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Consistency in long-distance bird migration: Contrasting patterns in time and space for two raptors

Vardanis, Yannis LU ; Nilsson, Jan-Åke LU ; Klaassen, Raymond H. G. ; Strandberg, Roine LU and Alerstam, Thomas LU (2016) In Animal Behaviour 113. p.177-187
Abstract
As the evolutionary responses to environmental change depend on selection acting on individual differences,
disentangling within- and between-individual variation becomes imperative. In animal
migration research, multiyear tracks are thus needed to estimate the individual consistency of phenotypic
traits. Avian telemetry studies have recently provided the first evidence of individuality across
space and time in animal migration. Here, we compare repeatability patterns of routes and timing between
two migratory birds, the marsh harrier, Circus aeruginosus, and the osprey, Pandion haliaetus, as
recorded by satellite tracking. We found interspecific contrasts with low repeatability in timing and
duration and a high... (More)
As the evolutionary responses to environmental change depend on selection acting on individual differences,
disentangling within- and between-individual variation becomes imperative. In animal
migration research, multiyear tracks are thus needed to estimate the individual consistency of phenotypic
traits. Avian telemetry studies have recently provided the first evidence of individuality across
space and time in animal migration. Here, we compare repeatability patterns of routes and timing between
two migratory birds, the marsh harrier, Circus aeruginosus, and the osprey, Pandion haliaetus, as
recorded by satellite tracking. We found interspecific contrasts with low repeatability in timing and
duration and a high repeatability in routes for ospreys, but the reverse pattern for marsh harriers. This
was mainly caused by (1) larger between-individual variation in routes for ospreys (broad-front
migration) than for marsh harriers (corridor migration) and a higher degree of repeated use of the same
stopover sites among ospreys, and (2) higher within-individual consistency of timing and duration
among marsh harriers, while individual ospreys were more flexible. Our findings suggest that individuality
in space and time is not a shared trait complex among migrants, but may show adaptive
variation depending on the species' life history and ecology. (Less)
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; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
bird migration;, consistency, individual variation, marsh harrier, osprey, satellite telemetry
in
Animal Behaviour
volume
113
pages
177 - 187
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • scopus:84956645300
  • wos:000371257300022
ISSN
0003-3472
DOI
10.1016/j.anbehav.2015.12.014
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
5f2e92b7-7b51-4d75-b82f-b4a0bbb22e49
date added to LUP
2016-04-25 15:17:13
date last changed
2022-03-31 23:25:25
@article{5f2e92b7-7b51-4d75-b82f-b4a0bbb22e49,
  abstract     = {{As the evolutionary responses to environmental change depend on selection acting on individual differences,<br/>disentangling within- and between-individual variation becomes imperative. In animal<br/>migration research, multiyear tracks are thus needed to estimate the individual consistency of phenotypic<br/>traits. Avian telemetry studies have recently provided the first evidence of individuality across<br/>space and time in animal migration. Here, we compare repeatability patterns of routes and timing between<br/>two migratory birds, the marsh harrier, Circus aeruginosus, and the osprey, Pandion haliaetus, as<br/>recorded by satellite tracking. We found interspecific contrasts with low repeatability in timing and<br/>duration and a high repeatability in routes for ospreys, but the reverse pattern for marsh harriers. This<br/>was mainly caused by (1) larger between-individual variation in routes for ospreys (broad-front<br/>migration) than for marsh harriers (corridor migration) and a higher degree of repeated use of the same<br/>stopover sites among ospreys, and (2) higher within-individual consistency of timing and duration<br/>among marsh harriers, while individual ospreys were more flexible. Our findings suggest that individuality<br/>in space and time is not a shared trait complex among migrants, but may show adaptive<br/>variation depending on the species' life history and ecology.}},
  author       = {{Vardanis, Yannis and Nilsson, Jan-Åke and Klaassen, Raymond H. G. and Strandberg, Roine and Alerstam, Thomas}},
  issn         = {{0003-3472}},
  keywords     = {{bird migration;; consistency; individual variation; marsh harrier; osprey; satellite telemetry}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{02}},
  pages        = {{177--187}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Animal Behaviour}},
  title        = {{Consistency in long-distance bird migration: Contrasting patterns in time and space for two raptors}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2015.12.014}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.anbehav.2015.12.014}},
  volume       = {{113}},
  year         = {{2016}},
}