Autumn migratory orientation and route choice in early and late dunlins Calidris alpina captured at a stopover site in Alaska
Åkesson, Susanne LU ; Grönroos, Johanna LU and Bianco, Giuseppe LU
(2021)
In Biology Open
10(4).
- Abstract
We investigated the migratory orientation of early and late captured dunlins, Calidris alpina, by recording their migratory activity in circular orientation cages during autumn at a staging site in southwest Alaska and performed route simulations to the wintering areas. Two races of dunlins breeding in Alaska have different wintering grounds in North America (Pacific Northwest), and East Asia. Dunlins caught early in autumn (presumably Calidris alpinapacifica) oriented towards their wintering areas (east-southeast; ESE) supporting the idea that they migrate nonstop over the Gulf of Alaska to the Pacific Northwest. We found no difference in orientation between adult and juveniles, nor between fat and lean birds or under clear and... (More)
We investigated the migratory orientation of early and late captured dunlins, Calidris alpina, by recording their migratory activity in circular orientation cages during autumn at a staging site in southwest Alaska and performed route simulations to the wintering areas. Two races of dunlins breeding in Alaska have different wintering grounds in North America (Pacific Northwest), and East Asia. Dunlins caught early in autumn (presumably Calidris alpinapacifica) oriented towards their wintering areas (east-southeast; ESE) supporting the idea that they migrate nonstop over the Gulf of Alaska to the Pacific Northwest. We found no difference in orientation between adult and juveniles, nor between fat and lean birds or under clear and overcast skies demonstrating that age, energetic status and cloud cover did not affect the dunlins' migratory orientation. Later in autumn, we recorded orientation responses towards south-southwest suggesting arrival of the northern subspecies Calidris alpinaarcticola at our site. Route simulations revealed multiple compass mechanisms were compatible with the initial direction of early dunlins wintering in the Pacific Northwest, and for late dunlins migrating to East Asia. Future high-resolution tracking would reveal routes, stopover use including local movements and possible course shifts during migration from Alaska to wintering sites on both sides of the north Pacific Ocean.
(Less)
- author
- Åkesson, Susanne
LU
; Grönroos, Johanna
LU
and Bianco, Giuseppe
LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2021-04-15
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Bird migration, Magnetic compass, Orientation, Route simulation, Sun compass
- in
- Biology Open
- volume
- 10
- issue
- 4
- publisher
- The Company of Biologists Ltd
- external identifiers
-
- pmid:33913474
- scopus:85105098253
- ISSN
- 2046-6390
- DOI
- 10.1242/bio.058655
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- f5cf7cb5-6067-4527-b098-12c5cb6bea34
- date added to LUP
- 2021-05-21 16:03:09
- date last changed
- 2024-06-01 10:44:22
@article{f5cf7cb5-6067-4527-b098-12c5cb6bea34,
abstract = {{<p>We investigated the migratory orientation of early and late captured dunlins, Calidris alpina, by recording their migratory activity in circular orientation cages during autumn at a staging site in southwest Alaska and performed route simulations to the wintering areas. Two races of dunlins breeding in Alaska have different wintering grounds in North America (Pacific Northwest), and East Asia. Dunlins caught early in autumn (presumably Calidris alpinapacifica) oriented towards their wintering areas (east-southeast; ESE) supporting the idea that they migrate nonstop over the Gulf of Alaska to the Pacific Northwest. We found no difference in orientation between adult and juveniles, nor between fat and lean birds or under clear and overcast skies demonstrating that age, energetic status and cloud cover did not affect the dunlins' migratory orientation. Later in autumn, we recorded orientation responses towards south-southwest suggesting arrival of the northern subspecies Calidris alpinaarcticola at our site. Route simulations revealed multiple compass mechanisms were compatible with the initial direction of early dunlins wintering in the Pacific Northwest, and for late dunlins migrating to East Asia. Future high-resolution tracking would reveal routes, stopover use including local movements and possible course shifts during migration from Alaska to wintering sites on both sides of the north Pacific Ocean.</p>}},
author = {{Åkesson, Susanne and Grönroos, Johanna and Bianco, Giuseppe}},
issn = {{2046-6390}},
keywords = {{Bird migration; Magnetic compass; Orientation; Route simulation; Sun compass}},
language = {{eng}},
month = {{04}},
number = {{4}},
publisher = {{The Company of Biologists Ltd}},
series = {{Biology Open}},
title = {{Autumn migratory orientation and route choice in early and late dunlins Calidris alpina captured at a stopover site in Alaska}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1242/bio.058655}},
doi = {{10.1242/bio.058655}},
volume = {{10}},
year = {{2021}},
}