Tracking mated pairs in a long-distance migratory songbird: migration schedules are not synchronized within pairs

Stutchbury, Bridget J. M.; Fraser, Kevin C.; Silverio, Cassandra; Kramer, Patrick M.; Aeppli, Bob; Mickle, Nanette; Pearman, Myrna; Savage, Anne; Mejeur, James

doi:10.1016/j.anbehav.2016.01.016

Cited by 15 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…On average, a given geolocator study has information only from 24 6 3.2 individuals (mean 6 SE), with most studies having far fewer (mode ¼ 3 individuals). There are certainly exceptions from well-studied species such as the Purple Martin (Progne subis), where migration data are now available for over 200 individuals (Stutchbury et al 2016a(Stutchbury et al , 2016b.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ten years tracking the migrations of small landbirds: Lessons learned in the golden age of bio-logging

McKinnon

Love

2018

The Auk

139

126

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ten years tracking the migrations of small landbirds: Lessons learned in the golden age of bio-logging

McKinnon

Love

2018

The Auk

139

126

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“…Latitudinal estimates are not accurate around each equinox when length of day is relatively equal everywhere (Ekstrom 2004, Lisovski et al 2012. We therefore excluded latitudinal location estimates from within 18 d of each equinox from our models (Hallworth et al 2015, Stutchbury et al 2016.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The ability to reliably incorporate such an approach is dependent on the strength of migratory connectivity, or the degree to which individuals from the same breeding area share the same non-breeding area and vice versa (Webster et al 2002, Marra et al 2011. However, evaluating the degree of migratory connectivity between breeding and non-breeding areas has proven to be challenging for passerines because they are typically wide-ranging, shortlived, and small-bodied (Norris et al 2006, Stutchbury et al 2009, Fraser et al 2012. In recent years, use of light-level geolocators (hereafter, geolocators) has provided insight regarding connectivity between breeding and non-breeding distributions of migratory songbirds at spatial and temporal resolutions that were previously unobtainable (Stanley et al 2015, Rushing et al 2016).…”

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confidence: 99%

Geolocators reveal migratory connectivity between wintering and breeding areas of Golden-winged Warblers

et al. 2017

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The conservation of migratory songbirds is often impeded by a lack of understanding of how populations in breeding and wintering areas are geographically linked (migratory connectivity). In recent years, light‐level geolocators have improved our understanding of migratory connectivity. Such information is valuable for evaluating how conservation efforts align between the breeding and non‐breeding areas of at‐risk species, and help to more effectively prioritize the allocation of conservation funding. Golden‐winged Warblers (Vermivora chrysoptera) are imperiled migratory songbirds, but the extent to which conservation efforts in their breeding and non‐breeding areas coincide with patterns of migratory connectivity are not well known. We used light‐level geolocators to evaluate the extent to which conservation actions targeting Golden‐winged Warblers in Nicaragua and in their breeding range in North America align with patterns of migratory connectivity. We recovered six of 22 geolocators that had been deployed on male Golden‐winged Warblers at the El Jaguar Reserve during the winter of 2015–2016. All six males migrated to breeding areas in the western Great Lakes region that includes eastern Minnesota, northern Wisconsin, southwestern Ontario, and Michigan's Upper Peninsula. All six males also had similar migration routes, with spring stopovers in southern Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize, a trans‐Gulf flight, and a stopover in the region of Louisiana, Arkansas, eastern Oklahoma, and Texas. Our results, in combination with those of previous studies, demonstrate strong migratory connectivity between portions of the breeding and winter distributions of Golden‐winged Warblers currently targeted for conservation. However, additional studies are needed to improve our understanding of the stopover ecology of Golden‐winged Warblers, especially in areas where they remain for extended periods of time. Finally, patterns of migratory connectivity revealed in our study should be used in combination with existing demographic parameters for Golden‐winged Warblers in the western Great Lakes and Nicaragua to help inform full life cycle population models for this imperiled songbird.

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“…In other species, however, mates do not migrate together and arrive at the breeding site or colony asynchronously (Purple Martin Progne subis : Stutchbury et al . , Scopoli's Shearwater Calonectris diomedea : Müller et al . , Rockhopper Penguin Eudyptes chrysocome : Thiebot et al .…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Surprisingly, in some species, paired birds achieve synchronized arrival at the breeding area even when mates spend the winter hundreds of kilometres apart and do not migrate together (for example, Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa: Gunnarsson et al 2004). In other species, however, mates do not migrate together and arrive at the breeding site or colony asynchronously (Purple Martin Progne subis: Stutchbury et al 2016, Scopoli's Shearwater Calonectris diomedea: M€ uller et al 2015, Rockhopper Penguin Eudyptes chrysocome: Thiebot et al 2015, yet in all cases, the mates cooperate to incubate and provision their chicks. How the latter group, which are typically monogamous, restores pair bonds at the onset of the breeding season is still not well understood.…”

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confidence: 99%

Rhinoceros Auklet pair‐mates migrate independently but synchronize their foraging activity during the pre‐laying period

Kubo

Takahashi

Thiebot

et al. 2018

Ibis

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Pair bonds are considered important for successful breeding in monogamous birds but their maintenance may be challenging for migratory species, as mates can be separated for months during the non‐breeding period. To investigate whether mates of monogamous migratory seabirds stay together throughout the non‐breeding period and how and when they start synchronizing their activity before breeding, we tracked seven pairs and 22 individuals of Rhinoceros Auklets Cerorhinca monocerata with geolocators and saltwater immersion loggers. Mates migrated across similar areas during the non‐breeding period but with a sustained temporal shift, putting them an average of 377 km apart and resulting in an average difference of return date at the colony of 5.6 days, with no sex biases. These values did not differ significantly from those between ‘pairs’ of randomly selected, non‐mated birds. Mates showed synchronized on‐water/in‐air at‐sea activities once both birds returned and spent the first night together at the colony. The synchronization of activities was highest on the day following the nights when both mates visited the colony, and decreased with elapsed time. Mates then left the colony together for a pre‐laying exodus of 8–9 days and males returned 2–4 days earlier than females before incubation started. Mates kept synchronizing at‐sea activity during the early part of the exodus. We interpret this as the mates staying together at sea during the pre‐laying period, increasing the males’ chances of copulation at sea. The patterns of mate association observed in Rhinoceros Auklets contrast with those of the Procellariiformes, presumably reflecting differences in the place and timing of copulation.

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Tracking mated pairs in a long-distance migratory songbird: migration schedules are not synchronized within pairs

Cited by 15 publications

References 20 publications

Ten years tracking the migrations of small landbirds: Lessons learned in the golden age of bio-logging

Ten years tracking the migrations of small landbirds: Lessons learned in the golden age of bio-logging

Geolocators reveal migratory connectivity between wintering and breeding areas of Golden-winged Warblers

Rhinoceros Auklet pair‐mates migrate independently but synchronize their foraging activity during the pre‐laying period

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