Orientation-cage experiments with the European Quail during the breeding season and autumn migration

2006 ◽  
Vol 84 (6) ◽  
pp. 887-894 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.D. Rodríguez-Teijeiro ◽  
A. Barroso ◽  
S. Gallego ◽  
M. Puigcerver ◽  
D. Vinyoles
Keyword(s):  
Breeding Season ◽  
Sexual Behaviour ◽  
Autumn Migration ◽  
Controlled Experiments ◽  
Coturnix Coturnix ◽  
Preferred Direction ◽  
Breeding Grounds ◽  
Suitable Habitats ◽  
Migratory Period

The directional movements of the male European Quail, Coturnix coturnix (L., 1758), during the breeding season and autumn migration were studied using Emlen orientation cages. The characteristics and evolution of the habitat in which males were captured and the sexual behaviour shown at capture indicate that these birds move in search of mating partners rather than of suitable habitats. These displacements are known as “gypsy movements” but are better described, as argued in this paper, as “movements in search of females”. A majority of caged birds (59%) showed a preferred direction (α = 238.5°), which coincided almost exactly with that observed in recoveries of ringed birds during autumn migration (α = 251.3°) but not with results from cage experiments during the same migratory period (α = 187.8°). Therefore, we conclude that displacements of the male European Quail, as shown in ringing recoveries, are much more influenced by “movements in search of females” than by migration. These movements are clearly towards the southwest, the males taking short flights towards suitable breeding grounds and driven by river-course habitats. In addition, we confirm that Emlen funnels are suitable for controlled experiments on the orientation of males in demes of European Quail.

Spatial and temporal variation in the migration of Ruddy-headed Goose in southern South America using satellite tagging

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 634-648
Author(s):  
JULIETA PEDRANA ◽  
KLEMENS PÜTZ ◽  
LUCÍA BERNAD ◽  
SEBASTIÁN MUÑOZ ◽  
ANTONELLA GOROSÁBEL ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Autumn Migration ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Spatial And Temporal Variation ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Migration Timing ◽  
Final Destination ◽  
Continental Population ◽  
Southern Patagonia ◽  
Breeding Grounds ◽  
Satellite Tagging

SummaryRuddy-headed Goose Chloephaga rubidiceps is the smallest of the five South American sheldgeese and has two separate populations: one sedentary, which resides in the Malvinas/Falkland Islands and one migratory that overwinters mainly in the Pampas region, Argentina and breeds in Southern Patagonia. The Ruddy-headed Goose’s continental population has decreased considerably, and recent estimates indicated that the population size is less than 800 individuals. In Argentina and Chile, this population is categorised as endangered. Understanding migration across vast landscapes is essential for the identification of factors affecting the survival of this endangered population and for the application of effective conservation measures. We aim to provide the first documentation of the complete migration cycle of Ruddy-headed Goose, and to analyse their annual migration in detail, including identification of stop-over, breeding and wintering sites, and to compare migration timing during spring and autumn migration. Adults were captured in the southern Pampas and equipped with solar satellite transmitters in 2015 and 2016. We analysed the influence of season (spring vs autumn migration) on the number and duration of stop-overs, distance travelled and overall migration speed using Generalized Linear Mixed Models. Our results showed that tracked geese used the eastern Patagonian route to reach their breeding grounds and take the same route after breeding. Spring migration was significantly faster than autumn migration, at least based on the number of days spent in their stop-overs. Stop-overs were closer to the final destination, either during spring and autumn migrations, though some of them were not used during subsequent migrations. Our migration cartography for Ruddy-headed Geese, together with the timing and location data, should be used to improve conservation efforts directed at this species and might contribute to the modification of the current status of ‘Least Concern’ under the IUCN criteria.

scholarly journals Molt Strategies and Age Differences in Migration Timing Among Autumn Landbird Migrants in Southwestern Idaho

The Auk ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 122 (4) ◽  
pp. 1070-1085 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jay D. Carlisle ◽  
Gregory S. Kaltenecker ◽  
David L. Swanson
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
North America ◽  
Age Differences ◽  
Western United States ◽  
Autumn Migration ◽  
Individual Species ◽  
Age Classes ◽  
Migration Timing ◽  
Breeding Grounds ◽  
Age And Sex

Abstract Intraspecific patterns of autumn migration timing are not well known, particularly in the western United States. Here, we (1) describe autumn migration timing and age ratios of landbird migrants in southwestern Idaho, (2) examine differences in timing among age and sex classes, and (3) demonstrate how prebasic molt strategies affect migration timing differences between age classes. As a group, Neotropical migrants were most common from late July through early September, whereas temperate migrants were most common from mid-September into early October. Proportion of hatch-year birds was 74.5% for all migrants combined and ranged from 33.3% to 100% for individual species. Timing differences between sex classes were detected in only a few species and no general patterns emerged. In 22 of 31 Neotropical and temperate migrants examined, there were significant differences in timing between adults and hatch-year birds. In species in which adults begin fall migration before replacing flight feathers, adults migrated earlier than hatch-year birds. Conversely, in species in which adults molt flight feathers on or near the breeding grounds before departing on fall migration, hatch-year birds migrated earlier than adults in all but one case. Therefore, it appears that molt strategy is a powerful determinant of intraspecific migration timing differences and, to our knowledge, this is the first study to document this pattern among migrant passerines of North America. Estrategias de Muda y Diferencias en el Momento de Migración Otoñal en Migrantes Terrestres en el Suroeste de Idaho

scholarly journals Evolution of moult-migration is directly linked to aridity of the breeding grounds in North American passerines

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. 20200155
Author(s):  
Claudie Pageau ◽  
Christopher M. Tonra ◽  
Mateen Shaikh ◽  
Nancy J. Flood ◽  
Matthew W. Reudink
Keyword(s):  
North American ◽  
Vegetation Index ◽  
Normalized Difference Vegetation Index ◽  
Autumn Migration ◽  
Western North America ◽  
Migration Distance ◽  
Migration Strategy ◽  
Breeding Grounds ◽  
Breeding Migration ◽  
Moult Migration

To avoid energy allocation conflicts, birds generally separate breeding, migration and moult during the annual cycle. North American passerines typically moult on the breeding grounds prior to autumn migration. However, some have evolved a moult-migration strategy in which they delay moult until stopping over during autumn migration. Rohwer et al . (2005) proposed the ‘push–pull hypothesis' as an explanation for the evolution of this moult strategy, but it has not been empirically tested. Poor conditions on the breeding grounds at the end of the summer would push birds to depart prior to moult, while productive stopover locations would pull them. We tested for a relationship between moult-migration and breeding grounds aridity as measured by the normalized difference vegetation index. Our results strongly support the ‘push' aspect of the push–pull hypothesis and indicate that arid breeding grounds, primarily in western North America, would drive species to evolve stopover moult-migration, although this relationship may depend upon migration distance.

scholarly journals Novel methods reveal shifts in migration phenology of barn swallows in South Africa

2011 ◽  
Vol 279 (1733) ◽  
pp. 1485-1490 ◽  
Author(s):  
Res Altwegg ◽  
Kristin Broms ◽  
Birgit Erni ◽  
Phoebe Barnard ◽  
Guy F. Midgley ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Breeding Season ◽  
Environmental Variability ◽  
Southern Oscillation ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Breeding Population ◽  
Migratory Bird ◽  
Recent Climate ◽  
Breeding Grounds ◽  
Barn Swallows

Many migratory bird species, including the barn swallow ( Hirundo rustica ), have advanced their arrival date at Northern Hemisphere breeding grounds, showing a clear biotic response to recent climate change. Earlier arrival helps maintain their synchrony with earlier springs, but little is known about the associated changes in phenology at their non-breeding grounds. Here, we examine the phenology of barn swallows in South Africa, where a large proportion of the northern European breeding population spends its non-breeding season. Using novel analytical methods based on bird atlas data, we show that swallows first arrive in the northern parts of the country and gradually appear further south. On their north-bound journey, they leave South Africa rapidly, resulting in mean stopover durations of 140 days in the south and 180 days in the north. We found that swallows are now leaving northern parts of South Africa 8 days earlier than they did 20 years ago, and so shortened their stay in areas where they previously stayed the longest. By contrast, they did not shorten their stopover in other parts of South Africa, leading to a more synchronized departure across the country. Departure was related to environmental variability, measured through the Southern Oscillation Index. Our results suggest that these birds gain their extended breeding season in Europe partly by leaving South Africa earlier, and thus add to scarce evidence for phenology shifts in the Southern Hemisphere.

scholarly journals LATE BREEDING-SEASON DEFINITIVE PRE-BASIC MOLT BY MALES, AND LATE BREEDING SEASON BROOD CARE BY FEMALES, IN CENTRAL CALIFORNIA WILSON'S WARBLERS

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
William M. Gilbert
Keyword(s):  
Breeding Season ◽  
Brood Care ◽  
Central California ◽  
Breeding Grounds ◽  
Breeding Seasons ◽  
Unique Study ◽  
California Population

Abstract. I made late breeding season (after 1 July) observations of a central California population of Wilson’s Warbler, Cardellina pusilla, over nine breeding seasons. I sighted males in definitive prebasic molt from 4 July in 2007 through 1 September in 1999. Possibly all territorial males molted on their breeding territories, and molt lasted a maximum of 46 days. Following prebasic molt, territorial males engaged in subdued “post molt singing,” which lasted 14 days in one male, but usually no more than seven days, and was last heard on 6 September in 1999. I sighted no female in definitive prebasic molt, nor in bright basic plumage, during the study. Of 12 color-banded females sighted after 22 July, I confirmed 11 had been in late breeding season uniparental brood care. Possibly all resident females not engaged in late uniparental brood care vacated their breeding territories earlier, and before resident males. They presumably underwent prebasic molt at later times and locations not known. Remaining late nesting females must have molted much later than resident males, and likely later than early departing resident females, and at unknown locations. I last sighted uniparental brood tending females still in dull alternate plumage on 26 and 29 August respectively, whereas some males had completed prebasic molt by 13 August. Three unique study findings are the occurrence of male post molt singing, a male/female difference in location of prebasic molt, and a likely dichotomy of prebasic molt timing between females leaving their breeding grounds early, and those remaining in uniparental brood care.

Grasslands and migratory birds of the Himalayan region

2016 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
pp. 97-100
Author(s):  
Chandra Kala
Keyword(s):  
Breeding Season ◽  
Migratory Birds ◽  
Himalayan Region ◽  
Wild Animals ◽  
Horizontal Migration ◽  
Breeding Grounds ◽  
Multiple Uses ◽  
Grazing Lands

The Himalayan grasslands from sub-tropical to temperate, alpine and steppe have been exploited historically by humans for multiple uses including grazing lands for livestock. Besides domestic and wild animals, a large number of migratory birds use these grasslands and wetland areas dotted in these grasslands during their vertical and horizontal migration in the Himalayan region during breeding season. Despite quite unique and sensitive ecosystems these grasslands are least studied. The present study, therefore, aims to study the structure and composition of Himalayan grasslands with respect to their multiple utilities, including breeding grounds for migratory birds.

Quantifying non-breeding season occupancy patterns and the timing and drivers of autumn migration for a migratory songbird using Doppler radar

Ecography ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 39 (10) ◽  
pp. 1017-1024 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew J. Laughlin ◽  
Daniel R. Sheldon ◽  
David W. Winkler ◽  
Caz M. Taylor
Keyword(s):  
Breeding Season ◽  
Doppler Radar ◽  
Autumn Migration ◽  
Occupancy Patterns ◽  
Migratory Songbird

scholarly journals Larger foraging range but similar habitat selection in non-breeding versus breeding sub-Antarctic penguins

2011 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 117-126 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean-Baptiste Thiebot ◽  
Amélie Lescroël ◽  
David Pinaud ◽  
Philip N. Trathan ◽  
Charles-André Bost
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Selection ◽  
Foraging Strategies ◽  
Breeding Period ◽  
Mahalanobis Distances ◽  
Juvenile Dispersal ◽  
Marine Predators ◽  
Eudyptes Chrysolophus ◽  
Breeding Grounds ◽  
Suitability Maps ◽  
Suitable Habitats

AbstractFor land-breeding marine organisms such as seabirds, knowledge about their habitat use has mainly been gained through studies of breeding individuals that are constrained to return frequently to their breeding grounds. In this study we set out to measure whether: a) habitat selection in the non-breeding period predicts habitat selection in the breeding period, and b) whether breeding individuals concentrated their activity on the closest suitable habitats. MacaroniEudyptes chrysolophusand gentooPygoscelis papuapenguins, two marine predators with contrasting foraging strategies, were tracked from the Iles Kerguelen and their habitat selection investigated through Mahalanobis distances factorial analysis. This study presents the first data about gentoo penguins’ juvenile dispersal. For both species, results showed 6.9 times larger maximum ranges and up to 12.2 times greater distances travelled during the non-breeding period. Habitat suitability maps suggested both species made similar environmental selections whatever the period. Macaroni penguins targeted pelagic areas beyond the shelf break while gentoo penguins always remained over the shelf. We consider the ecological significance of larger scale movements made outside the breeding period and suggest that this non-breeding period is of particular interest when attempting to understand an animal's habitat selection.

Foraging ecology and time budgets of non-breeding shorebirds in coastal Cuba

2014 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 347-357 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erica Nol ◽  
Kate MacCulloch ◽  
Lisa Pollock ◽  
Laura McKinnon
Keyword(s):  
Breeding Season ◽  
Foraging Ecology ◽  
Niche Partitioning ◽  
Time Budgets ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Breeding Grounds ◽  
Main Determinants ◽  
Species Specific ◽  
Average Body ◽  
Foraging Time

Abstract:During the non-breeding season, shorebirds, a large and important group of wetland vertebrates, divide their time between foraging, resting and maintenance activities. We examined factors affecting time budgets, foraging techniques and rates, and spacing patterns of 14 to 92 individuals each of 10 shorebird species spending the non-breeding season in Cayo Guillermo, Cuba. We hypothesized that all species would spend the majority of their time foraging. Time spent foraging ranged from 20–85% of total time and was significantly negatively related to average body size. Apparent aggression (e.g. chasing or being chased) occurred in < 10% of individuals in all species and was not related to maximum counts of conspecifics. Aggression was most common in the black-necked stilt but did not vary in frequency as a function of activity. Vigilance varied in occurrence from 0–53% of individuals, but the frequency was not related to maximum counts. Intraspecific distances were generally greater between foraging than non-foraging birds. For most species interspecific distances were similar to intraspecific distances during foraging but greater than intraspecific differences during non-foraging, suggesting some overlap in foraging habitat and niche partitioning during non-foraging. Shorebirds that used primarily tactile techniques foraged closer together than primarily visual foragers. Low rates of aggression, as an index of potential competition, suggest that species-specific energy requirements rather than competitive interactions are the main determinants of foraging behaviour on these tropical non-breeding grounds.

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