Timing of spring departure of long distance migrants correlates with previous year's conditions at their breeding site (original) (raw)
Related papers
Research Square (Research Square), 2020
Background: Departure decisions in long-distance migratory bird species may depend on favourable weather conditions and bene cial resources at the destination location, overarched by genetic triggers. However, few studies have tried to validate the signi cance of these three concepts simultaneously, and long-term, high-resolution tagging datasets recording individual movements across consecutive years are scarce. We used such a dataset to explore intraspeci c and intra-individual variabilities in departure and arrival decisions from/to wintering grounds in relation to these three different concepts in bird migration. Methods: We equipped 23 curlews (Numenius arquata) wintering in the Wadden Sea with Global Positioning System data loggers to record their spatio-temporal patterns of departure from and arrival at their wintering site, and the rst part of their migration. We obtained data for 42 migrations over 6 years, with 12 individuals performing repeat migrations in consecutive years. Departure and arrival dates were related to 73 meteorological and bird-related predictors using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) to identify drivers of departure and arrival decisions. Results: Curlews migrated almost exclusively to Arctic and sub-Arctic Russia for breeding. They left their wintering site mainly during the evening from mid-to late April and returned between the end of June and mid-July. There was no difference in departure times between the sexes. Weather parameters did not impact departure decisions; if departure days coincided with headwind conditions, the birds accounted for this by ying at higher altitudes of up to several kilometres. Curlews breeding further away in areas with late snowmelt departed later. Departures dates varied by only <4 days in individual curlews tagged over consecutive years. Conclusions: These results suggest that the trigger for migration in a long-distance migrant is largely independent of weather conditions but is subject to resource availability in breeding areas. The high intraindividual repeatability of departure days among subsequent years and the lack of relationship to weather parameters suggest the importance of genetic triggers in prompting the start of migration. Further insights into the timing of migration in immatures and closely related birds might help to further unravel the genetic mechanisms triggering migration patterns.
2020
Background: Choosing the appropriate time to depart for spring migration is crucial to achieving a successful subsequent breeding season among migratory bird species. We expected Eurasian Curlews (Numenius arquata) to start their migration during favourable weather conditions and to adjust their flight heights to prevailing wind conditions.Methods: We equipped 23 curlews with Global Positioning System data loggers to record the spatio-temporal patterns of their departure from and arrival at their wintering site in the Wadden Sea, as well as the first part of their migration. We obtained data for 42 curlew migrations over a period of 6 years. Departure and arrival dates were related to 73 meteorological and bird-related predictors using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) to identify drivers of departure and arrival decisions.Results: Curlews migrated almost exclusively to the western part of Russia for breeding. They left the Wadden Sea mainly during the even...
Local Temperature Fine-Tunes the Timing of Spring Migration in Birds
Integrative and Comparative Biology, 2010
Synopsis Evidence for climate-driven phenological changes is rapidly increasing at all trophic levels. Our current poor knowledge of the detailed control of bird migration from the level of genes and hormonal control to direct physiological and behavioral responses hampers our ability to understand and predict consequences of climatic change for migratory birds. In order to better understand migration phenology and adaptation in environmental changes, we here assess the scale at which weather affects timing of spring migration in passerine birds. We use three commonly used proxies of spring-time climatic conditions: (1) vegetation ''greenness'' (NDVI) in Europe, (2) local spring temperatures in northern Europe, and (3) the North Atlantic Oscillation Index (NAO) as predictors of the phenology of avian migration as well as the strength of their effect on different subsets of populations and the dependence of correlations on species-specific migratory strategy. We analyze phenological patterns of the entire spring migration period in 12 Palaearctic passerine species, drawing on long-term data collected at three locations along a longitudinal gradient situated close to their northern European breeding area. Local temperature was the best single predictor of phenology with the highest explanatory power achieved in combination with NAO. Furthermore, early individuals are more affected by climatic variation compared to individuals on later passage, indicating that climatic change affects subsets of migratory populations differentially. Species wintering closer to the breeding areas were affected more than were those travelling longer distances and this pattern was strongest for the earliest subsets of the population. Overall, our results suggest that at least early subsets of the population are affected by local conditions and early birds use local conditions to fine-tune the date of their spring arrival while individuals arriving later are driven by other factors than local conditions e.g. endogenous control. Understanding what cues migratory organisms use to arrive at an optimum time is important for increasing our knowledge of fundamental issues like decision making in organisms during migration and is crucial for future protection of migratory organisms.
Variation in climate warming along the migration route uncouples arrival and breeding dates
Global Change Biology, 2004
Migratory species are of special concern in the face of global climate change, since they may be affected by changes in the wintering area, along the migration route and at the breeding grounds. Here we show that migration and breeding times of a trans-Saharan migrant, the pied flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca, closely follow local temperatures along the migration route and at the breeding grounds. Because of differences in long-term temperature trends of short within-spring periods, the migration period and the time interval between migration and breeding dates of this species have extended in SW Finland. Temperatures in northern parts of Central Europe have risen at the time when the first migrants arrive there, facilitating their migration northward. Temperatures later in the spring have not changed, and the last individuals arrive at the same time as before. The timing of breeding has not advanced because temperatures at the breeding site after arrival have not changed. These results show that the pied flycatchers can speed up their migration in response to rising temperatures along the migration route. Our results strongly indicate that the effects of climate change have to be studied at the appropriate time and geographical scales for each species and population concerned.
Adjustment to climate change is constrained by arrival date in a long-distance migrant bird
Nature, 2001
Spring temperatures in temperate regions have increased over the past 20 years, and many organisms have responded to this increase by advancing the date of their growth and reproduction. Here we show that adaptation to climate change in a long-distance migrant is constrained by the timing of its migratory journey. For long-distance migrants climate change may advance the phenology of their breeding areas, but the timing of some species' spring migration relies on endogenous rhythms that are not affected by climate change. Thus, the spring migration of these species will not advance even though they need to arrive earlier on their breeding grounds to breed at the appropriate time. We show that the migratory pied flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca has advanced its laying date over the past 20 years. This temporal shift has been insufficient, however, as indicated by increased selection for earlier breeding over the same period. The shift is hampered by its spring arrival date, which ha...
Journal of Animal Ecology, 2014
1. Herbivorous birds are hypothesized to migrate in spring along a seasonal gradient of plant profitability towards their breeding grounds (green wave hypothesis). For Arctic breeding species in particular, following highly profitable food is important, so that they can replenish resources along the way and arrive in optimal body condition to start breeding early. 2. We compared the timing of migratory movements of Arctic breeding geese on different flyways to examine whether flyways differed in the predictability of spring conditions at stopovers and whether this was reflected in the degree to which birds were following the green wave. 3. Barnacle geese (Branta leucopsis) were tracked with solar GPS/ARGOS PTTs from their wintering grounds to breeding sites in Greenland (N = 7), Svalbard (N = 21) and the Barents Sea (N = 12). The numerous stopover sites of all birds were combined into a set of 16 general stopover regions. 4. The predictability of climatic conditions along the flyways was calculated as the correlation and slope between onsets of spring at consecutive stopovers. These values differed between sites, mainly because of the presence or absence of ecological barriers. Goose arrival at stopovers was more closely tied to the local onset of spring when predictability was higher and when geese attempted breeding that year. 5. All birds arrived at early stopovers after the onset of spring and arrived at the breeding grounds before the onset of spring, thus overtaking the green wave. This is in accordance with patterns expected for capital breeders: first, they must come into condition; at intermediate stopovers, arrival with the food quality peak is important to stay in condition, and at the breeding grounds, early arrival is favoured so that hatching of young can coincide with the peak of food quality. 6. Our results suggest that a chain of correlations between climatic conditions at subsequent stopovers enables geese to closely track the green wave. However, the birds' precision of migratory timing seems uninfluenced by ecological barriers, indicating partly fixed migration schedules. These might become non-optimal due to climate warming and preclude accurate timing of long-distance migrants in the future.
Annual rhythms that underlie phenology: biological time-keeping meets environmental change
Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 2013
Seasonal recurrence of biological processes (phenology) and its relationship to environmental change is recognized as being of key scientific and public concern, but its current study largely overlooks the extent to which phenology is based on biological time-keeping mechanisms. We highlight the relevance of physiological and neurobiological regulation for organisms' responsiveness to environmental conditions. Focusing on avian and mammalian examples, we describe circannual rhythmicity of reproduction, migration and hibernation, and address responses of animals to photic and thermal conditions. Climate change and urbanization are used as urgent examples of anthropogenic influences that put biological timing systems under pressure. We furthermore propose that consideration of Homo sapiens as principally a 'seasonal animal' can inspire new perspectives for understanding medical and psychological problems.
Circannual basis of geographically distinct bird schedules
Journal of Experimental Biology, 2009
Most environments are to some extent seasonal. Their inhabitants time annual activities like reproduction, germination, pupation, moult, hibernation or migration to match the changing seasons and often anticipate conducive conditions well in advance. Seasonal activities must be accurately timed because mismatches with the environment can have severe fitness consequences; however, the particular timing differs considerably with species ecology, environmental seasonality and year-to-year conditions . Understanding the intricacies of timing has become of urgent interest in view of the disconcerting rate of global change and its implications for seasonality . Birds, as a highly visible group, are regarded as sentinels of change and their scheduling is particularly well documented (e.g. .
Birds use individually consistent temperature cues to time their migration departure
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2021
Significance Whether migratory populations are preadapted or constrained in responding to global climate change largely depends on which cues individuals use when deciding to start their migration. The identity of these cues is revealed by whether response thresholds are consistent within, but differ between, individuals (“repeatability”). By satellite tracking 48 individuals across multiple migrations, we show that 1) Asian houbara used the environmental cue of local temperature, which was correlated between wintering and breeding grounds, to time their spring migration departure; 2) departure responses to temperature varied between individuals but were individually repeatable; and 3) individuals’ use of temperature as a cue allowed for adaptive population-level change in migration timing, relative to annual variation in spring temperatures.
Time, geography and weather provide insights into the ecological strategy of a migrant species
The Science of the total environment, 2019
Farmland and migratory bird populations are in decline. The Common quail (Coturnix coturnix) provides an exception to this trend and its populations have remained stable over the last two decades. However, some basic facts regarding quail biology and ecology, such as the geographic distribution of age and sex classes during the summer, remain poorly understood. We analyzed 43,194 Spanish quail ringing records from 1961 to 2014 to assess the effects of geography and weather conditions on the probability that individuals will be ringed during the various stages of their annual cycle (arrival -spring migration-, stationary breeding period, departure -autumn migration- and winter) for the different quail age-sex classes over time. We found that spatial distribution of the age and sex classes can be explained by date, latitude, longitude, altitude, rainfall, and temperature. Our results suggest that date accounts for most of the variation in the distribution of quail age classes, followe...