology Research Group, a Joint Research Group of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, the Biological Institute of Eötvös Loránd University and the Hungarian Natural History Museum, MTM, Baross u. 13, Budapest H-1088, Hungary
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Åkesson S, Bakam H, Martinez Hernandez E, Ilieva M, Bianco G. Migratory orientation in inexperienced and experienced avian migrants. ETHOL ECOL EVOL 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/03949370.2021.1905076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Susanne Åkesson
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Ecology Building, Lund 22362, Sweden
| | - Himma Bakam
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Ecology Building, Lund 22362, Sweden
| | | | - Mihaela Ilieva
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Ecology Building, Lund 22362, Sweden
- Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 2 Gagarin Str., Sofia 1113, Bulgaria
| | - Giuseppe Bianco
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Ecology Building, Lund 22362, Sweden
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Yong DL, Heim W, Chowdhury SU, Choi CY, Ktitorov P, Kulikova O, Kondratyev A, Round PD, Allen D, Trainor CR, Gibson L, Szabo JK. The State of Migratory Landbirds in the East Asian Flyway: Distributions, Threats, and Conservation Needs. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.613172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
With nearly 400 migratory landbird species, the East Asian Flyway is the most diverse of the world’s flyways. This diversity is a consequence of the varied ecological niches provided by biomes ranging from broadleaf forests to arctic tundra and accentuated by complex biogeographic processes. The distribution and migration ecology of East Asian landbirds is still inadequately known, but a recent explosion in the number of studies tracking the migration of raptors, cuckoos, kingfishers and passerines has greatly increased our knowledge about the stopover and wintering ecology of many species, and the migratory routes that link northeast Eurasia and the Asian tropics. Yet the East Asian Flyway also supports the highest number of threatened species among flyways. Strong declines have been detected in buntings (Emberizidae) and other long-distance migrants. While the conservation of migratory landbirds in this region has largely focused on unsustainable hunting, there are other threats, such as habitat loss and increased agro-chemical use driven directly by land cover change and climate-related processes. Important knowledge gaps to be addressed include (1) threats affecting species in different parts of their annual cycle, (2) range-wide population trends, (3) ecological requirements and habitat use during the non-breeding season, and (4) the conservation status of critical wintering sites (including understudied farming landscapes, such as rice fields) and migration bottlenecks along the flyway.
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Bonadonna F, Gagliardo A. Not only pigeons: avian olfactory navigation studied by satellite telemetry. ETHOL ECOL EVOL 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/03949370.2021.1871967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Bonadonna
- CEFE-CNRS, University of Montpellier, EPHE, IRD, University Paul Valéry Montpellier 3, Montpellier, France
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Kishkinev D, Packmor F, Zechmeister T, Winkler HC, Chernetsov N, Mouritsen H, Holland RA. Navigation by extrapolation of geomagnetic cues in a migratory songbird. Curr Biol 2021; 31:1563-1569.e4. [PMID: 33581072 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.01.051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2020] [Revised: 11/06/2020] [Accepted: 01/14/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Displacement experiments have demonstrated that experienced migratory birds translocated thousands of kilometers away from their migratory corridor can orient toward and ultimately reach their intended destinations.1 This implies that they are capable of "true navigation," commonly defined2-4 as the ability to return to a known destination after displacement to an unknown location without relying on familiar surroundings, cues that emanate from the destination, or information collected during the outward journey.5-13 In birds, true navigation appears to require previous migratory experience5-7,14,15 (but see Kishkinev et al.16 and Piersma et al.17). It is generally assumed that, to correct for displacements outside the familiar area, birds initially gather information within their year-round distribution range, learn predictable spatial gradients of environmental cues within it, and extrapolate from those to unfamiliar magnitudes-the gradient hypothesis.6,9,18-22 However, the nature of the cues and evidence for actual extrapolation remain elusive. Geomagnetic cues (inclination, declination, and total intensity) provide predictable spatial gradients across large parts of the globe and could serve for navigation. We tested the orientation of long-distance migrants, Eurasian reed warblers, exposing them to geomagnetic cues of unfamiliar magnitude encountered beyond their natural distribution range. The birds demonstrated re-orientation toward their migratory corridor as if they were translocated to the corresponding location but only when all naturally occurring magnetic cues were presented, not when declination was changed alone. This result represents direct evidence for migratory birds' ability to navigate using geomagnetic cues extrapolated beyond their previous experience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dmitry Kishkinev
- School of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 2UW, UK.
| | - Florian Packmor
- School of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 2UW, UK
| | | | - Hans-Christoph Winkler
- Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1160 Vienna, Austria
| | - Nikita Chernetsov
- Department of Vertebrate Zoology, St. Petersburg State University, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia; Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Henrik Mouritsen
- Research group 'Neurosensorik/Animal Navigation', Institute of Biology and Environmental Sciences, University of Oldenburg, 26111 Oldenburg, Germany; Research Center for Neurosensory Sciences, University of Oldenburg, 26111 Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Richard A Holland
- School of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 2UW, UK.
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