Temporal migration patterns between natal locations of ruby-throated hummingbirds (Archilochus colubris) and their Gulf Coast stopover site

Zenzal, Theodore J.; Contina, Andrea; Kelly, Jeffrey F.; Moore, Frank R.

doi:10.1186/s40462-017-0120-2

Cited by 9 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 31 publications

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“…This can be considered equivalent to the role of Impatiens biflora flowers for the fall migration of the Ruby-Throated Hummingbird ( Archilochus colubris ); the peak in flowering times of I. biflora is closely related to the peak migration time of the Ruby-Throated Hummingbird throughout the eastern United States ( Bertin, 1982 ). However, recent studies found that the correlation in phenology between Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds and I. biflora is not supported in southern breeding individuals in United States ( Zenzal et al, 2018 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hummingbird migration and flowering synchrony in the temperate forests of northwestern Mexico

López‐Segoviano

Arenas‐Navarro

Vega

et al. 2018

PeerJ

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BackgroundMany species of birds are morphologically and physiologically adapted for migration. Migratory movements of birds can range from thousands of kilometers, such as when birds migrate from wintering to breeding sites in summer, to several kilometers, such as when birds migrate among habitats in a single mountain system. The main factor that influences bird migration is the seasonal fluctuation of food resources; climate, predation, competition for resources and endogenous programming are also important factors. Hummingbirds are highly dependent on nectar, so their migration is likely correlated with the blooming of plant species. The ecological implications of altitudinal migration in the mountains of North America as well as the latitudinal migration of Selasphorus rufus through Mexico are still poorly understood. To explore these issues, over three non-consecutive years, we evaluated interannual variation in the phenologies of a latitudinal migrant (S. rufus) and an altitudinal migrant (Amazilia beryllina) and their visited plants.MethodsWe assessed the relationship between two migratory hummingbirds and flower abundance in 20 fixed-radius plots (25 m radius). All available flowers were counted along transects (40 × 5 m) inside each fixed-radius plot. Sampling was performed every 10 days from November 12 through February 20 of 2010–2011, 2013–2014 and 2015–2016, resulting in a total of 11 samples of each plot per period. Phenological variation and the relationships among hummingbird abundance, flower abundance and vegetation type were evaluated using a generalized additive mixed model.ResultsS. rufus abundance was related to sampling time in the first and third periods; this relationship was not significant in the second period. A. beryllina abundance was related with the sampling time over all three periods. The abundance of S. rufus hummingbirds was significantly related to the number of Salvia iodantha flowers. The abundance of A. beryllina hummingbirds was related to the number of S. iodantha and Cestrum thyrsoideum flowers and the total number of flowers. We found a non-significant correlation between S. rufus and A. beryllina abundance and vegetation types.ConclusionContrary to expectations, the long-distance migration of S. rufus was not consistent over the sampling periods. The migration of S. rufus through the study region may be altered by changes in climate, as has occurred with other species of migratory birds. In the present study, the migration of S. rufus was correlated with the blooming of S. iodantha. In comparison, the altitudinal migrant A. beryllina responded to the availability of floral resources but was not associated with a particular plant. The migration of this latter species in the area probably depends on multiple factors, including climatic and demographic factors, but is particularly dependent on the supply of floral resources and competition for these resources.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hummingbird migration and flowering synchrony in the temperate forests of northwestern Mexico

López‐Segoviano

Arenas‐Navarro

Vega

et al. 2018

PeerJ

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“…The hawk was then startled and took the hummingbird in its bill and flew back into the tree line where it was originally perched and finished consuming the hummingbird. We suspect the hummingbirds were either on stopover or initiating migration (i.e., engaged in hyperphagia) given the high levels of competition and previous research finding that Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are on stopover as early as 26 August in coastal Alabama (Zenzal and Moore 2016, Zenzal et al 2018), which is south of the location where this observation was made.…”

Section: Observationmentioning

confidence: 90%

A Buteo sp. Hawk Predates a Hummingbird (Trochilidae) during Autumn Migration

Zenzal,

Lain

2023

Southeastern Naturalist

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Predation can play a significant role on survival during migration as birds find themselves competing for resources in unfamiliar habitats. Here we describe the first documented observation of a Buteo platypterus (Broad-winged Hawk) predating an Archilochus colubris (Ruby-throated Hummingbird) during autumn migration. To our knowledge, this is the first documented record of any Buteo sp. hawk predating any Trochilidae (hummingbird). While predation on hummingbirds likely represents a minor source of mortality, identifying sources of predation and mortality is important in understanding the risk of migration for any species.

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“…Stable isotope ratios of hydrogen, carbon, and nitrogen, extracted from inert animal tissues, such as claws and feathers, reflect the isotope ratios in the environment where those tissues were grown and can provide inferences about large-scale animal movements and diet preferences in species with small body size (Rubenstein and Hobson, 2004; Zenzal et al, 2018; Vander Zanden et al, 2018). However, a clear advantage of adopting a multi-element stable isotope approach is that migrants can be assigned to different breeding and molting grounds of origin while their diet preferences are also revealed and clustered in trophic guilds (Herrera et al, 2003).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Application of stable isotopes to study movement ecology and diet variation in a migratory songbird

Contina

Pierce

Yanco

et al. 2021

Preprint

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Whether and how migratory organisms exhibit inter-individual behavioral and/or physiological variation across movement strategies remains an open question. The Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis) is a migratory songbird known for its intra-species variation displayed in relation to morphology, song repertoires, and migration. Thus, studies focusing on juncos can reveal how migratory strategy may covary with other individual-scale factors and, therefore, identify the selective forces driving intra-species variations throughout its distribution. We used Dark-eyed Junco hydrogen stable isotope feather values (δ2H) and implemented a Bayesian framework to infer the breeding and molting origin of migratory juncos captured on their winter grounds in Oklahoma, United States (U.S.). We modeled the distribution of feather hydrogen stable isotope values as a function of five morphological variables including body mass and fat deposition measured in Oklahoma during the winter. We then investigated the trade-off between longer and more energetically costly migration strategies in relation to diet preferences through carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) stable isotope analysis from feather values. Dark-eyed Juncos wintering in south central U.S. likely originate from multiple breeding populations in northern U.S. and Canada. Body condition at the wintering ground (e.g., mass) had no effect on feather hydrogen stable isotope abundance. However, we found a positive correlation between nitrogen and hydrogen stable isotopes, suggesting that a trophic level shift towards insect consumption might occur in individuals migrating from southern latitudes. Increased insect-derived protein consumption might be explained by reduced fatty-acid reserves necessary to complete a shorter migratory journey.

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Temporal migration patterns between natal locations of ruby-throated hummingbirds (Archilochus colubris) and their Gulf Coast stopover site

Cited by 9 publications

References 31 publications

Hummingbird migration and flowering synchrony in the temperate forests of northwestern Mexico

Hummingbird migration and flowering synchrony in the temperate forests of northwestern Mexico

A Buteo sp. Hawk Predates a Hummingbird (Trochilidae) during Autumn Migration

Application of stable isotopes to study movement ecology and diet variation in a migratory songbird

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