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Causes and characteristics of reverse bird migration : An analysis based on radar, radio tracking and ringing at Falsterbo, Sweden

Nilsson, Cecilia LU orcid and Sjöberg, Sissel LU (2016) In Journal of Avian Biology 47(3). p.354-362
Abstract

That birds migrate in the reverse direction of the expected is a phenomenon of regular occurrence which has been observed at many sites. Here we use three different methods; tracking radar, radiotelemetry and ringing, to characterize the flights of these reverse migrants and investigate possible causes of reverse migration of nocturnally migrating passerines during autumn migration at Falsterbo peninsula, Sweden. Using these different methods we investigated both internal factors, such as age and fuel load, and external factors such as weather variables, competition and predation risk. Birds flying in the reverse direction were more likely to be lean and to be juveniles. Reverse migration was also more common with overcast skies and... (More)

That birds migrate in the reverse direction of the expected is a phenomenon of regular occurrence which has been observed at many sites. Here we use three different methods; tracking radar, radiotelemetry and ringing, to characterize the flights of these reverse migrants and investigate possible causes of reverse migration of nocturnally migrating passerines during autumn migration at Falsterbo peninsula, Sweden. Using these different methods we investigated both internal factors, such as age and fuel load, and external factors such as weather variables, competition and predation risk. Birds flying in the reverse direction were more likely to be lean and to be juveniles. Reverse migration was also more common with overcast skies and winds with north and east components. We did not find any effect of temperature, visibility, number of migrating sparrowhawks, or the total number of ringed birds at the site on the day of departure. We found that reverse migration is characterized by slower flight speeds (airspeed) at high altitudes and that it takes place later in the night than forward migration.

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author
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Journal of Avian Biology
volume
47
issue
3
pages
9 pages
publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
external identifiers
  • scopus:84947969007
  • wos:000384685500007
ISSN
0908-8857
DOI
10.1111/jav.00707
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
89f12fa0-e641-4e81-86b9-3aa98745c175
date added to LUP
2016-07-04 11:13:07
date last changed
2024-07-26 15:11:12
@article{89f12fa0-e641-4e81-86b9-3aa98745c175,
  abstract     = {{<p>That birds migrate in the reverse direction of the expected is a phenomenon of regular occurrence which has been observed at many sites. Here we use three different methods; tracking radar, radiotelemetry and ringing, to characterize the flights of these reverse migrants and investigate possible causes of reverse migration of nocturnally migrating passerines during autumn migration at Falsterbo peninsula, Sweden. Using these different methods we investigated both internal factors, such as age and fuel load, and external factors such as weather variables, competition and predation risk. Birds flying in the reverse direction were more likely to be lean and to be juveniles. Reverse migration was also more common with overcast skies and winds with north and east components. We did not find any effect of temperature, visibility, number of migrating sparrowhawks, or the total number of ringed birds at the site on the day of departure. We found that reverse migration is characterized by slower flight speeds (airspeed) at high altitudes and that it takes place later in the night than forward migration.</p>}},
  author       = {{Nilsson, Cecilia and Sjöberg, Sissel}},
  issn         = {{0908-8857}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{05}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{354--362}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
  series       = {{Journal of Avian Biology}},
  title        = {{Causes and characteristics of reverse bird migration : An analysis based on radar, radio tracking and ringing at Falsterbo, Sweden}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jav.00707}},
  doi          = {{10.1111/jav.00707}},
  volume       = {{47}},
  year         = {{2016}},
}