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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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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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Cooper NW, Dossman BC, Berrigan LE, Brown JM, Cormier DA, Bégin-Marchand C, Rodewald AD, Taylor PD, Tremblay JA, Marra PP. Atmospheric pressure predicts probability of departure for migratory songbirds. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2023; 11:23. [PMID: 37122025 PMCID: PMC10150475 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-022-00356-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Weather can have both delayed and immediate impacts on animal populations, and species have evolved behavioral adaptions to respond to weather conditions. Weather has long been hypothesized to affect the timing and intensity of avian migration, and radar studies have demonstrated strong correlations between weather and broad-scale migration patterns. How weather affects individual decisions about the initiation of migratory flights, particularly at the beginning of migration, remains uncertain. METHODS Here, we combine automated radio telemetry data from four species of songbirds collected at five breeding and wintering sites in North America with hourly weather data from a global weather model. We use these data to determine how wind profit, atmospheric pressure, precipitation, and cloud cover affect probability of departure from breeding and wintering sites. RESULTS We found that the probability of departure was related to changes in atmospheric pressure, almost completely regardless of species, season, or location. Individuals were more likely to depart on nights when atmospheric pressure had been rising over the past 24 h, which is predictive of fair weather over the next several days. By contrast, wind profit, precipitation, and cloud cover were each only informative predictors of departure probability in a single species. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that individual birds actively use weather information to inform decision-making regarding the initiation of departure from the breeding and wintering grounds. We propose that birds likely choose which date to depart on migration in a hierarchical fashion with weather not influencing decision-making until after the departure window has already been narrowed down by other ultimate and proximate factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan W Cooper
- Migratory Bird Center, Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, MRC 5503, 3001 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, DC, 20013, USA.
| | - Bryant C Dossman
- Department of Biology and McCourt School of Public Policy, Georgetown University, 37th and O Streets NW, Washington, DC, 20057, USA
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, Cornell University, 159 Sapsucker Woods Rd, Ithaca, NY, 14850, USA
| | - Lucas E Berrigan
- Department of Biology, Acadia University, 33 Westwood Avenue, Wolfville, NS, B4P 2R6, Canada
- Motus Wildlife Tracking System, Birds Canada, Port Rowan, ON, N0E 1M0, Canada
| | - J Morgan Brown
- Department of Biology, Acadia University, 33 Westwood Avenue, Wolfville, NS, B4P 2R6, Canada
- Wildlife Conservation Society Canada, 169 Titanium Way, Whitehorse, YT, Y1A 0E9, Canada
| | - Dominic A Cormier
- Department of Biology, Acadia University, 33 Westwood Avenue, Wolfville, NS, B4P 2R6, Canada
| | - Camille Bégin-Marchand
- Wildlife Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 1550 Av. D'Estimauville, Québec, QC, G1J 0C3, Canada
| | - Amanda D Rodewald
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, Cornell University, 159 Sapsucker Woods Rd, Ithaca, NY, 14850, USA
| | - Philip D Taylor
- Department of Biology, Acadia University, 33 Westwood Avenue, Wolfville, NS, B4P 2R6, Canada
| | - Junior A Tremblay
- Wildlife Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 1550 Av. D'Estimauville, Québec, QC, G1J 0C3, Canada
| | - Peter P Marra
- Department of Biology and McCourt School of Public Policy, Georgetown University, 37th and O Streets NW, Washington, DC, 20057, USA
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Cooper NW, Dossman BC, Berrigan LE, Brown JM, Brunner AR, Chmura HE, Cormier DA, Bégin-Marchand C, Rodewald AD, Taylor PD, Tonra CM, Tremblay JA, Marra PP. Songbirds initiate migratory flights synchronously relative to civil dusk. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2023; 11:24. [PMID: 37122011 PMCID: PMC10150543 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-023-00382-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Each spring and fall billions of songbirds depart on nocturnal migrations across the globe. Theory suggests that songbirds should depart on migration shortly after sunset to maximize their potential for nightly flight duration or to time departure with the emergence of celestial cues needed for orientation and navigation. Although captive studies have found that songbirds depart during a narrow window of time after sunset, observational studies have found that wild birds depart later and more asynchronously relative to sunset than predicted. METHODS We used coded radio tags and automated radio-telemetry to estimate the time that nearly 400 individuals from nine songbird species departed their breeding or wintering grounds across North America. We also assessed whether each species was most likely beginning long-distance migratory flights at departure or instead first making non-migratory regional flights. We then explored variation in nocturnal departure time by post-departure movement type, species, age, sex, and season. RESULTS We found that 90% of individuals from species that were likely initiating long-distance migratory flights departed within 69 min of civil dusk, regardless of species, season, age, or sex. By contrast, species that likely first made non-migratory regional movements away from the migratory destination departed later and more asynchronously throughout the night. Regardless of post-departure movement type, 98% of individuals departed after civil dusk but otherwise showed no preference in relation to twilight phase. CONCLUSIONS Although the presence of celestial orientation cues at civil dusk may set a starting point for departure each night, the fact that species likely beginning long-distance migration departed earlier and more synchronously relative to civil dusk than those first making non-migratory regional movements is consistent with the hypothesis that departing promptly after civil dusk functions to maximize the potential for nightly flight duration and distance. By studying the onset of migration, our study provides baseline information about departure decisions that may enhance our understanding of departure timing throughout migration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan W Cooper
- Migratory Bird Center, Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, 3001 Connecticut Ave. NW - MRC 5503, Washington, DC, 20008, USA.
| | - Bryant C Dossman
- Department of Biology and McCourt School of Public Policy, Georgetown University, 37th and O Streets NW, Washington, DC, 20057, USA
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, Cornell University, 159 Sapsucker Woods Rd, Ithaca, NY, 14850, USA
| | - Lucas E Berrigan
- Department of Biology, Acadia University, 33 Westwood Avenue, Wolfville, NS, B4P 2R6, Canada
- Motus Wildlife Tracking System, N0E 1M0, Birds, Port Rowan, ON, Canada
| | - J Morgan Brown
- Department of Biology, Acadia University, 33 Westwood Avenue, Wolfville, NS, B4P 2R6, Canada
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, 904 Science Park, 1098XH, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Alicia R Brunner
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, Cornell University, 159 Sapsucker Woods Rd, Ithaca, NY, 14850, USA
- School of Environment and Natural Resources, The Ohio State University, 2021 Coffey Rd, 43210, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Helen E Chmura
- Rocky Mountain Research Station, USDA Forest Service, 800 East Beckwith Avenue, 59801, Missoula, MT, USA
| | - Dominic A Cormier
- Department of Biology, Acadia University, 33 Westwood Avenue, Wolfville, NS, B4P 2R6, Canada
| | - Camille Bégin-Marchand
- Wildlife Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 1550 Av. D'Estimauville, G1J 0C3, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Amanda D Rodewald
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, Cornell University, 159 Sapsucker Woods Rd, Ithaca, NY, 14850, USA
| | - Philip D Taylor
- Department of Biology, Acadia University, 33 Westwood Avenue, Wolfville, NS, B4P 2R6, Canada
| | - Christopher M Tonra
- School of Environment and Natural Resources, The Ohio State University, 2021 Coffey Rd, 43210, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Junior A Tremblay
- Wildlife Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 1550 Av. D'Estimauville, G1J 0C3, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Peter P Marra
- Department of Biology and McCourt School of Public Policy, Georgetown University, 37th and O Streets NW, Washington, DC, 20057, USA
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Shirai K, Shimamura K, Koubara A, Shigaki S, Fujisawa R. Development of a behavioral trajectory measurement system (Bucket-ANTAM) for organisms moving in a two-dimensional plane. ARTIFICIAL LIFE AND ROBOTICS 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10015-022-00811-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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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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7
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Schmaljohann H, Eikenaar C, Sapir N. Understanding the ecological and evolutionary function of stopover in migrating birds. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2022; 97:1231-1252. [PMID: 35137518 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2021] [Revised: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Global movement patterns of migratory birds illustrate their fascinating physical and physiological abilities to cross continents and oceans. During their voyages, most birds land multiple times to make so-called 'stopovers'. Our current knowledge on the functions of stopover is mainly based on the proximate study of departure decisions. However, such studies are insufficient to gauge fully the ecological and evolutionary functions of stopover. If we study how a focal trait, e.g. changes in energy stores, affects the decision to depart from a stopover without considering the trait(s) that actually caused the bird to land, e.g. unfavourable environmental conditions for flight, we misinterpret the function of the stopover. It is thus important to realise and acknowledge that stopovers have many different functions, and that not every migrant has the same (set of) reasons to stop-over. Additionally, we may obtain contradictory results because the significance of different traits to a migrant is context dependent. For instance, late spring migrants may be more prone to risk-taking and depart from a stopover with lower energy stores than early spring migrants. Thus, we neglect that departure decisions are subject to selection to minimise immediate (mortality risk) and/or delayed (low future reproductive output) fitness costs. To alleviate these issues, we first define stopover as an interruption of migratory endurance flight to minimise immediate and/or delayed fitness costs. Second, we review all probable functions of stopover, which include accumulating energy, various forms of physiological recovery and avoiding adverse environmental conditions for flight, and list potential other functions that are less well studied, such as minimising predation, recovery from physical exhaustion and spatiotemporal adjustments to migration. Third, derived from these aspects, we argue for a paradigm shift in stopover ecology research. This includes focusing on why an individual interrupts its migratory flight, which is more likely to identify the individual-specific function(s) of the stopover correctly than departure-decision studies. Moreover, we highlight that the selective forces acting on stopover decisions are context dependent and are expected to differ between, e.g. K-/r-selected species, the sexes and migration strategies. For example, all else being equal, r-selected species (low survival rate, high reproductive rate) should have a stronger urge to continue the migratory endurance flight or resume migration from a stopover because the potential increase in immediate fitness costs suffered from a flight is offset by the expected higher reproductive success in the subsequent breeding season. Finally, we propose to focus less on proximate mechanisms controlling landing and departure decisions, and more on ultimate mechanisms to identify the selective forces shaping stopover decisions. Our ideas are not limited to birds but can be applied to any migratory species. Our revised definition of stopover and the proposed paradigm shift has the potential to stimulate a fruitful discussion towards a better evolutionary ecological understanding of the functions of stopover. Furthermore, identifying the functions of stopover will support targeted measures to conserve and restore the functionality of stopover sites threatened by anthropogenic environmental changes. This is especially important for long-distance migrants, which currently are in alarming decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heiko Schmaljohann
- Institute for Biology and Environmental Sciences (IBU), Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Carl-von-Ossietzky-Straße 9-11, Oldenburg, 26129, Germany.,Institute of Avian Research, An der Vogelwarte 21, Wilhelmshaven, 26386, Germany
| | - Cas Eikenaar
- Institute of Avian Research, An der Vogelwarte 21, Wilhelmshaven, 26386, Germany
| | - Nir Sapir
- Department of Evolutionary and Environmental Biology and the Institute of Evolution, University of Haifa, 199 Aba Khoushy Ave, Haifa, 3498838, Israel
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Patchett R, Styles P, Robins King J, Kirschel ANG, Cresswell W. The potential function of post-fledging dispersal behavior in first breeding territory selection for males of a migratory bird. Curr Zool 2022; 68:708-715. [PMID: 36743231 PMCID: PMC9892789 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoac002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
One possible hypothesis for the function of post-fledging dispersal is to locate a suitable future breeding area. This post-fledging period may be particularly important in migratory species because they have a limited period to gather information prior to autumn migration, and in protandrous species, males must quickly acquire a territory after returning from spring migration to maximize their fitness. Here we use color-ring resightings to investigate how the post-fledging dispersal movements of the Cyprus wheatear Oenanthe cypriaca, a small migratory passerine, relate to their first breeding territory the following year when they return from migration. We found that males established first breeding territories that were significantly closer to their post-fledging location than to their natal sites or to post-fledging locations of other conspecifics, but these patterns were not apparent in females. Our findings suggest that familiarity with potential breeding sites may be important for juveniles of migratory species, particularly for the sex that acquires and advertises breeding territories. Exploratory dispersal prior to a migrant's first autumn migration may contribute toward its breeding success the following year, further highlighting the importance of early seasonal breeding on fitness and population dynamics more generally.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Patrick Styles
- Centre for Biological Diversity, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, KY16 9TH, UK
| | - Joanna Robins King
- Centre for Biological Diversity, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, KY16 9TH, UK
| | | | - Will Cresswell
- Centre for Biological Diversity, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, KY16 9TH, UK
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Jones TM, Ward MP. Post-fledging behavioral ecology of migratory songbirds: how do fledgling activity rates vary across species? Behav Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arab122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Despite a large literature on the ontogeny of animal behavior, our understanding of behavioral development in young songbirds remains relatively poor. This is particularly true for the post-fledging period, where it is often difficult to follow and observe small, freely moving fledglings for extended periods of time. Fortunately, technological advances have enabled more robust examinations of songbird post-fledging behaviors. To provide greater insight into fledgling developmental and behavioral ecology, we used automated radio-telemetry systems to document post-fledging activity rates of juveniles across 9 songbird species of east-central Illinois, USA. Specifically, we sought to examine differences in the ontogeny of activity rates across species, and compare activity rates to intrinsic (e.g. morphological traits, age) and extrinsic (e.g. predation risk, brood size) factors that have the potential to influence fledgling behavior. While post-fledging activity rates differed by species, our findings show remarkable similarities in the ontogeny of fledgling activity across the avian community; all species exhibited a steady increase in activity rates with post-fledging age, with rates leveling off roughly 3 to 4 weeks post-fledging. These general patterns mirrored rates of post-fledging mortality (primarily due to predation) across the period, including the presence or absence of a post-fledging bottleneck, in which species with bottlenecks exhibit slight declines in activity rates during the first few days out of the nest. Alongside fledgling age and mortality risk, our findings also suggest that juvenile wing development and brood size at fledging mediate fledgling activity rates within and across species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Todd M Jones
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1102 S. Goodwin Ave., Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Illinois Natural History Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, 1816 S. Oak St., Champaign, IL 61820, USA
| | - Michael P Ward
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1102 S. Goodwin Ave., Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Illinois Natural History Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, 1816 S. Oak St., Champaign, IL 61820, USA
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Bégin-Marchand C, Desrochers A, Taylor PD, Tremblay JA, Berrigan L, Frei B, Morales A, Mitchell GW. Spatial structure in migration routes maintained despite regional convergence among eastern populations of Swainson's Thrushes. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2021; 9:23. [PMID: 33985582 PMCID: PMC8117314 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-021-00263-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2021] [Accepted: 05/03/2021] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Migratory connectivity links the different populations across the full cycle and across the species range and may lead to differences in survival among populations. Studies on spatial and temporal migratory connectivity along migration routes are rare, especially for small migratory animals. METHODS We used an automated radio-telemetry array to assess migratory connectivity en route and between early and later stages of the fall migration of the eastern populations of Swainson's Thrush, and to assess the variation of migration pace between consecutive detection from the different receiving stations along the migratory journey. We tracked 241 individuals from across eastern Canada to determine if populations were mixing around the Gulf of Mexico. We also tested the influence of tagging longitude, latitude and age on migration pace. RESULTS Migration routes varied and converged towards the northeast coast of the Gulf of Mexico, but in this region, populations maintained finer-scale spatial structure. Migration pace increased as birds progressed south, independent of age and tagging site. CONCLUSIONS We showed that for songbirds, migratory connectivity can be maintained at fine spatial scales despite the regional convergence of populations, highlighting the importance of detailed spatial tracking for identification of population specific migration routes. Overall, our study provides a portrait of migratory movements of eastern Swainson's Thrush and a framework for understanding spatial structure in migration routes for other species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camille Bégin-Marchand
- Wildlife Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 1550 d'Estimauville, Québec, QC, G1J 0C3, Canada.
| | - André Desrochers
- Université Laval, 2325 Rue de l'Université, Québec, QC, G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Philip D Taylor
- Acadia University, 33 Westwood Avenue, Wolfville, NS, B4P 2R6, Canada
- Birds Canada, P.O. Box 6227, 17 Waterfowl Lane, Sackville, NB, E4L 1G6, Canada
| | - Junior A Tremblay
- Wildlife Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 1550 d'Estimauville, Québec, QC, G1J 0C3, Canada
- Université Laval, 2325 Rue de l'Université, Québec, QC, G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Lucas Berrigan
- Birds Canada, P.O. Box 6227, 17 Waterfowl Lane, Sackville, NB, E4L 1G6, Canada
| | - Barbara Frei
- McGill Bird Observatory, The Migration Research Foundation, Inc., PO Box 10005, Ste Anne de Bellevue, QC, H9X 0A6, Canada
- Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 351 boul. Saint-Joseph, Gatineau, QC, K1A 0H3, Canada
| | - Ana Morales
- McGill University, 21111 Lakeshore Road, Ste., Anne de Bellevue, QC, H9X 3V9, Canada
| | - Greg W Mitchell
- Wildlife Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 1125 Colonel By Rd., Ottawa, ON, K1A 0H3, Canada
- Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Dr., Ottawa, ON, K1S 5B6, Canada
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11
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Michalik B, Brust V, Hüppop O. Are movements of daytime and nighttime passerine migrants as different as day and night? Ecol Evol 2020; 10:11031-11042. [PMID: 33144946 PMCID: PMC7593151 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2019] [Revised: 07/29/2020] [Accepted: 07/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Even after decades of research, the migration of songbirds still holds numerous secrets. Distinct stopover and routing behavior of diurnally and nocturnally migrating songbirds has been stated in the 1960s, but empirical confirmation is yet lacking widely. We studied the behavior of individual diurnally migrating dunnocks and nocturnally migrating blackcaps by means of large-scale automated radio-telemetry. Birds were radio-tagged during their stopover at the German North Sea coast. Our data indicate longer initial stopover duration in the diurnally migrating dunnocks, opposing the hypothesis of nocturnal migrants needing more time to recover due to their longer migratory flights. Nonetheless, dunnocks stopped over more often along their tracks as when compared to the nocturnally migrating blackcaps. Behavior en route did not differ as clearly between species challenging the general view of contrasting routings of diurnal and nocturnal migrants with regard to landscape and open water. Our results imply additional factors of relevance other than differences in species or daily migration timing per se. We discuss and highlight the need of detailed and individual based data to better understand stopover and routing behavior of songbirds in the environmental context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bianca Michalik
- Institute of Avian Research “Vogelwarte Helgoland”WilhelmshavenGermany
| | - Vera Brust
- Institute of Avian Research “Vogelwarte Helgoland”WilhelmshavenGermany
| | - Ommo Hüppop
- Institute of Avian Research “Vogelwarte Helgoland”WilhelmshavenGermany
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12
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Tolvanen J, Morosinotto C, Forsman JT, Thomson RL. Information collected during the post-breeding season guides future breeding decisions in a migratory bird. Oecologia 2020; 192:965-977. [PMID: 32162073 PMCID: PMC7165145 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-020-04629-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2018] [Accepted: 03/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
Breeding habitat choice and investment decisions are key contributors to fitness in animals. Density of individuals is a well-known cue of habitat quality used for future breeding decisions, but accuracy of density cues decreases as individuals disperse from breeding sites. Used nests remain an available information source also after breeding season, but whether such information is used for breeding decisions is less well known. We experimentally investigated whether migratory, cavity-nesting pied flycatchers (Ficedula hypoleuca) prospect potential breeding sites after breeding season and use old nests as a cue for future breeding decisions. In late summer 2013, forest sites were assigned to four treatments: (1) sites including nest boxes with old nests of heterospecifics (tits), (2) sites including suitable but empty nest boxes, (3) sites with unsuitable nest boxes, or (4) sites without any nest boxes. In the following year, we investigated pied flycatcher habitat choice and reproductive investment according to these "past" cues while also controlling for additional information sources present during settlement. Flycatchers preferred sites where tits had been perceived to breed in the previous year, but only if great tits were also currently breeding in the site and had a relatively high number of eggs. Old flycatchers avoided sites previously treated with suitable but empty cavities, whereas young flycatchers preferred sites where tits had apparently bred in the previous year. Also egg mass, but not clutch size or clutch mass, was affected by the combination of past treatment information and current tit abundance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jere Tolvanen
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, University of Oulu, 90014, Oulu, Finland. .,National Resources Institute Finland, University of Oulu, 90014, Oulu, Finland.
| | - Chiara Morosinotto
- Section of Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Turku, 20014, Turku, Finland.,Bioeconomy Research Team, Novia University of Applied Sciences, Raseborgsvägen 9, 10600, Ekenäs, Finland
| | - Jukka T Forsman
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, University of Oulu, 90014, Oulu, Finland.,National Resources Institute Finland, University of Oulu, 90014, Oulu, Finland
| | - Robert L Thomson
- Section of Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Turku, 20014, Turku, Finland.,FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DST-NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, 7701, South Africa
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13
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Nadal J, Ponz C, Comas C, Margalida A. Time, geography and weather provide insights into the ecological strategy of a migrant species. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 649:1096-1104. [PMID: 30308881 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.08.345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2018] [Revised: 08/24/2018] [Accepted: 08/25/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Farmland and migratory bird populations are in decline. The Common quail (Coturnix coturnix) provides an exception to this trend and its populations have remained stable over the last two decades. However, some basic facts regarding quail biology and ecology, such as the geographic distribution of age and sex classes during the summer, remain poorly understood. We analyzed 43,194 Spanish quail ringing records from 1961 to 2014 to assess the effects of geography and weather conditions on the probability that individuals will be ringed during the various stages of their annual cycle (arrival -spring migration-, stationary breeding period, departure -autumn migration- and winter) for the different quail age-sex classes over time. We found that spatial distribution of the age and sex classes can be explained by date, latitude, longitude, altitude, rainfall, and temperature. Our results suggest that date accounts for most of the variation in the distribution of quail age classes, followed by the weather variables, and then latitude, and altitude. Similarly, date also accounts for most of the variation in the distribution of the two sexes. These results could partially explain why this species has avoided population decline, since its ecological strategy is based on its temporal and spatial distribution combined with the segregation of age and sex groups. We hypothesize that the distribution of quail age and sex classes follows variations in weather and habitat suitability to exploit seasonal and geographic variations in resource availability. The migratory and nomadic movements of quail, combined with the occurrence of multiple breeding attempts within a single season, may also allow these birds to overcome the impacts of predators and anthropogenic environmental change. Conservation and management efforts should therefore take account of these age and sex related temporal and spatial patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesús Nadal
- Department of Animal Science, Division of Wildlife, Faculty of Life Sciences and Engineering, University of Lleida, 25198 Lleida, Spain.
| | - Carolina Ponz
- Department of Animal Science, Division of Wildlife, Faculty of Life Sciences and Engineering, University of Lleida, 25198 Lleida, Spain
| | - Carles Comas
- Department of Mathematics, Agrotecnio Center, University of Lleida, 25001 Lleida, Spain
| | - Antoni Margalida
- Department of Animal Science, Division of Wildlife, Faculty of Life Sciences and Engineering, University of Lleida, 25198 Lleida, Spain; Division of Conservation Biology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland; Institute for Game and Wildlife Research, IREC (CSIC.UCLM-JCCM), 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain
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14
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Filiberti EN, Perlut NG. Age-Specific Differences in Fat Reserves and Migratory Passage of Setophaga striata (Blackpoll Warbler). Northeast Nat (Steuben) 2018. [DOI: 10.1656/045.025.0311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Emily N. Filiberti
- University of New England, Department of Environmental Studies, 11 Hills Beach Road, Biddeford, ME 04005
| | - Noah G. Perlut
- University of New England, Department of Environmental Studies, 11 Hills Beach Road, Biddeford, ME 04005
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15
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Jones TM, Brawn JD, Ward MP. Development of activity rates in fledgling songbirds: when do young birds begin to behave like adults? BEHAVIOUR 2018. [DOI: 10.1163/1568539x-00003492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Logistical and technological limitations have constrained the characterization of behavioural development in songbirds, particularly during the post-fledging period. Recently, advances in radio-telemetry technology — automated radio-telemetry systems (ARTS) capable of recording continuous, high-resolution spatial-temporal data on radio-tagged birds — have opened the door to more comprehensive examinations of fledgling behaviour. We examined development of activity rates (number of times a bird was determined to have moved per number of detections, per hour) in fledgling Dickcissels using ARTS established at two grassland sites in east-central Illinois, USA. Specifically, we described general patterns of fledgling activity rates and determined the age at which fledglings began exhibiting activity rates like adults. We found that juveniles decreased activity rates immediately following fledging, likely to avoid detection by snakes and other predators, but increased activity levels throughout the rest of the post-fledging period. Peak hours of fledgling activity occurred around 0700 and 1800 h for all ages, with consistently low activity rates at night. On average, fledglings began exhibiting adult-like activity rates approximately 22 days after fledging, around roughly the same time they stopped being fed by adults. While our study provides important insights into development of fledgling behaviour in the Dickcissel, it remains unclear how patterns of behavioural development vary within and among species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Todd M. Jones
- aDeparment of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
- bIllinois Natural History Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, USA
| | - Jeffrey D. Brawn
- aDeparment of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Michael P. Ward
- aDeparment of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
- bIllinois Natural History Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, USA
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16
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Brown JM, Taylor PD. Migratory blackpoll warblers ( Setophaga striata) make regional-scale movements that are not oriented toward their migratory goal during fall. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2017; 5:15. [PMID: 28680638 PMCID: PMC5494792 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-017-0106-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2017] [Accepted: 06/04/2017] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Regional scale movement patterns of songbirds are poorly known largely due to difficulties tracking small organisms at broad scales. Using an array of over 100 automated radio telemetry towers, we followed Blackpoll Warblers (Setophaga striata) during fall migration in the Gulf of Maine region, and assessed how their regional scale movement pathways varied with age, distance to natal origin, and capture date. RESULTS Many individuals had movement paths that were not oriented towards their migratory goal ('indirect movement patterns'), regardless of age, distance to natal origin, or time of season. The probability of moving in indirect patterns, and the total tracking duration, decreased with capture date. The extent of indirect movement patterns varied considerably between individuals. Excluding direct flight patterns consistent with traditional migratory movements, adults tended to make more flights and moved in more tortuous patterns than hatch-years. Adults and individuals from more westerly natal origins were more likely to move south-west through time. CONCLUSIONS A greater proportion of individuals made movements that were not oriented towards the migratory than expected. A decrease in tracking duration with capture date indicates that individuals prioritize time as the season progresses. The shorter, indirect movement patterns may be a more complete representation of 'reverse migration' at a barrier or 'landscape-scale stopovers movements'. The longer distances travelled are inconsistent with expected behaviour, even in front of a barrier. The extent of movement we observed indirectly suggests that flight is not as costly to individuals in a migratory state as is commonly assumed. Since adults were observed to move more than hatch-years, we suggest that the indirect movement patterns we observed are not accidental, and may provide some advantage to the individuals that undertake them.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. Morgan Brown
- Department of Biology, Acadia University, Wolfville, NS B4P 2R6 Canada
| | - Philip D. Taylor
- Department of Biology, Acadia University, Wolfville, NS B4P 2R6 Canada
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17
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Franchini P, Irisarri I, Fudickar A, Schmidt A, Meyer A, Wikelski M, Partecke J. Animal tracking meets migration genomics: transcriptomic analysis of a partially migratory bird species. Mol Ecol 2017; 26:3204-3216. [PMID: 28316119 DOI: 10.1111/mec.14108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2016] [Revised: 03/10/2017] [Accepted: 03/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Seasonal migration is a widespread phenomenon, which is found in many different lineages of animals. This spectacular behaviour allows animals to avoid seasonally adverse environmental conditions to exploit more favourable habitats. Migration has been intensively studied in birds, which display astonishing variation in migration strategies, thus providing a powerful system for studying the ecological and evolutionary processes that shape migratory behaviour. Despite intensive research, the genetic basis of migration remains largely unknown. Here, we used state-of-the-art radio-tracking technology to characterize the migratory behaviour of a partially migratory population of European blackbirds (Turdus merula) in southern Germany. We compared gene expression of resident and migrant individuals using high-throughput transcriptomics in blood samples. Analyses of sequence variation revealed a nonsignificant genetic structure between blackbirds differing by their migratory phenotype. We detected only four differentially expressed genes between migrants and residents, which might be associated with hyperphagia, moulting and enhanced DNA replication and transcription. The most pronounced changes in gene expression occurred between migratory birds depending on when, in relation to their date of departure, blood was collected. Overall, the differentially expressed genes detected in this analysis may play crucial roles in determining the decision to migrate, or in controlling the physiological processes required for the onset of migration. These results provide new insights into, and testable hypotheses for, the molecular mechanisms controlling the migratory phenotype and its underlying physiological mechanisms in blackbirds and other migratory bird species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paolo Franchini
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, 78457, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Iker Irisarri
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, 78457, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Adam Fudickar
- Department of Migration and Immuno-Ecology, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, 78315, Radolfzell, Germany
| | - Andreas Schmidt
- Department of Migration and Immuno-Ecology, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, 78315, Radolfzell, Germany
| | - Axel Meyer
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, 78457, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Martin Wikelski
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, 78457, Konstanz, Germany.,Department of Migration and Immuno-Ecology, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, 78315, Radolfzell, Germany
| | - Jesko Partecke
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, 78457, Konstanz, Germany.,Department of Migration and Immuno-Ecology, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, 78315, Radolfzell, Germany
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18
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Toews DPL, Delmore KE, Osmond MM, Taylor PD, Irwin DE. Migratory orientation in a narrow avian hybrid zone. PeerJ 2017; 5:e3201. [PMID: 28439469 PMCID: PMC5398278 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.3201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2016] [Accepted: 03/18/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Zones of contact between closely related taxa with divergent migratory routes, termed migratory divides, have been suggested as areas where hybrid offspring may have intermediate and inferior migratory routes, resulting in low fitness of hybrids and thereby promoting speciation. In the Rocky Mountains of Canada there is a narrow hybrid zone between Audubon's and myrtle warblers that is likely maintained by selection against hybrids. Band recoveries and isotopic studies indicate that this hybrid zone broadly corresponds to the location of a possible migratory divide, with Audubon's warblers migrating south-southwest and myrtle warblers migrating southeast. We tested a key prediction of the migratory divide hypothesis: that genetic background would be predictive of migratory orientation among warblers in the center of the hybrid zone. METHODS We recorded fall migratory orientation of wild-caught migrating warblers in the center of the hybrid zone as measured by video-based monitoring of migratory restlessness in circular orientation chambers. We then tested whether there was a relationship between migratory orientation and genetic background, as measured using a set of species-specific diagnostic genetic markers. RESULTS We did not detect a significant association between orientation and genetic background. There was large variation among individuals in orientation direction. Mean orientation was towards the NE, surprising for birds on fall migration, but aligned with the mountain valley in which the study took place. CONCLUSIONS Only one other study has directly analyzed migratory orientation among naturally-produced hybrids in a migratory divide. While the other study showed an association between genetic background and orientation, we did not observe such an association in yellow-rumped warblers. We discuss possible reasons, including the possibility of a lack of a strong migratory divide in this hybrid zone and/or methodological limitations that may have prevented accurate measurements of long-distance migratory orientation.
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Affiliation(s)
- David P L Toews
- Department of Zoology and Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,Current Address: Fuller Evolutionary Biology Program, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, United States of America
| | - Kira E Delmore
- Department of Zoology and Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,Current Address: Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Plön, Germany
| | - Matthew M Osmond
- Department of Zoology and Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Philip D Taylor
- Department of Biology, Acadia University, Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Darren E Irwin
- Department of Zoology and Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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19
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Actogram analysis of free-flying migratory birds: new perspectives based on acceleration logging. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2017; 203:543-564. [PMID: 28343237 PMCID: PMC5522517 DOI: 10.1007/s00359-017-1165-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2016] [Revised: 03/06/2017] [Accepted: 03/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The use of accelerometers has become an important part of biologging techniques for large-sized birds with accelerometer data providing information about flight mode, wing-beat pattern, behaviour and energy expenditure. Such data show that birds using much energy-saving soaring/gliding flight like frigatebirds and swifts can stay airborne without landing for several months. Successful accelerometer studies have recently been conducted also for free-flying small songbirds during their entire annual cycle. Here we review the principles and possibilities for accelerometer studies in bird migration. We use the first annual actograms (for red-backed shrike Lanius collurio) to explore new analyses and insights that become possible with accelerometer data. Actogram data allow precise estimates of numbers of flights, flight durations as well as departure/landing times during the annual cycle. Annual and diurnal rhythms of migratory flights, as well as prolonged nocturnal flights across desert barriers are illustrated. The shifting balance between flight, rest and different intensities of activity throughout the year as revealed by actogram data can be used to analyse exertion levels during different phases of the life cycle. Accelerometer recording of the annual activity patterns of individual birds will open up a new dimension in bird migration research.
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20
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Schmaljohann H, Eikenaar C. How do energy stores and changes in these affect departure decisions by migratory birds? A critical view on stopover ecology studies and some future perspectives. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2017; 203:411-429. [PMID: 28332031 DOI: 10.1007/s00359-017-1166-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2016] [Revised: 03/08/2017] [Accepted: 03/08/2017] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
In birds, accumulating energy is far slower than spending energy during flight. During migration, birds spend, therefore, most of the time at stopover refueling energy used during the previous flight. This elucidates why current energy stores and actual rate of accumulating energy are likely crucial factors influencing bird's decision when to resume migration in addition to other intrinsic (sex, age) and extrinsic (predation, weather) factors modulating the decision within the innate migration program. After first summarizing how energy stores and stopover durations are generally determined, we critically review that high-energy stores and low rates of accumulating energy were significantly related to high departure probabilities in several bird groups. There are, however, also many studies showing no effect at all. Recent radio-tracking studies highlighted that migrants leave a site either to resume migration or to search for a better stopover location, so-called "landscape movements". Erroneously treating such movements as departures increases the likelihood of type II errors which might mistakenly suggest no effect of either trait on departure. Furthermore, we propose that energy loss during the previous migratory flight in relation to bird's current energy stores and migration strategy significantly affects its urge to refuel and hence its departure decision.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heiko Schmaljohann
- Institute of Avian Research "Vogelwarte Helgoland", An der Vogelwarte 21, 26386, Wilhelmshaven, Germany.
| | - Cas Eikenaar
- Institute of Avian Research "Vogelwarte Helgoland", An der Vogelwarte 21, 26386, Wilhelmshaven, Germany
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21
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Vega ML, Willemoes M, Thomson RL, Tolvanen J, Rutila J, Samaš P, Strandberg R, Grim T, Fossøy F, Stokke BG, Thorup K. First-Time Migration in Juvenile Common Cuckoos Documented by Satellite Tracking. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0168940. [PMID: 28005960 PMCID: PMC5179092 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0168940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2016] [Accepted: 12/08/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Being an obligate parasite, juvenile common cuckoos Cuculus canorus are thought to reach their African wintering grounds from Palearctic breeding grounds without guidance from experienced conspecifics but this has not been documented. We used satellite tracking to study naïve migrating common cuckoos. Juvenile cuckoos left breeding sites in Finland moving slowly and less consistently directed than adult cuckoos. Migration of the juveniles (N = 5) was initiated later than adults (N = 20), was directed toward the southwest-significantly different from the initial southeast direction of adults-and included strikingly long Baltic Sea crossings (N = 3). After initial migration of juvenile cuckoos toward Poland, the migration direction changed and proceeded due south, directly toward the winter grounds, as revealed by a single tag transmitting until arrival in Northwest Angola where northern adult cuckoos regularly winter. Compared to adults, the juvenile travelled straighter and faster, potentially correcting for wind drift along the route. That both migration route and timing differed from adults indicates that juvenile cuckoos are able to reach proper wintering grounds independently, guided only by their innate migration programme.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Lomas Vega
- Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- * E-mail:
| | - Mikkel Willemoes
- Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Robert L. Thomson
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Jere Tolvanen
- Department of Ecology, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Jarkko Rutila
- Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Joensuu, Finland
| | - Peter Samaš
- Department of Zoology and Laboratory of Ornithology, Palacky University, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | | | - Tomáš Grim
- Department of Zoology and Laboratory of Ornithology, Palacky University, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Frode Fossøy
- Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), Sluppen, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Bård Gunnar Stokke
- Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), Sluppen, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Kasper Thorup
- Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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22
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Kishkinev D, Heyers D, Woodworth BK, Mitchell GW, Hobson KA, Norris DR. Experienced migratory songbirds do not display goal-ward orientation after release following a cross-continental displacement: an automated telemetry study. Sci Rep 2016; 6:37326. [PMID: 27876843 PMCID: PMC5120330 DOI: 10.1038/srep37326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2016] [Accepted: 10/20/2016] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability to navigate implies that animals have the capability to compensate for geographical displacement and return to their initial goal or target. Although some species are capable of adjusting their direction after displacement, the environmental cues used to achieve this remain elusive. Two possible cues are geomagnetic parameters (magnetic map hypothesis) or atmospheric odour-forming gradients (olfactory map hypothesis). In this study, we examined both of these hypotheses by surgically deactivating either the magnetic or olfactory sensory systems in experienced white-throated sparrows (Zonotrichia albicollis) captured in southern Ontario, Canada, during spring migration. Treated, sham-treated, and intact birds were then displaced 2,200 km west to Saskatchewan, Canada. Tracking their initial post-displacement migration using an array of automated VHF receiving towers, we found no evidence in any of the groups for compensatory directional response towards their expected breeding grounds. Our results suggest that white-throated sparrows may fall back to a simple constant-vector orientation strategy instead of performing true navigation after they have been geographically displaced to an unfamiliar area during spring migration. Such a basic strategy may be more common than currently thought in experienced migratory birds and its occurrence could be determined by habitat preferences or range size.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dmitry Kishkinev
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, N1G 2W1 Guelph, Ontario, Canada
- School of Biological Sciences, Bangor University, Deiniol Road, LL57 2UW Bangor, Gwynedd, UK
| | - Dominik Heyers
- AG Neurosensorik / Animal Navigation, Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University Oldenburg, D-26111 Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Bradley K. Woodworth
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, N1G 2W1 Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Greg W. Mitchell
- Wildlife Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, 1125 Colonel By Drive, K1H 0H3, Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Keith A. Hobson
- Wildlife Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 11 Innovation Boulevard, S7N 3H5 Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
- Department of Biology, University of Western Ontario, N6A 5B7, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - D. Ryan Norris
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, N1G 2W1 Guelph, Ontario, Canada
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23
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Crysler ZJ, Ronconi RA, Taylor PD. Differential fall migratory routes of adult and juvenile Ipswich Sparrows (Passerculus sandwichensis princeps). MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2016; 4:3. [PMID: 26819707 PMCID: PMC4729120 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-016-0067-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2015] [Accepted: 01/06/2016] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Island breeding birds present an ideal system for studying migratory movements in passerines because their populations are clearly demarcated, and individuals must depart on migration from a single location. The Ipswich Sparrow (Paserculus sandwichensis princeps) is a subspecies of the Savannah Sparrow that breeds exclusively on Sable Island, Nova Scotia, Canada and winters along the Atlantic coast of North America. We used a network of 34 automated VHF telemetry receivers to track radio-tagged adult and juvenile Ipswich Sparrows from their breeding island southward through the first half of their fall migratory journey. RESULTS We compared adult to juvenile timing and routes. We show that juveniles leave the island approximately 24 days prior to adults and remain temporally separated from them during migration through Nova Scotia. Juveniles have different overwater orientations that result in migratory routes with shorter ocean crossings and a longer overall distance travelled compared to adults. Juveniles also have more frequent and longer stopovers, and displayed some reverse migration. CONCLUSION We demonstrate that migratory routes differ between adults and juveniles, suggesting that routes change as individuals age, possibly through learning or social interactions. These differential routes also suggest that sparrows experience risk in different ways with juveniles selecting shorter overwater flights with less navigational risk at the cost of increased time spent in migration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoe J. Crysler
- />Department of Biology, Acadia University, Wolfville, B4P 2R6, NS Canada
| | - Robert A. Ronconi
- />Department of Biology, Acadia University, Wolfville, B4P 2R6, NS Canada
- />Canadian Wildlife Service, Environmental Stewardship Branch, Environment Canada, 45 Alderney Drive, Dartmouth, B2y 2N6, NS Canada
| | - Philip D. Taylor
- />Department of Biology, Acadia University, Wolfville, B4P 2R6, NS Canada
- />Bird Studies Canada, Port Rowan, N0E 1M0, ON Canada
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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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