Magda Remisiewicz | University of Gdansk (original) (raw)

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Papers by Magda Remisiewicz

Animals, 2022

Earlier springs in temperate regions since the 1980s, attributed to climate change, are thought t... more Earlier springs in temperate regions since the 1980s, attributed to climate change, are thought to influence the earlier arrival of long-distance migrant passerines. However, this migration was initiated weeks earlier in Africa, where the Southern Oscillation, Indian Ocean Dipole, North Atlantic Oscillation drive climatic variability, and may additionally influence the migrants. Multiple regressions investigated whether 15 indices of climate in Africa and Europe explained the variability in timing of arrival for seven trans-Saharan migrants. Our response variable was Annual Anomaly (AA), derived from standardized mistnetting from 1982–2021 at Bukowo, Polish Baltic Sea. For each species, the best models explained a considerable part of the annual variation in the timing of spring’s arrival by two to seven climate variables. For five species, the models included variables related to temperature or precipitation in the Sahel. Similarly, the models included variables related to the North Atlantic Oscillation (for four species), Indian Ocean Dipole (three), and Southern Oscillation (three). All included the Scandinavian Pattern in the previous summer. Our conclusion is that climate variables operating on long-distance migrants in the areas where they are present in the preceding year drive the phenological variation of spring migration. These results have implications for our understanding of carry-over effects.

We know little about the primary moult of waders in their second year of life, especially migrant... more We know little about the primary moult of waders in their second year of life, especially migrants. Remisiewicz et al. (2009, 2010) have provided details on the primary moult of immature and adult Wood Sandpipers Tringa glareola in southern Africa, but there is no information on the primary moult of second-year birds. Most Wood Sandpipers leave southern Africa for their northern breeding grounds when they are 10–11 months old, so migration separates the subsequent cycles in their primary moult. We chose this species to determine if the pattern of the first complete primary moult of waders during their second year of life differs from that of adults. We analysed the primary moult scores of 97 sub-adult (13- to 20-months-old) Wood Sandpipers obtained in southern Africa by using the Underhill–Zucchini moult model to estimate the timing and duration of moult for all 10 primaries combined and for P1 and P2 individually. Sub-adult Wood Sandpipers were observed in southern Africa between June and December, when, by about 19 months of age, they become indistinguishable from adults. Half of the sub-adults showed two generations of their fully grown primaries after a previous partial moult. All 54 sub-adults in active moult started at P1 and progressed outwards to P10. The starting date of moult for all sub-adults estimated using all 10 primaries was 2 September, 13 days later than for adults. The sub-adults’ primary moult was estimated to last on average 134 days, which did not differ significantly from the 131 days in adults. The rate primary feather mass is deposited did not differ between the sub-adults and the adults. Moult of P1 and P2 in sub-adults started 10–11 days later than in adults, but overlapped in the same manner as in adults. The number of primaries grown simultaneously with subsequently moulted primaries and the size of the wing gap in sub-adults resembled the pattern in adults. Sub-adults finished their primary moult on 15 January on average, 15 days later than adults. We suggest that sub-adult Wood Sandpipers catch up with the timing of the adults when they are 19–20 months old, when they finish their first complete moult of primaries, before the pre-migratory fattening period in February–March.

This paper presents an overview of patterns in the primary moult of waders using the Eurasian–Afr... more This paper presents an overview of patterns in the primary moult of waders using the Eurasian–African migration
system and updates earlier summaries with results obtained from the Underhill–Zucchini moult models (1988,
1990). Recent applications of these models allow researchers to examine moult timing down to the progress
of an individual feather in a tract and to determine the effects of environmental factors on moult. Waders
present a wide variety of inter- and intra-specific strategies for their primary moult, an energy-costly activity
they must fit in with breeding and migration, the other main energy-demanding events in their life cycle. Here
I present the moult strategies of waders in the context of their age, size, sex and annual variation in breeding
success, seasonal food abundance, the latitude where they moult, the distance they migrate, the habitats they
use, and the rainfall patterns and temperatures at their moulting grounds. I also discuss how moult is adjusted
to these factors. This overview emphasises the flexibility of many waders’ moult strategies as an adaptation
to the unpredictable food supply provided by ephemeral inland wetlands and compares these strategies with
those of populations that use predictable coastal habitats. Discovering the mechanisms that allow waders to
adjust their genetically controlled and hormonally regulated moult to proximate factors is suggested as one of
the challenges in further studies of moult.

Ring, 2002

Yosef R., Tryjanowski P., Remisiewicz M. 2002. Migration characteristics of the Wood Sandpiper (T... more Yosef R., Tryjanowski P., Remisiewicz M. 2002. Migration characteristics of the Wood Sandpiper (Tringa glareola) at Eilat (Israel). Ring 24, 1: 61-67. The Wood Sandpiper is a common passage migrant in Israel. However, the relative importance of this flyway remains unknown. Here, we present a general overview of Wood Sandpiper migration at Eilat (Israel). A total of 214 Wood Sandpipers were caught, ringed and measured at the IBRCE ringing station in years 1984-2001. Most of Wood Sandpipers were caught in ...

We analysed the effect of body mass, migration distance, taxonomic family and breeding on small i... more We analysed the effect of body mass, migration distance, taxonomic family and breeding on small islands vs. continents on wing length in 72 species of closely related Old World reed and bush warblers (Acrocephalidae and Locustellidae), based on literature data. The species we analysed share similar morphology, habitat, food preferences, feeding habits and breeding systems, but their migratory behaviour varies from sedentariness to long-distance migration. The mean wing length of these species was strongly correlated with their body mass, migration distance and taxonomic family (R2=0.821; p=5.1e-26). The wing was on average 1.4 mm longer for each 1 g of the species’ mean body mass, and 1.8 mm longer for each 1000 km of migration distance. Breeding on small islands was not significantly related to wing length, but the results do suggest a potential effect of this factor. Species of Acrocephalidae had on average 6.6 mm longer wings than Locustellidae with the same body mass and migration distance. Nevertheless, the relationship between migration distance and standardised wing length was identical in both families (difference between slope coefficients b: t-test: t=0.10, p =0.92). After we partly controlled for the effects of different habitats and behaviours, our results suggest that at the inter-specific level migration acts as an evolutionary pressure towards a longer wing in proportion to migration distance.

Greenshanks Tringa nebularia show various patterns of primary moult in the northern hemisphere, b... more Greenshanks Tringa nebularia show various patterns of primary moult in the northern hemisphere, but farther south moult patterns are known only fragmentarily. We identified geographical patterns in primary moult and pre-migratory fattening of Greenshanks on their southernmost African non-breeding grounds. We compared primary moult (using Underhill-Zucchini models) and body mass
at a population level based on 356 Greenshanks caught in 1968–1998 at inland wetlands in Zimbabwe, and on the east and west coasts of South Africa. About 20% of immatures replaced one to five outer primaries in December–May, a rare pattern in the north. Sub-adults moulted all primaries on average 40 days earlier than adults, yet at the same rate. Adults started primary moult on average 16–19 days earlier in Zimbabwe and at the east coast than at the west coast (7, 4, 23 September, resp.). These dates correspond with the Greenshanks’ broad-front arrival in Zimbabwe and the east coast, and their later arrival at the west coast. Moult took 10–17 days longer on average in Zimbabwe and at the east coast than at the west coast (122, 115, 105 days, resp.), thus the end of moult coincided within six days (31 December–6 January). Pre-migratory fattening began about 13–19 January across all
regions. The mean departure fat loads of adults were 76 g in Zimbabwe, 116 g at the west coast and 125 g at the east coast. The heaviest adults from all three regions could reach the Nile Valley or the Red Sea coast in one non-stop flight. We suggest that Greenshanks at inland wetlands of Zimbabwe benefit from a
shorter return migration distance and lower competition than at the coasts, and abundant food during the entire austral summer in favourable years, but can move on to the coasts if conditions deteriorate.

Wader Study Group Bulletin, Jan 1, 2011

Journal of Ornithology, Jan 1, 2010

Ornis Fennica, Jan 1, 2006

BULLETIN-WADER …, Jan 1, 2008

The pattern of moult in Wood Sandpipers Tringa glareola is not well described, due to the limited... more The pattern of moult in Wood Sandpipers Tringa glareola is not well described, due to the limited availability of data. It is generally considered that in the majority of adult Wood Sandpipers moult does not commence until they have reached their tropical or subtropical ...

Ornis Fennica, Jan 1, 2012

Ornis Svecica, Jan 1, 2007