1
|
Hufkens K, Meier CM, Evens R, Paredes JA, Karaardiç H, Vercauteren S, Van Gysel A, Fox JW, Pacheco CM, da Silva LP, Fernandes S, Henriques P, Elias G, Costa LT, Poot M, Kearsley L. Evaluating the effects of moonlight on the vertical flight profiles of three western palaearctic swifts. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20230957. [PMID: 37909073 PMCID: PMC10618867 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.0957] [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: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent studies have suggested the presence of moonlight mediated behaviour in avian aerial insectivores, such as swifts. Here, we use the combined analysis of state-of-the-art activity logger data across three swift species, the common, pallid and alpine swifts, to quantify flight height and activity in responses to moonlight-driven crepuscular and nocturnal light conditions. Our results show a significant response in flight heights to moonlight illuminance for common and pallid swifts, i.e. when moon illuminance increased flight height also increased, while a moonlight-driven response is absent in alpine swifts. We show a weak relationship between night-time illuminance-driven responses and twilight ascending behaviour, suggesting a decoupling of both crepuscular and night-time behaviour. We suggest that swifts optimize their flight behaviour to adapt to favourable night-time light conditions, driven by light-responsive and size-dependent vertical insect stratification and weather conditions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Koen Hufkens
- BlueGreen Labs (bv), Kloetstraat 48, 9120 Melsele, Belgium
| | | | - Ruben Evens
- Department of Biology, Behavioural Ecology and Ecophysiology Group, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Josefa Arán Paredes
- Institute of Geography, University of Bern, Hallestrasse 12, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
- Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Bern, Falkenplatz 16, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Hakan Karaardiç
- Education Faculty, Math and Science Education Department, Alanya Alaaddin Keykubat University, Alanya, Turkey
| | | | | | | | - Carlos Miguel Pacheco
- Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos (CIBIO), InBIO Laboratório Associado, Universidade do Porto, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal
| | - Luis P. da Silva
- Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos (CIBIO), InBIO Laboratório Associado, Universidade do Porto, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal
| | - Sandra Fernandes
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Universidade do Porto, 4099-002 Porto, Portugal
| | | | - Gonçalo Elias
- 44 Rua de São Pedro, Castelo de Vide 7320-163, Portugal
| | - Luís T. Costa
- Nature Returns, Av D Sebastião 101, 2825-408 Costa da Caparica, Portugal
| | - Martin Poot
- Martin Poot Ecology, Culemborg, The Netherlands
| | - Lyndon Kearsley
- BlueGreen Labs (bv), Kloetstraat 48, 9120 Melsele, Belgium
- Belgian Ornithological Research Association, Steenweg Hulst-Lessen 29, 9140 Temse, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Teitelbaum CS, Bachner NC, Hall RJ. Post‐migratory nonbreeding movements of birds: A review and case study. Ecol Evol 2023. [DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/17/2023] Open
|
3
|
Food limitation modulates the endogenous control of spring migratory behavior in a captive long-distance migratory bird population. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-022-03242-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
|
4
|
Zhao Y, Zhao X, Wu L, Mu T, Yu F, Kearsley L, Liang X, Fu J, Hou X, Peng P, Li X, Zhang T, Yan S, Newell D, Hewson CM, Townshend T, Åkesson S, Liu Y. A 30,000-km journey by Apus apus pekinensis tracks arid lands between northern China and south-western Africa. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2022; 10:29. [PMID: 35768856 PMCID: PMC9245314 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-022-00329-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND As a widely distributed and aerial migratory bird, the Common Swift (Apus apus) flies over a wide geographic range in Eurasia and Africa during migration. Although some studies have revealed the migration routes and phenology of European populations, A. a. apus (from hereon the nominate apus), the route used by its East Asian counterpart A. a. pekinensis (from hereon pekinensis) remained a mystery. METHODS Using light level geolocators, we studied the migration of adult pekinensis breeding in Beijing from 2014 to 2018, and analysed full annual tracks obtained from 25 individuals. In addition, we used the mean monthly precipitation to assess the seasonal variations in humidity for the distribution ranges of the nominate apus and pekinensis. This environmental variable is considered to be critically relevant to their migratory phenology and food resource abundance. RESULTS Our results show that the swifts perform a round-trip journey of ca 30,000 km each year, representing a detour of 26% in autumn and 15% in spring compared to the shortest route between the breeding site in Beijing and wintering areas in semi-arid south-western Africa. Compared to the nominate apus, pekinensis experiences drier conditions for longer periods of time. Remarkably, individuals from our study population tracked arid habitat along the entire migration corridor leading from a breeding site in Beijing to at least central Africa. In Africa, they explored more arid habitats during non-breeding than the nominate apus. CONCLUSIONS The migration route followed by pekinensis breeding in Beijing might suggest an adaptation to semi-arid habitat and dry climatic zones during non-breeding periods, and provides a piece of correlative evidence indicating the historical range expansion of the subspecies. This study highlights that the Common Swift may prove invaluable as a model species for studies of migration route formation and population divergence.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yanyan Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Ecology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, Guangdong, China
- Institute of Eco-Environmental Research, Guangxi Academy of Sciences, Nanning, 530007, Guangxi, China
| | - Xinru Zhao
- Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China.
- China Bird Watching Society, Beijing, 100097, China.
| | - Lan Wu
- China Bird Watching Society, Beijing, 100097, China
| | - Tong Mu
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, 08544, USA
| | - Fang Yu
- China Bird Watching Society, Beijing, 100097, China
| | | | - Xuan Liang
- China Bird Watching Society, Beijing, 100097, China
| | - Jianping Fu
- China Bird Watching Society, Beijing, 100097, China
| | - Xiaoru Hou
- China Bird Watching Society, Beijing, 100097, China
| | - Peng Peng
- China Bird Watching Society, Beijing, 100097, China
| | - Xiaoyang Li
- China Bird Watching Society, Beijing, 100097, China
| | - Tao Zhang
- China Bird Watching Society, Beijing, 100097, China
| | - Su Yan
- Administrate Office of the Summer Palace, Beijing, 100080, China
| | - Dick Newell
- Action for Swifts, Old Beach Farm, 91 Green End, Landbeach, Cambridge, CB25 9FD, UK
| | - Chris M Hewson
- British Trust for Ornithology, The Nunnery, Thetford, Norfolk, IP24 2PU, UK
| | | | - Susanne Åkesson
- Department of Biology, Center for Animal Movement Research, Lund University, Ecology Building, 223 62, Lund, Sweden
| | - Yang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Ecology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, Guangdong, China.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Kearsley L, Ranc N, Meier CM, Pacheco CM, Henriques P, Elias G, Poot M, Williams A, Costa LT, Helsen P, Hufkens K. The aeroecology of atmospheric convergence zones: the case of pallid swifts. OIKOS 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.08594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lyndon Kearsley
- Belgian Ornithological Research Association Temse Belgium
- BlueGreen Labs Melsele Belgium
| | - Nathan Ranc
- Univ. de Toulouse, INRAE, CEFS Castanet‐Tolosan France
| | | | - Carlos Miguel Pacheco
- Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, Univ. do Porto Vairão Portugal
| | | | | | - Martin Poot
- Martin Poot Ecology Culemborg the Netherlands
| | | | | | - Philippe Helsen
- Centre for Research and Conservation, Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp Antwerp Belgium
| | | |
Collapse
|
6
|
Boano G, Belemsobgo U, Silvano† F, Hema EM, Belemsobgo A, Dimobe K, Pavia M. An annotated checklist of the birds of Burkina Faso. ZOOSYSTEMA 2022. [DOI: 10.5252/zoosystema2022v44a2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Boano
- Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Carmagnola, cascina Vigna, I-10022 Carmagnola (Italy)
| | - Urbain Belemsobgo
- Ministère de l'Environnement, de l'économie verte et du Changement climatique, Avenue Pr. Joseph Ki-Zerbo, Koulouba, Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso)
| | - Fabrizio Silvano†
- Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Stazzano, Villa Gardella, Via Aldo Fossati, 2, I-15060 Stazzano (Italy)
| | - Emmanuel M. Hema
- Université de Dédougou, UFR/Sciences appliquées et Technologiques, BP 176 Dédougou (Burkina Faso) and Laboratoire de Biologie et écologie animales, Université Joseph Ki-Zerbo, Boîte postale 7021, Ouagadougou 03 (Burkina Faso)
| | - Aristide Belemsobgo
- Ministère des Mines et des Carrières, avenue de l'Indépendance, Koulouba, Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso) Laboratoire de Géoressources et de l'Environnement, Université Joseph Ki-Zerbo, Boîte postale 7021, Ouagadougou 03 (Burkina Faso)
| | - Kangbéni Dimobe
- Institut des Sciences de l'Environnement et du Développement rural (ISEDR), BP 176 Dédougou (Burkina Faso) Laboratoire de Biologie et écologie végétales, Université Joseph Ki-Zerbo, Boîte postale 7021, Ouagadougou 03 (Burkina Faso)
| | - Marco Pavia
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Università di Torino, Via Valperga Caluso 35, I-10125 Torino (Italy)
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Finlayson S, Holmes TL, Finlayson G, Guillem R, Perez C, Bensusan K, Finlayson C. Birds with multiple homes. The annual cycle of the pallid swift (Apus pallidus brehmorum). PLoS One 2021; 16:e0259656. [PMID: 34847150 PMCID: PMC8631615 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0259656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 10/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
We tracked pallid swifts (Apus pallidus brehmorum) from a single breeding colony in Gibraltar over two years. Our results show movement of birds between specific regions within the non-breeding geographical area at specific times of the year. The tracking of a single individual showed remarkable fidelity to the areas visited between years. Furthermore, two pallid swifts tracked over the entire eight-month non-breeding period, while in Africa, gave no indication of coming to land, supporting previous findings of an airborne existence in swifts outside the breeding season. In addition, the crossing of the Sahara Desert to and from breeding grounds is remarkably fast, with one individual crossing it in just over a day. We discuss our findings in the context of bird migration evolutionary strategies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stewart Finlayson
- The Gibraltar National Museum, Gibraltar, United Kingdom
- Institute of Life and Earth Sciences, The University of Gibraltar, Gibraltar, United Kingdom
| | - Tyson Lee Holmes
- The Gibraltar National Museum, Gibraltar, United Kingdom
- Institute of Life and Earth Sciences, The University of Gibraltar, Gibraltar, United Kingdom
| | - Geraldine Finlayson
- The Gibraltar National Museum, Gibraltar, United Kingdom
- Institute of Life and Earth Sciences, The University of Gibraltar, Gibraltar, United Kingdom
- Department of Life Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
| | - Rhian Guillem
- Institute of Life and Earth Sciences, The University of Gibraltar, Gibraltar, United Kingdom
- Gibraltar Botanic Gardens, ‘The Alameda’, Gibraltar, United Kingdom
| | - Charles Perez
- Gibraltar Ornithological and Natural History Society, Gibraltar, United Kingdom
| | - Keith Bensusan
- Institute of Life and Earth Sciences, The University of Gibraltar, Gibraltar, United Kingdom
- Gibraltar Botanic Gardens, ‘The Alameda’, Gibraltar, United Kingdom
| | - Clive Finlayson
- The Gibraltar National Museum, Gibraltar, United Kingdom
- Institute of Life and Earth Sciences, The University of Gibraltar, Gibraltar, United Kingdom
- Department of Life Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- Department of Social Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Imlay TL, Mann HA, Taylor PD. Autumn migratory timing and pace are driven by breeding season carryover effects. Anim Behav 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2021.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
|
9
|
Åkesson S, Bianco G. Wind-assisted sprint migration in northern swifts. iScience 2021; 24:102474. [PMID: 34308278 PMCID: PMC8257983 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.102474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2020] [Revised: 03/04/2021] [Accepted: 04/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Long-distance migration has evolved repeatedly in animals and covers substantial distances across the globe. The overall speed of migration in birds is determined by fueling rate at stopover, flight speed, power consumption during flight, and wind support. The highest speeds (500 km/day) have been predicted in small birds with a fly-and-forage strategy, such as swallows and swifts. Here, we use GLS tracking data for common swifts breeding in the northern part of the European range to study seasonal migration strategies and overall migration speeds. The data reveal estimated overall migration speeds substantially higher (average: 570 km/day; maximum: 832 km/day over 9 days) than predicted for swifts. In spring, swift routes provided 20% higher tailwind support than in autumn. Sustained migration speeds of this magnitude can only be achieved in small birds by a combined strategy including high fueling rate at stopover, fly-and-forage during migration, and selective use of tailwinds.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Susanne Åkesson
- Department of Biology, Centre for Animal Movement Research, Lund University, Ecology Building, 223 62 Lund, Sweden
| | - Giuseppe Bianco
- Department of Biology, Centre for Animal Movement Research, Lund University, Ecology Building, 223 62 Lund, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Åkesson S, Atkinson PW, Bermejo A, de la Puente J, Ferri M, Hewson CM, Holmgren J, Kaiser E, Kearsley L, Klaassen RHG, Kolunen H, Matsson G, Minelli F, Norevik G, Pietiäinen H, Singh NJ, Spina F, Viktora L, Hedenström A. Evolution of chain migration in an aerial insectivorous bird, the common swift Apus apus. Evolution 2020; 74:2377-2391. [PMID: 32885859 PMCID: PMC7589357 DOI: 10.1111/evo.14093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2019] [Revised: 08/01/2020] [Accepted: 08/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Spectacular long-distance migration has evolved repeatedly in animals enabling exploration of resources separated in time and space. In birds, these patterns are largely driven by seasonality, cost of migration, and asymmetries in competition leading most often to leapfrog migration, where northern breeding populations winter furthest to the south. Here, we show that the highly aerial common swift Apus apus, spending the nonbreeding period on the wing, instead exhibits a rarely found chain migration pattern, where the most southern breeding populations in Europe migrate to wintering areas furthest to the south in Africa, whereas the northern populations winter to the north. The swifts concentrated in three major areas in sub-Saharan Africa during the nonbreeding period, with substantial overlap of nearby breeding populations. We found that the southern breeding swifts were larger, raised more young, and arrived to the wintering areas with higher seasonal variation in greenness (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) earlier than the northern breeding swifts. This unusual chain migration pattern in common swifts is largely driven by differential annual timing and we suggest it evolves by prior occupancy and dominance by size in the breeding quarters and by prior occupancy combined with diffuse competition in the winter.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Susanne Åkesson
- Department of Biology, Centre for Animal Movement ResearchLund UniversityEcology BuildingLundSE‐22362Sweden
| | | | - Ana Bermejo
- Bird Monitoring UnitSEO BirdLifeMadrid28053Spain
| | | | - Mauro Ferri
- AsOER—Associazione Ornitologi Emilia‐RomagnaItaly
| | | | - Jan Holmgren
- Department of Biology, Centre for Animal Movement ResearchLund UniversityEcology BuildingLundSE‐22362Sweden
| | | | | | - Raymond H. G. Klaassen
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life SciencesUniversity of GroningenGroningen9747 AGThe Netherlands
| | | | | | - Fausto Minelli
- Parco regionale dei Sassi di RoccamalatinaParchi e la biodiversità Emilia CentraleModena41124Italy
| | - Gabriel Norevik
- Department of Biology, Centre for Animal Movement ResearchLund UniversityEcology BuildingLundSE‐22362Sweden
| | - Hannu Pietiäinen
- Faculty of Biological and Environmental SciencesUniversity of HelsinkiHelsinkiFI‐00014Finland
| | - Navinder J. Singh
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental StudiesSwedish University for Agricultural SciencesUmeå90183Sweden
| | - Fernando Spina
- Italian National Ringing CentreIstituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale (ISPRA)Bologna40064Italy
| | - Lukas Viktora
- Czech Society for OrnithologyPrahaCZ‐150 00Czech Republic
| | - Anders Hedenström
- Department of Biology, Centre for Animal Movement ResearchLund UniversityEcology BuildingLundSE‐22362Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Boano G, Pellegrino I, Ferri M, Cucco M, Minelli F, Åkesson S. Climate anomalies affect annual survival rates of swifts wintering in sub-Saharan Africa. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:7916-7928. [PMID: 32760574 PMCID: PMC7391547 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2019] [Revised: 06/01/2020] [Accepted: 06/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Several species of migratory swifts breed in the Western Palearctic, but they differ in reproductive traits and nonbreeding areas explored in Africa. We examined survival and recapture probabilities of two species of swifts by capture-mark-recapture data collected in northern Italy (Pallid Swift Apus pallidus in Carmagnola, Turin, and Common Swift Apus apus in Guiglia, Modena) in the breeding season (May-July). Apparent survival rates were relatively high (>71%), comparable to other studies of European swifts, but showed marked annual variations. We used geolocators to establish the exact wintering areas of birds breeding in our study colonies. Common Swifts explored the Sahel zone during migration and spent the winter in SE Africa, while the Pallid Swifts remained in the Sahel zone for a longer time, shifting locations southeast down to Cameroun and Nigeria later in winter. These movements followed the seasonal rains from north to south (October to December). In both species, we found large yearly differences in survival probabilities related to different climatic indices. In the Pallid Swift, wintering in Western Africa, the Sahel rainfall index best explained survival, with driest seasons associated with reduced survival. In the Common Swift, wintering in SE Africa, the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) cycle performed significantly better than Sahel rainfall or North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). Extreme events and precipitation anomalies in Eastern Africa during La Niña events resulted in reduced survival probabilities in Common Swifts. Our study shows that the two species of swifts have similar average annual survival, but their survival varies between years and is strongly affected by different climatic drivers associated with their respective wintering areas. This finding could suggest important ecological diversification that should be taken into account when comparing survival and area use of similar species that migrate between temperate breeding areas and tropical wintering areas.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Irene Pellegrino
- Department of Science and Technological Innovation, University of Piemonte Orientale.AlessandriaItaly
| | - Mauro Ferri
- Associazione Ornitologi Emilia‐RomagnaBolognaItaly
| | - Marco Cucco
- Department of Science and Technological Innovation, University of Piemonte Orientale.AlessandriaItaly
| | - Fausto Minelli
- Ente di gestione per i Parchi e la Biodiversità Emilia CentraleModenaItaly
| | - Susanne Åkesson
- Department of BiologyCenter for Animal Movement ResearchLund UniversityLundSweden
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
van Bemmelen RSA, Kolbeinsson Y, Ramos R, Gilg O, Alves JA, Smith M, Schekkerman H, Lehikoinen A, Petersen IK, Þórisson B, Sokolov AA, Välimäki K, van der Meer T, Okill JD, Bolton M, Moe B, Hanssen SA, Bollache L, Petersen A, Thorstensen S, González-Solís J, Klaassen RHG, Tulp I. A Migratory Divide Among Red-Necked Phalaropes in the Western Palearctic Reveals Contrasting Migration and Wintering Movement Strategies. Front Ecol Evol 2019. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2019.00086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
|