Competition in Migrant Birds in the Nonbreeding Season

1986 ◽  
pp. 281-307 ◽  
Author(s):  
Russell Greenberg
Keyword(s):  
Nonbreeding Season ◽  
Migrant Birds

scholarly journals Sex, age, molt strategy, and migration distance explain the phenology of songbirds at a stopover along the East Asian flyway

2021 ◽  
Vol 75 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonas Wobker ◽  
Wieland Heim ◽  
Heiko Schmaljohann
Keyword(s):  
East Asian ◽  
Russian Far East ◽  
First Year ◽  
Large Set ◽  
Differential Migration ◽  
Breeding Area ◽  
Migration Distance ◽  
Stopover Site ◽  
Evolutionary Response ◽  
Migrant Birds

Abstract Sex- and age-specific differences in the timing of migration are widespread among animals. In birds, common patterns are protandry, the earlier arrival of males in spring, and age-differential migration during autumn. However, knowledge of these differences stems mainly from the Palearctic-African and Nearctic-Neotropical flyways, while detailed information about the phenology of migrant birds from the East Asian flyway is far scarcer. To help fill parts of this gap, we analyzed how migration distance, sex, age, and molt strategy affect the spring and autumn phenologies of 36 migrant songbirds (altogether 18,427 individuals) at a stopover site in the Russian Far East. Sex-differential migration was more pronounced in spring than in autumn, with half of the studied species (6 out of 12) showing a protandrous migration pattern. Age-differences in migration were rare in spring but found in nearly half of the studied species (11 out of 25) in autumn. These age effects were associated with the birds’ molt strategy and the mean latitudinal distances from the assumed breeding area to the study site. Adults performing a complete molt before the onset of autumn migration passed the study site later than first-year birds undergoing only a partial molt. This pattern, however, reversed with increasing migration distance to the study site. These sex-, age-, and molt-specific migration patterns agree with those found along other flyways and seem to be common features of land bird migration strategies. Significance statement The timing of animal migration is shaped by the availability of resources and the organization of annual cycles. In migrant birds, sex- and age-differential migration is a common phenomenon. For the rarely studied East Asian flyway, we show for the first time and based on a large set of migrant songbirds that earlier migration of males is a common pattern there in spring. Further, the timing and extent of molt explained age-differential migration during autumn. Adults molting their complete plumage at the breeding area before migration showed delayed phenology in comparison to first-year birds, which perform only a partial molt. This pattern, however, reversed with increasing migration distance to the study site. Since our results agree with the general patterns from the other migration flyways, similar drivers for differential migration may act across different flyway systems, provoking a similar evolutionary response.

Migrant Birds in the Neotropics

Ecology ◽  
1982 ◽  
Vol 63 (1) ◽  
pp. 257-258
Author(s):  
David W. Johnston
Keyword(s):  
Migrant Birds

Effect of Melatonin on Telocytes in the Seminal Vesicle of the Soay Ram: An Immunohistochemical, Ultrastructural and Morphometrical Study

2016 ◽  
Vol 203 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-54 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hanan H. Abd-Elhafeez ◽  
Doaa M. Mokhtar ◽  
Ahmed H.S. Hassan
Keyword(s):  
Close Contact ◽  
Intercellular Junctions ◽  
Secretory Activity ◽  
Treated Group ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Secretory Vesicles ◽  
Melatonin Treatment ◽  
Secretory Structures ◽  
Strong Reaction ◽  
Nonbreeding Season

Telocytes (TCs) are a special type of interstitial cell with characteristic cellular processes that are described in many organs. The current study aimed to investigate TCs in seminal vesicles of the Soay ram responding to melatonin treatment during the nonbreeding season by conventional immunohistochemical stains, and to detect the ultrastructural and morphometrical changes of TCs. TCs in the control group showed a broad range of staining affinity and also reacted positively to CD117/c-kit, CD34, desmin, S-100 protein, and progesterone and estrogen receptors alpha, while after melatonin treatment a strong reaction against these 6 antibodies was recorded. Electron microscopically, TCs in the control group were characterized by a small cell body with distinct long cytoplasmic extensions called telopodes (Tps). Tps had alternation of the thin segment (podomers) and dilated segments (podoms), in which the latter accommodate mitochondria, rough endoplasmic reticulum and caveolae. TCs and their Tps were interconnected by homo- and heterocellular junctions and form a wide network to communicate between different cell types. Tps showed close contact with immune cells, progenitor stem cells, smooth muscle cells and other interstitial cells. Melatonin caused a significant increase in the number of TCs, length of Tps, and number and diameter of secretory vesicles. Also, the melatonin-treated group showed exaggerated secretory activity in the form of a massive release of secretory vesicles from Tps. Moreover, Tps showed an increase in their contact with blood and lymphatic capillaries, nerve endings and Schwann cells. In addition, the shedding of secretory structures (exosomes, ectosomes, and multivesicular bodies) was greater from Tps, which were involved in paracrine signaling in the melatonin-treated group. The length and ramifications of Tps together with the intercellular junctions and the releasing of shed vesicles or exosomes assumed an essential role of TCs in intercellular signaling and coordination. On the basis of their distribution and morphology, we investigated whether the different locations of TCs could be associated with different roles.

Winter coexistence of voles in spruce forest: relevance of seasonal changes in aggression

1975 ◽  
Vol 53 (8) ◽  
pp. 1004-1011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian N. Turner ◽  
Michael R. Perrin ◽  
Stuart L. Iverson
Keyword(s):  
Microtus Pennsylvanicus ◽  
Meadow Vole ◽  
Breeding Period ◽  
Spruce Forest ◽  
Vole Population ◽  
Reproductive Condition ◽  
Interspecific Aggression ◽  
Meadow Voles ◽  
Nonbreeding Season ◽  
Short Period

Beginning in November 1973, numerous meadow voles (Microtus pennsylvanicus) moved onto a spruce forest grid occupied by red-backed voles (Clethrionomys gapperi). A resident meadow vole population resulted, the two species coexisting until April 1974, when most meadow voles disappeared from the grid during a relatively short period. Interspecific aggression levels, as determined from voles temporarily removed from the populations and tested in paired encounters in a laboratory arena, were low during the winter, but increased when males of both species entered reproductive condition in the spring. Microtus was generally dominant in early breeding period encounters, but this dominance declined concurrently with the meadow voles' disappearance from the forest. It is argued that meadow voles did not leave the forest to breed, or because the snow cover melted, since this species will live and reproduce in forest in the absence of Clethrionomys. The results are interpreted as support for an earlier hypothesis that competitive habitat exclusion varies seasonally with reproduction-related aggression. Thus, these species apparently may coexist in either of their preferred habitats when interspecific aggression is low (the nonbreeding season), but this relationship terminates when interspecific aggression levels increase with the resumption of breeding in the spring.

scholarly journals Spatially different annual cycles but similar haemosporidian infections in distant populations of collared sand martins

BMC Zoology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Steffen Hahn ◽  
Martins Briedis ◽  
Christos Barboutis ◽  
Raffaella Schmid ◽  
Martin Schulze ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
West Africa ◽  
Chronic Infection ◽  
Blood Parasite ◽  
Spring Migration ◽  
Lake Chad ◽  
Annual Cycles ◽  
Nonbreeding Season ◽  
Breeding Populations ◽  
High Parasitaemia ◽  
Western Palaearctic

Abstract Background Populations of long-distance migratory birds experience different environments and are consequently exposed to different parasites throughout their annual cycles. Though, specific whereabouts and accompanied host-parasite interactions remain unknown for most migratory passerines. Collared sand martins (Riparia riparia) breeding in the western Palaearctic spend the nonbreeding period in Africa, but it is not yet clear whether specific populations differ in overwintering locations and whether these also result in varying infections with vector-transmitted endoparasites. Results Geolocator tracking revealed that collared sand martins from northern-central and central-eastern Europe migrate to distant nonbreeding sites in West Africa and the Lake Chad basin in central Africa, respectively. While the ranges of these populations were clearly separated throughout the year, they consistently spent up to 60% of the annual cycle in Africa. Ambient light recorded by geolocators further indicated unsheltered roosting during the nonbreeding season in Africa compared to the breeding season in Europe. We found 5–26% prevalence of haemosporidian parasites in three breeding populations and one migratory passage population that was only sampled but not tracked. In total, we identified seven Plasmodium and nine Haemoproteus lineages (incl. two and seven new lineages, respectively), the latter presumably typical for swallows (Hirundinae) hosts. 99.5% of infections had a low intensity, typical for chronic infection stages, whereas three individuals (0.5%) showed high parasitaemia typical for acute infections during spring migration and breeding. Conclusions Our study shows that blood parasite infections are common in several western Palaearctic breeding populations of collared sand martins who spent the nonbreeding season in West Africa and the lake Chad region. Due to long residency at the nonbreeding grounds blood parasite transmissions may mainly occur at host population-specific residences sites in Europe and Africa; the latter being likely facilitated by unsheltered roosting and thus high vulnerability to hematophagous insects. The rare cases of high parasitaemia during spring migration and breeding further indicates either relapses of chronic infection or primary infections which occurred shortly before migration and during breeding.

scholarly journals Biometrics of Razorbills Alca torda staying during the nonbreeding season in the Polish Baltic zone

Ornis Svecica ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 23 (3–4) ◽  
pp. 159-163
Author(s):  
Włodzimierz Meissner ◽  
Joanna Drozdowska ◽  
Szymon Bzoma
Keyword(s):  
Baltic Sea ◽  
Wing Length ◽  
Breeding Population ◽  
Breeding Period ◽  
Clinal Variation ◽  
The Baltic Sea ◽  
Final Size ◽  
Alca Torda ◽  
Nonbreeding Season ◽  
The Baltic

Biometrical analysis of Razorbills Alca torda captured or drowned in fishing nets in the Polish economic zone of the Baltic Sea is based on measurements of 98 individuals collected in the non-breeding period (October–April) in 2006–2013. These birds are assumed to represent the breeding population of the Baltic Sea as recoveries show that very few other birds visit that area. Bill depth and wing length of juveniles were much smaller than in older birds which suggests that the final size of these measurements is not achieved during the first winter but continue to increase as the birds grow older. In older birds only total head length and bill length were significantly larger in males than in females. Mean bill depth of Razorbills from the Polish Baltic zone fits well to clinal variation from south-west to north of the European part of the breeding range. However, mean wing length was much larger than expected according to the regression, which might result from differences in measuring technique. On the other hand it cannot be excluded that the Baltic population may actually have longer wings.

Modeling the Effects of Habitat Fragmentation on Source and Sink Demography of Neotropical Migrant Birds

1995 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 1396-1407 ◽  
Author(s):  
Therese M. Donovan ◽  
Roland H. Lamberson ◽  
Allison Kimber ◽  
Frank R. Thompson ◽  
John Faaborg
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Fragmentation ◽  
Neotropical Migrant ◽  
Migrant Birds ◽  
Source And Sink
Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document