Red-spotted Bluethroats Luscinia s. svecica migrate along the Indo-European flyway: a geolocator study |
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| Authors: | Terje Lislevand Bohumír Chutný Ingvar Byrkjedal Václav Pavel Martins Briedis Peter Adamik |
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| Institution: | 1. University Museum of Bergen, University of Bergen, PO Box 7800, Bergen N-5020, Norwayterje.lislevand@um.uib.no;3. Malinová 1650/27, Praha 10, Prague CZ-106 00, Czech Republic;4. Department of Zoology, Palacky University, trˇ. 17. listopadu 50, Olomouc CZ-771 46, Czech Republic;5. University Museum of Bergen, University of Bergen, PO Box 7800, Bergen N-5020, Norway;6. Department of Zoology, Palacky University, trˇ. 17. listopadu 50, Olomouc CZ-771 46, Czech Republic |
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| Abstract: | Capsule Red-spotted Bluethroats Luscinia s. svecica from two European breeding populations spent the boreal winter on the Indian sub-continent.Aim Tracking the migration of Red-spotted Bluethroats from Europe to the hitherto unknown non-breeding areas and back.Methods Light-level geolocators were deployed on male Bluethroats at breeding sites in the Czech Republic (n?=?10) and in Norway (n?=?30). Recorded light intensity data were used to estimate the locations of non-breeding sites and migration phenology during the annual cycle.Results Bluethroats spent the boreal winter in India (n?=?3) and Pakistan (n?=?1), on average more than 6000?km from their breeding areas. Autumn migration started in August (n?=?1) or early September (n?=?2), and lasted for 26–74 days. Spring migration commenced on 8 and 9 April (n?=?2) and lasted for about a month. During both autumn and spring migration, birds stopped over two or three times for more than 3 days.Conclusion This study for the first time showed where Red-spotted Bluethroats from European breeding populations stay during the boreal winter. This seems to be the first time that a passerine bird has been tracked along the Indo-European flyway. |
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