Can wheatears weather the Atlantic? Modeling nonstop trans-Atlantic flights of a small migratory songbird

Bulte, Marc; McLaren, James D.; Bairlein, Franz; Bouten, W.; Schmaljohann, Heiko; Shamoun‐Baranes, Judy

doi:10.1642/auk-13-233.1

Cited by 26 publications

(37 citation statements)

References 31 publications

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“…Nevertheless, we also emphasize that migrants can overcome ecological barriers so long as they are supported by favourable winds. Indeed, migrant landbirds can cross entire seas and oceans relying on predictable winds (Dixon, Batbayar & Purev-Ochir 2011;Bulte et al 2014;Gill et al 2014;Nourani et al 2016), and we found that honey buzzards are able to cross the Pyrenees across a wide front when they benefit from tailwinds over Europe in spring (Kemp et al 2010), whereas they must circumvent this obstacle in autumn.…”

Section: The Advantages Of Detours In the Context Of Prevailing Windsmentioning

confidence: 63%

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Seasonal detours by soaring migrants shaped by wind regimes along the East Atlantic Flyway

Vansteelant

Shamoun‐Baranes

Manen³

et al. 2016

Journal of Animal Ecology

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Summary1. Avian migrants often make substantial detours between their seasonal destinations. It is likely some species do this to make the most of predictable wind regimes along their respective flyways. We test this hypothesis by studying orientation behaviour of a long-distance soaring migrant in relation to prevailing winds along the East Atlantic Flyway. 2. We tracked 62 migratory journeys of 12 adult European Honey Buzzards Pernis apivorus with GPS loggers. Hourly fixes were annotated with local wind vectors from a global atmospheric model to determine orientation behaviours with respect to the buzzards' seasonal goal destinations. This enabled us to determine hot spots where buzzards overdrifted and overcompensated for side winds. We then determined whether winds along the buzzards' detours differed from winds prevailing elsewhere in the flyway. 3. Honey Buzzards cross western Africa using different routes in autumn and spring. In autumn, they overcompensated for westward winds to circumvent the Atlas Mountains on the eastern side and then overdrifted with south-westward winds while crossing the Sahara. In spring, however, they frequently overcompensated for eastward winds to initiate a westward detour at the start of their journey. They later overdrifted with side winds north-westward over the Sahel and north-eastward over the Sahara, avoiding adverse winds over the central Sahara. 4. We conclude that Honey Buzzards make seasonal detours to utilize more supportive winds further en route and thereby expend less energy while crossing the desert. Lifelong tracking studies will be helpful to elucidate how honey buzzards and other migrants learn complex routes to exploit atmospheric circulation patterns from local to synoptic scales.

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Section: The Advantages Of Detours In the Context Of Prevailing Windsmentioning

confidence: 63%

“…Indeed, migrant landbirds can cross entire seas and oceans relying on predictable winds (Dixon, Batbayar & Purev‐Ochir ; Bulte et al . ; Gill et al . ; Nourani et al .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Seasonal detours by soaring migrants shaped by wind regimes along the East Atlantic Flyway

Vansteelant

Shamoun‐Baranes

Manen³

et al. 2016

Journal of Animal Ecology

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“…These factors probably involve, among others, cues predictive of upcoming weather conditions (Richardson, ), as unfavourable conditions represent a severe hazard for migratory songbirds crossing a sea barrier (e.g. Bulte et al., ; Deppe et al., ; Shamoun‐Baranes & van Gasteren, ). Some leucorhoa Wheatears with fuel loads sufficient for long non‐stop flights towards the breeding areas nevertheless decided to depart relatively late on a flight towards the closest mainland coast and thus postponed the obligatory long sea crossing (Figure ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nocturnal departure timing in songbirds facing distinct migratory challenges

Fabbri

Eikenaar

Crysler

et al. 2018

Journal of Animal Ecology

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Most migratory songbirds travel between their breeding areas and wintering grounds through a series of nocturnal flights. The timing of their departures defines the potential flight duration and thus the distance covered during a migratory night. Yet, migratory songbirds show substantial variation in their nocturnal departure timing. With this study, we aim to assess whether the respective challenges of the migration route, namely its distance and nature, help to explain this variation. At a stopover site, we caught Northern Wheatears (Oenanthe oenanthe) of two subspecies that differ in distance and nature of their onward migration route in spring, but not in autumn. We determined the start of their nocturnal migratory restlessness during short-term captivity, and radiotracked their nocturnal departure timing after release in both migration seasons. Northern Wheatears started their nocturnal migratory restlessness earlier when facing a long remaining migration distance and an extended sea barrier in spring. Individual departure directions generally affected the nocturnal departure timing with early departures being directed towards the respective migratory destination. In spring, this pattern was predominantly found in birds carrying relatively large fuel stores, but was absent in lean birds. At the same time, birds facing a short remaining migration distance and no extended sea barrier strongly reacted to relatively large fuel stores by an early start of nocturnal migratory behaviour (migratory restlessness and departure timing), whereas this reaction was not found in birds facing a long remaining migration distance and sea barrier. These results suggest that the basic diel schedule of birds' migratory activity is adapted to the onward migration route. Further, they suggest that birds adjust their behavioural response, that is start of nocturnal migratory behaviour, to fuel stores in relation to their impending migratory challenges. This is a substantial step in understanding variation of nocturnal departure timing and its adjustments in migratory songbirds. Further, it emphasizes the importance of interpreting birds' nocturnal migratory behaviour in the respective ecological context.

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“…Atmospheric conditions are the primary extrinsic factors influencing decisions regarding migratory flights, particularly over water bodies with limited opportunities to land (Richardson 1990). Wind plays a critical role, affecting departure date and migratory directions, routes, speeds, flight durations, energy consumption and the crossing of ecological barriers (Cochran and Kjos 1985;Weber and Hedenström 2000;Pennycuick and Battley 2003;Cochran and Wikeski 2005;Bowlin and Wikelski 2008;Shamoun-Baranes and van Gasteren 2011;Bulte et al 2014;Gill et al 2014). Decisions to depart stopover sites and initiate flight over large water bodies are also influenced by barometric pressure, temperature, relative humidity, and short-term trends in these variables, which are indicative of synoptic weather patterns and may provide information about future weather conditions (Able 1972;Newton 2008).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Weather conditions affect spring and autumn migration of Siberian leaf warblers

2018

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Background: Weather effects on bird migration are well-studied among Passerines moving from Europe to Africa or within the American flyway systems. However, little is known about the weather impact on songbirds migrating along the East Asian flyway. Our study aims to describe the effects of various weather elements on the migration of four species of leaf warblers by using bird ringing data from a stopover site in Far East Russia. Methods:We determined the migration periods for each species and included maximum temperature, precipitation, air pressure, wind speed and wind direction in general linearized mixed models to predict the number of migrating birds. Results:We found strong impacts of weather variables on the number of trapped warblers during spring and autumn migration. Preferred or avoided weather conditions were similar among the studied species. All species seem to migrate preferably during warm, calm days without precipitation. A positive effect of tail winds was only confirmed in autumn, but in spring, most birds were trapped during crosswinds (eastern or western winds). Conclusion:The studied species might exhibit a loop migration, leading to a more longitudinal (from east to west) migration pattern in our study area during spring. Relationships between weather variables and the number of migrating individuals were much stronger during autumn. We argue that birds during spring migration would continue migration under sub-optimal conditions, as a result of strong competition to arrive earliest on their breeding grounds.

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Can wheatears weather the Atlantic? Modeling nonstop trans-Atlantic flights of a small migratory songbird

Cited by 26 publications

References 31 publications

Seasonal detours by soaring migrants shaped by wind regimes along the East Atlantic Flyway

Seasonal detours by soaring migrants shaped by wind regimes along the East Atlantic Flyway

Nocturnal departure timing in songbirds facing distinct migratory challenges

Weather conditions affect spring and autumn migration of Siberian leaf warblers

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