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Do partial and regular migrants differ in their responses to weather?

Nilsson, Anna LU ; Alerstam, Thomas LU and Nilsson, Jan-Åke LU (2006) In The Auk 123(2). p.537-547
Abstract
Partial migration is often considered a transitory stage between migration and residency, and whether partial migrants take weather conditions into account during migration is largely unknown. To assess whether partial migrants differ from regular migrants in their responses to weather, we compared the migratory intensity of a partial migrant, the Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus), with more regular migrants in relation to weather at a migratory passage site in southern Sweden (Falsterbo) during the years 1993-2002. The regular migrants in the study were Linnet (Carduelis cannabina), Common Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs), Brambling (F. montifringilla), and European Robin (Erithactis rubecula). The Blue Tit differed from the regular migrants... (More)
Partial migration is often considered a transitory stage between migration and residency, and whether partial migrants take weather conditions into account during migration is largely unknown. To assess whether partial migrants differ from regular migrants in their responses to weather, we compared the migratory intensity of a partial migrant, the Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus), with more regular migrants in relation to weather at a migratory passage site in southern Sweden (Falsterbo) during the years 1993-2002. The regular migrants in the study were Linnet (Carduelis cannabina), Common Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs), Brambling (F. montifringilla), and European Robin (Erithactis rubecula). The Blue Tit differed from the regular migrants mainly in showing a striking negative correlation between migratory activity and cloud cover. Also, weather had the highest explanatory power for migratory intensity in the Blue Tit. This suggests that the Blue Tit is more sensitive to weather conditions on migration than the regular migrants and that it preferably awaits days with wholly or partly clear skies before migrating past Falsterbo. As a consequence, Blue Tits usually restrict their migratory flights to the safest occasions, with relatively calm weather, good visibility, and all orientation cues (solar as well as magnetic) available. (Less)
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author
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
The Auk
volume
123
issue
2
pages
537 - 547
publisher
Oxford University Press
external identifiers
  • wos:000237442500021
  • scopus:33646676045
ISSN
0004-8038
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
83955e7b-399d-4583-88d6-55652a045ed9 (old id 159578)
alternative location
http://www.bioone.org/archive/0004-8038/123/2/pdf/i0004-8038-123-2-537.pdf
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 16:38:59
date last changed
2024-01-11 12:04:23
@article{83955e7b-399d-4583-88d6-55652a045ed9,
  abstract     = {{Partial migration is often considered a transitory stage between migration and residency, and whether partial migrants take weather conditions into account during migration is largely unknown. To assess whether partial migrants differ from regular migrants in their responses to weather, we compared the migratory intensity of a partial migrant, the Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus), with more regular migrants in relation to weather at a migratory passage site in southern Sweden (Falsterbo) during the years 1993-2002. The regular migrants in the study were Linnet (Carduelis cannabina), Common Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs), Brambling (F. montifringilla), and European Robin (Erithactis rubecula). The Blue Tit differed from the regular migrants mainly in showing a striking negative correlation between migratory activity and cloud cover. Also, weather had the highest explanatory power for migratory intensity in the Blue Tit. This suggests that the Blue Tit is more sensitive to weather conditions on migration than the regular migrants and that it preferably awaits days with wholly or partly clear skies before migrating past Falsterbo. As a consequence, Blue Tits usually restrict their migratory flights to the safest occasions, with relatively calm weather, good visibility, and all orientation cues (solar as well as magnetic) available.}},
  author       = {{Nilsson, Anna and Alerstam, Thomas and Nilsson, Jan-Åke}},
  issn         = {{0004-8038}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{537--547}},
  publisher    = {{Oxford University Press}},
  series       = {{The Auk}},
  title        = {{Do partial and regular migrants differ in their responses to weather?}},
  url          = {{http://www.bioone.org/archive/0004-8038/123/2/pdf/i0004-8038-123-2-537.pdf}},
  volume       = {{123}},
  year         = {{2006}},
}