Seasonal modulation of flight speed among nocturnal passerine migrants: differences between short- and long-distance migrants
Nilsson, Cecilia LU
; Bäckman, Johan
LU
and Alerstam, Thomas
LU
(2014)
In Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology
68(11).
p.1799-1807
- Abstract
- Migrating birds are expected to fly at higher airspeeds when minimizing time rather than energy costs of their migratory journeys. Spring migration has often been suggested to be more time selected than autumn migration, because of the advantage of early arrival at breeding sites. We have earlier demonstrated that nocturnal passerine migrants fly at higher airspeeds during spring compared to autumn, supporting time-selected spring migration. In this study, we test the hypothesis that seasonal airspeeds are modulated differently between short- and long-distance migrants, because of a stronger element of time selection for autumn migration over long distances. In support of this hypothesis, we demonstrate that the seasonal difference in... (More)
- Migrating birds are expected to fly at higher airspeeds when minimizing time rather than energy costs of their migratory journeys. Spring migration has often been suggested to be more time selected than autumn migration, because of the advantage of early arrival at breeding sites. We have earlier demonstrated that nocturnal passerine migrants fly at higher airspeeds during spring compared to autumn, supporting time-selected spring migration. In this study, we test the hypothesis that seasonal airspeeds are modulated differently between short- and long-distance migrants, because of a stronger element of time selection for autumn migration over long distances. In support of this hypothesis, we demonstrate that the seasonal difference in airspeed is significantly larger (spring airspeed exceeding autumn airspeed by a factor of 1.16 after correcting for the influence of altitude, wind and climb/descent on airspeed) among short-distance compared to long-distance (factor 1.12) migrants. This result is based on a large sample of tracking radar data from 3 years at Falsterbo, South Sweden. Short-distance migrants also tend to fly with more favourable winds during autumn, indicating relaxed time constraints (being able to afford to wait for favourable winds) compared to long-distance migrants. These results indicate surprisingly fine-tuned seasonal modulation of airspeed and responses to wind, associated with behavioural strategies adapted to different levels of time selection pressures during spring and autumn migration. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/4698989
- author
- Nilsson, Cecilia
LU
; Bäckman, Johan
LU
and Alerstam, Thomas
LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2014
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- in
- Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology
- volume
- 68
- issue
- 11
- pages
- 1799 - 1807
- publisher
- Springer
- external identifiers
-
- wos:000343874100008
- scopus:85027946062
- ISSN
- 1432-0762
- DOI
- 10.1007/s00265-014-1789-5
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 5c7c6580-526d-4a0d-bdd1-9c481b1f849f (old id 4698989)
- date added to LUP
- 2016-04-01 13:44:20
- date last changed
- 2022-04-21 23:15:47
@article{5c7c6580-526d-4a0d-bdd1-9c481b1f849f,
abstract = {{Migrating birds are expected to fly at higher airspeeds when minimizing time rather than energy costs of their migratory journeys. Spring migration has often been suggested to be more time selected than autumn migration, because of the advantage of early arrival at breeding sites. We have earlier demonstrated that nocturnal passerine migrants fly at higher airspeeds during spring compared to autumn, supporting time-selected spring migration. In this study, we test the hypothesis that seasonal airspeeds are modulated differently between short- and long-distance migrants, because of a stronger element of time selection for autumn migration over long distances. In support of this hypothesis, we demonstrate that the seasonal difference in airspeed is significantly larger (spring airspeed exceeding autumn airspeed by a factor of 1.16 after correcting for the influence of altitude, wind and climb/descent on airspeed) among short-distance compared to long-distance (factor 1.12) migrants. This result is based on a large sample of tracking radar data from 3 years at Falsterbo, South Sweden. Short-distance migrants also tend to fly with more favourable winds during autumn, indicating relaxed time constraints (being able to afford to wait for favourable winds) compared to long-distance migrants. These results indicate surprisingly fine-tuned seasonal modulation of airspeed and responses to wind, associated with behavioural strategies adapted to different levels of time selection pressures during spring and autumn migration.}},
author = {{Nilsson, Cecilia and Bäckman, Johan and Alerstam, Thomas}},
issn = {{1432-0762}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{11}},
pages = {{1799--1807}},
publisher = {{Springer}},
series = {{Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology}},
title = {{Seasonal modulation of flight speed among nocturnal passerine migrants: differences between short- and long-distance migrants}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00265-014-1789-5}},
doi = {{10.1007/s00265-014-1789-5}},
volume = {{68}},
year = {{2014}},
}