Using accelerometry to compare costs of extended migration in an arctic herbivore

Mitch D Weegman, Stuart Bearhop, Geoff M. Hilton, Alyn J. Walsh, Larry Griffin, Yehezkel Resheff, Ran Nathan, Anthony David Fox

    Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskrift/Konferencebidrag i tidsskrift /Bidrag til avisTidsskriftartikelForskningpeer review

    23 Citationer (Scopus)
    136 Downloads (Pure)

    Abstract

    Understanding how individuals manage costs during the migration period is challenging because individuals are difficult to follow between sites; the advent of hybrid Global Positioning System-acceleration (ACC) tracking devices enables researchers to link spatial and temporal attributes of avian migration with behavior for the first time ever. We fitted these devices on male Greenland white-fronted geese Anser albifrons flavirostris wintering at 2 sites (Loch Ken, Scotland and Wexford, Ireland) to understand whether birds migrating further during spring fed more on wintering and staging areas in advance of migration episodes. Although Irish birds flew significantly further (ca. 300 km) than Scottish birds during spring, their cumulative hours of migratory flight, flight speed during migration, and overall dynamic body ACC (i.e., a proxy for energy expenditure) were not significantly different. Further, Irish birds did not feed significantly more or expend significantly more energy in advance of migration episodes. These results suggest broad individual plasticity in this species, although Scottish birds arriving on breeding areas in Greenland with greater energy stores (because they migrated less) may be better prepared for food scarcity, which might increase their reproductive success.

    OriginalsprogEngelsk
    TidsskriftCurrent Zoology
    Vol/bind63
    Nummer6
    Sider (fra-til)667-674
    Antal sider8
    ISSN1674-5507
    DOI
    StatusUdgivet - 1 dec. 2017

    Fingeraftryk

    Dyk ned i forskningsemnerne om 'Using accelerometry to compare costs of extended migration in an arctic herbivore'. Sammen danner de et unikt fingeraftryk.

    Citationsformater