Geographical and environmental factors affecting the distribution of wintering black storks Ciconia nigra in the Iberian Peninsula

Here we explore the environmental and geographical factors affecting the winter distribution of the black stork Ciconia nigra in the Iberian Peninsula, where an increasing number of individuals have remained to winter in the last two decades. We recorded 179 locations of 54 ringed individuals between 1988 and 2011 to map the species habitat suitability with MaxEnt, a machine‐learning technique based on the principle of maximum entropy. The migratory movements of 25 birds equipped with satellite transmitters were used to define the autumnal migratory flyway used by most storks crossing the Peninsula as well as to define the wintering period. The aim was to test if the number of wintering storks was positively correlated to habitat suitability and negatively correlated to the flyway distance. Data provided by an extensive count across Portugal and Spain during the 2012–2013 winter supported the findings that black storks were more abundant in areas of high habitat suitability close to the migratory flyway. This agrees with previous evidence on the role of migratory flyways in determining the distribution of some wintering birds in Iberia. A gap analysis reflected that just 12.3% of the suitable areas and 18.8% of individuals recorded during the 2012–2013 winter were included within the Special Protection Areas network of Portugal and Spain. Most of these birds were crowded in unprotected areas covered by rice fields (68% of individuals), a key habitat for the species.     

A method for differentiating between sedentary and migratory Blackcaps Sylvia atricapilla in wintering areas of southern Iberia

We used the morphological differentiation of southern, sedentary Iberian Blackcaps Sylvia atricapilla to distinguish them from migratory Blackcaps during the winter. To do so, we studied three morphometric traits (wing length, wing shape and tail length) of three migratory Iberian populations and two sedentary ones during the breeding season. We obtained a discriminant function which allowed us to differentiate the two population types (>90% correct classifications). We discuss the utility of the method for differentiating between sedentary and migratory Blackcaps in their sympatric wintering areas, as well as the implications of our results for the study and conservation of sedentary, perhaps differentiated Blackcaps in southern Iberia.     

Does wintering north or south of the Sahara correlate with timing and breeding performance in black‐tailed godwits?

Migrating long distances requires time and energy, and may interact with an individual's performance during breeding. These seasonal interactions in migratory animals are best described in populations with disjunct nonbreeding distributions. The black‐tailed godwit (Limosa limosa limosa), which breeds in agricultural grasslands in Western Europe, has such a disjunct nonbreeding distribution: The majority spend the nonbreeding season in West Africa, while a growing number winters north of the Sahara on the Iberian Peninsula. To test whether crossing the Sahara has an effect on breeding season phenology and reproductive parameters, we examined differences in the timing of arrival, breeding habitat quality, lay date, egg volume, and daily nest survival among godwits (154 females and 157 males), individually marked in a breeding area in the Netherlands for which wintering destination was known on the basis of resightings. We also examined whether individual repeatability in arrival date differed between birds wintering north or south of the Sahara. Contrary to expectation, godwits wintering south of the Sahara arrived two days earlier and initiated their clutch six days earlier than godwits wintering north of the Sahara. Arrival date was equally repeatable for both groups, and egg volume larger in birds wintering north of the Sahara. Despite these differences, we found no association between wintering location and the quality of breeding habitat or nest survival. This suggests that the crossing of an important ecological barrier and doubling of the migration distance, twice a year, do not have clear negative reproductive consequences for some long‐distance migrants.     

Around the Mediterranean: an extreme example of loop migration in a long‐distance migratory passerine

An important issue in migration research is how small‐bodied passerines pass over vast geographical barriers; in European–African avian migration, these are represented by the Mediterranean Sea and the Sahara Desert. Eastern (passing eastern Mediterranean), central (passing Apennine Peninsula) and western (via western Mediterranean) major migration flyways are distinguished for European migratory birds. The autumn and spring migration routes may differ (loop migration) and there could be a certain level of individual flexibility in how individuals navigate themselves during a single migration cycle. We used light‐level loggers to map migration routes of barn swallows Hirundo rustica breeding in the centre of a wide putative contact zone between the northeastern and southernwestern European populations that differ in migration flyways utilised and wintering grounds. Our data documented high variation in migration patterns and wintering sites of tracked birds (n = 19 individuals) from a single breeding colony, with evidence for loop migration in all but one of the tracked swallows. In general, two migratory strategies were distinguished. In the first, birds wintering in a belt stretching from southcentral to southern Africa that used an eastern route for both the spring and autumn migration, then shifted their spring migration eastwards (anti‐clockwise loops, n = 12). In the second, birds used an eastern or central route to their wintering grounds in central Africa, shifting the spring migration route westward (clockwise loops, n = 7). In addition, we observed an extremely wide clockwise loop migration encompassing the entire Mediterranean, with one individual utilising both the eastern (autumn) and western (spring) migratory flyway during a single annual migration cycle. Further investigation is needed to ascertain whether clockwise migratory loops encircling the entire Mediterranean also occur other small long‐distance passerine species.     

Do migratory pathways affect the regional abundance of wintering birds? A test in northern Spain

Aim The abundance distribution of organisms at regional scales is commonly interpreted as the result of spatial variation in habitat suitability. However, the possibility that geography itself may affect patterns of distribution has received less attention. For example, the abundance of wintering bird populations might be influenced by the cost of reaching areas located far away from the main migratory pathways. We studied the abundance distribution of three common migratory passerines (meadow pipits, Anthus pratensis; common chaffinches, Fringilla coelebs; and European robins, Erithacus rubecula) wintering in farmlands located in the 600‐km long Cantabrian coastal sector of northern Spain, roughly perpendicular to the west Pyrenean migratory pathway that drives European migrant birds into the Iberian Peninsula. Location The study area occupies a belt located between the Atlantic coast and the Cantabrian Mountains in northern Spain. Methods We counted wintering and breeding birds and measured the structure of vegetation and environmental variables (altitude, rainfall, temperature) in 68 farmlands distributed at different distances from the west Pyrenean migratory flyway. We also studied the distribution of birds ringed in central and northern Europe and recovered in the study area between October and February. Analyses were based on single univariate statistics (chi‐square tests), ordination by principal components analysis and multiple regression. Results Controlling for the effects of climate, vegetation structure and local abundance of breeding conspecifics, the winter abundance of all three species decreased with the distance from their main migratory route in the western Pyrenees. Such patterns fitted well to the observed distribution of ringing recoveries. Main conclusions Our results support a link between the movements of birds along the Pyrenean migratory pathway and their winter abundance in northern Spain. According to this view, the sectors located near the migratory pathway seem to be more easily occupied by migrants, supporting the idea that proximity to passage areas may explain the fine‐grain regional patterning of species abundance in wintering grounds.     

Migratory connectivity in a declining bird species: using feather isotopes to inform demographic modelling

Aim Conservation programmes for endangered migratory species or populations require locating and evaluating breeding, stopover and wintering areas. We used multiple stable isotopes in two endangered European populations of wrynecks, Jynx torquilla L., to locate wintering regions and assess the degree of migratory connectivity between breeding and wintering populations. Location Switzerland and Germany. Methods We analysed stable nitrogen (δ¹⁵N), carbon (δ¹³C) and hydrogen (δD) isotopes from wing feathers from two populations of wrynecks to infer their wintering origins and to assess the strength of migratory connectivity. We tested whether variation in feather isotopic values within the Swiss population was affected by bird age and collection year and then considered differences in isotopic values between the two breeding populations. We used isotopic values of summer‐ and winter‐grown feathers to estimate seasonal distributions. Finally, we calculated a species‐specific δD discrimination factor between feathers and mean annual δD values to assign winter‐grown feathers to origin. Results Bird age and collection year caused substantial isotopic variation in winter‐grown feathers, which may be because of annually variable weather conditions, movements of birds among wintering sites and/or reflect asynchronous moulting or selection pressure. The large isotopic variance in winter‐grown feathers nevertheless suggested low migratory connectivity for each breeding population, with partially overlapping wintering regions for the two populations. Main conclusions Isotopic variance in winter‐grown feathers of two breeding populations of wrynecks and their geographical assignment point to defined, albeit overlapping, wintering areas, suggesting both leapfrog migration and low migratory connectivity. On this basis, integrative demographic models can be built looking at seasonal survival patterns with links to local environmental conditions on both breeding and wintering grounds, which may elucidate causes of declines in migratory bird species.     

Effects of habitat heterogeneity and local adaptation on the body condition of a forest passerine at the edge of its distributional range

We studied fluctuating asymmetry and feather growth rates as indicators of fitness of blackcaps ( Sylvia atricapilla ) breeding at the border of their distribution range in the Iberian Peninsula. Iberian blackcaps increase their abundance with increasing rainfall and ground cover of brambles. In border habitats, they are sedentary and morphologically different from migrants, suggesting that they could be adapted to peripheral conditions. We tested whether juvenile body condition depends on (1) distance from the centre of the range, (2) mean precipitation or (3) bramble cover. Controlling for environmental variation, we tested for differences between migratory and sedentary populations. Body condition varied across the Iberian gradient in parallel with changes in precipitation. Controlling for this effect, sedentary populations were in better body condition than migratory populations. Our results support the idea that environmental heterogeneity causes fitness to fluctuate across species' ranges, and also that local adaptation may mean that peripheral populations are more than a 'tail end' of the species.  © 2003 The Linnean Society of London . Biological Journal of the Linnean Society , 2003, 78 , 479–488.     

Habitat segregation by breeding origin in the declining populations of European Robins wintering in southern Iberia

Mediterranean woodlands and associated shrub formations of southern Iberia are key habitats for conservation of migratory birds. In some bird species, migratory and sedentary conspecifics meet in these areas during winter, but our understanding of how each population group is distributed over available habitats and the factors that determine their spatial organization are still unclear. This seriously limits our ability to assess their vulnerability to ongoing environmental changes affecting wintering habitats in this region. We used hydrogen isotopic signatures of feathers (δD_f) to shed light on the habitat distribution of seasonally sympatric European Robin Erithacus rubecula populations wintering in Campo de Gibraltar that are currently facing a drastic decline. In contrast to previous studies that used morphological methods to distinguish the migratory behaviour of wintering Robins in this area, our isotopic approach revealed that sedentary Robins were not outcompeted upon the arrival of migrants and remained in the woodlands where they reproduce, which agrees with results obtained in other regions. Interestingly, we also found that migratory Robins with a closer breeding origin (higher δD_f values) had a higher probability of occupying woodlands than did migrants coming from further away. Overall, our results suggest that the role of breeding origin in shaping the distribution of Robins during winter in Campo de Gibraltar is more relevant than the effects of sex, age or body size, which might facilitate the evolution of local adaptations for the exploitation of each habitat type.     

Demographic and spatial responses of resident bird populations to the arrival of migratory birds within an urban environment

Long-distance migration allows many bird species to overcome the severe climatic changes that occur in seasonal environments. Migration is highly demanding, and given its cyclical nature, we currently know that it has substantial effects on the population parameters of migratory birds during both breeding and wintering seasons. However, the potential effects of the presence of migratory birds in their wintering grounds on populations of resident birds have remain largely unexplored. Here, we propose the hypothesis that migratory birds negatively affect the habitat occupancy and population abundance of resident birds because of the arrival of numerous individuals during the most limiting months of the year. Here, we studied different species of migratory and resident birds that coexist during winter in an urban ecological reserve located within Mexico City. We used single-species multiseason occupancy models, two-species occupancy models, and distance sampling techniques to evaluate changes in occupancy and population density of resident bird species during three consecutive winters. We found an aggregation pattern between two resident species (Psaltriparus minimus and Thryomanes bewickii) with three migratory warblers (Cardellina pusilla, Setophaga coronata and Setophaga townsendi). Thus, our results provide evidence of the formation of mixed-species flocks in our study area. We also conclude that resident birds experience different demographic and behavioral processes during winter that not necessarily result from interspecific interactions with migratory birds.     

Light‐level geolocators reveal migratory connectivity in European populations of pied flycatchers Ficedula hypoleuca

Understanding what drives or prevents long‐distance migrants to respond to environmental change requires basic knowledge about the wintering and breeding grounds, and the timing of movements between them. Both strong and weak migratory connectivity have been reported for Palearctic passerines wintering in Africa, but this remains unknown for most species. We investigated whether pied flycatchers Ficedula hypoleuca from different breeding populations also differ in wintering locations in west‐Africa. Light‐level geolocator data revealed that flycatchers from different breeding populations travelled to different wintering sites, despite similarity in routes during most of the autumn migration. We found support for strong migratory connectivity showing an unexpected pattern: individuals breeding in Fennoscandia (S‐Finland and S‐Norway) wintered further west compared to individuals breeding at more southern latitudes in the Netherlands and SW‐United Kingdom. The same pattern was found in ring recovery data from sub‐Saharan Africa of individuals with confirmed breeding origin. Furthermore, population‐specific migratory connectivity was associated with geographical variation in breeding and migration phenology: birds from populations which breed and migrate earlier wintered further east than birds from ‘late’ populations. There was no indication that wintering locations were affected by geolocation deployment, as we found high repeatability and consistency in δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N stable isotope ratios of winter grown feathers of individuals with and without a geolocator. We discuss the potential ecological factors causing such an unexpected pattern of migratory connectivity. We hypothesise that population differences in wintering longitudes of pied flycatchers result from geographical variation in breeding phenology and the timing of fuelling for spring migration at the wintering grounds. Future research should aim at describing how temporal dynamics in food availability across the wintering range affects migration, wintering distribution and populations’ capacity to respond to environmental changes.     

Evolutionary aspects of migratory behavior in European warblers

During the past 20 years, European Sylvia warblers have been used for a model study of the control mechanisms of bird migration and of evolutionary aspects of migratory behavior. Endogenous annual rhythms (‘circannual’ rhythms) and photo-period have proved to be the essential internal and external controlling factors. It is unknown whether this basic system, that also controls migration in other bird species, is currently evolutionarily stable or is instead adapting birds to the present slightly changing environmental conditions. Using the Blackcap, the control of partial migration in a bird species was analyzed. Two-way selective breeding experiments demonstrated a large selection response and high heritability values. These experiments have also indicated that a partially migratory population can become either almost completely migratory, or sedentary, in two to five generations. Hence, genetic influences are very important and presumably dominant over environmental factors in the expression of migratory or sedentary behavior. The large selection response implies a strikingly high evolutionary potential with respect to strong selection pressures. Further, in the Blackcap, migratory orientation behavior (in addition to migratory activity) was immediately transmitted into a F₁-generation when a cross-breeding experiment was performed using birds from a migratory and a resident population. The hybrids displayed their migratory activity along an axis that is used by their migratory parents. Finally, a rapidly developing novel migratory habit (new migratory direction to new wintering areas) in the Blackcap is discussed with respect to a positive feedback-mechanism, possibly including a series of advantages leading to above-average fitness.     

Migration and winter distribution of Iberian and central European black storks Ciconia nigra moving to Africa across the Strait of Gibraltar: a comparative study

This paper compares the migratory movements of Iberian and central European satellite‐tagged black storks Ciconia nigra moving to Africa across the Strait of Gibraltar. Results show that the populations differ in departure dates from breeding areas (central European birds start to move 15 d before Iberian birds), cross the Strait of Gibraltar together and reach the Sahel on similar dates. This synchronic arrival to the Sahel may be related with the onset of suitable conditions for the species after summer rains, when many pools are available for fishing. In this area, Iberian birds occupied westernmost localities compared to central European birds crossing the Strait of Gibraltar, which were distributed closer to those storks arriving in Africa across the Bosporus. This suggests that the parallel distribution of breeding and wintering areas results from posterior rearrangements of the two populations crossing Gibraltar. These patterns appear to be linked to the increasing population of central European black storks located on the western side of the migratory divide that moves throughout the western flyway to sectors of the Sahel close to their ancestral wintering grounds.     

Continent-wide tracking to determine migratory connectivity and tropical habitat associations of a declining aerial insectivore

North American birds that feed on flying insects are experiencing steep population declines, particularly long-distance migratory populations in the northern breeding range. We determine, for the first time, the level of migratory connectivity across the range of a songbird using direct tracking of individuals, and test whether declining northern populations have higher exposure to agricultural landscapes at their non-breeding grounds in South America. We used light-level geolocators to track purple martins, Progne subis, originating from North American breeding populations, coast-to-coast (n = 95 individuals). We show that breeding populations of the eastern subspecies, P. s. subis, that are separated by ca. 2000 km, nevertheless have almost completely overlapping non-breeding ranges in Brazil. Most (76%) P. s. subis overwintered in northern Brazil near the Amazon River, not in the agricultural landscape of southern Brazil. Individual non-breeding sites had an average of 91 per cent forest and only 4 per cent agricultural ground cover within a 50 km radius, and birds originating from declining northern breeding populations were not more exposed to agricultural landscapes than stable southern breeding populations. Our results show that differences in wintering location and habitat do not explain recent trends in breeding population declines in this species, and instead northern populations may be constrained in their ability to respond to climate change.     

Comparative migration strategies of wild and captive‐bred Asian Houbara Chlamydotis macqueenii

For migratory species, the success of population reintroduction or reinforcement through captive‐bred released individuals depends on survivors undertaking appropriate migrations. We assess whether captive‐bred Asian Houbara Chlamydotis macqueenii from a breeding programme established with locally sourced individuals and released into suitable habitat during spring or summer undertake similar migrations to those of wild birds. Using satellite telemetry, we compare the migrations of 29 captive‐bred juveniles, 10 wild juveniles and 39 wild adults (including three birds first tracked as juveniles), examining migratory propensity (proportion migrating), timing, direction, stopover duration and frequency, efficiency (route deviation), and wintering and breeding season locations. Captive‐bred birds initiated autumn migration an average of 20.6 (±4.6 se) days later and wintered 470.8 km (±76.4) closer to the breeding grounds, mainly in Turkmenistan, northern Iran and Afghanistan, than wild birds, which migrated 1217.8 km (±76.4), predominantly wintering in southern Iran and Pakistan (juveniles and adults were similar). Wintering locations of four surviving captive‐bred birds were similar in subsequent years (median distance to first wintering site = 70.8 km, range 6.56–221.6 km), suggesting that individual captive‐bred birds (but not necessarily their progeny) remain faithful to their first wintering latitude. The migratory performance of captive‐bred birds was otherwise similar to that of wild juveniles. Although the long‐term fitness consequences for captive‐bred birds establishing wintering sites at the northern edge of those occupied by wild birds remain to be quantified, it is clear that the pattern of wild migrations established by long‐term selection is not replicated. If the shorter migration distance of young captive‐bred birds has a physiological rather than a genetic basis, then their progeny may still exhibit wild‐type migration. However, as there is a considerable genetic component to migration, captive breeding management must respect migratory population structure as well as natal and release‐site fidelity.     

Disentangling Migratory Routes and Wintering Grounds of Iberian Near-Threatened European Rollers Coracias garrulus

Long-distance migrants are suffering drastic declines in the last decades. Causes beneath this problem are complex due to the wide spatial and temporal scale involved. We aim to reveal migratory routes, stopover areas, wintering grounds, and migratory strategies for the most southwestern populations of the near-threatened European Roller Coracias garrulus in order to identify conservation key areas for the non-breeding stage of this species. To this end, we used tracking data from seven satellite transmitters fitted to birds breeding in different populations throughout the Iberian Peninsula and four geolocators fitted to individuals in a southeastern Iberian population. Precise satellite data were used to describe daily activity patterns and speed in relation to the main regions crossed during the migration. Individuals from the most southwestern Iberian populations made a detour towards the Atlantic African coast whereas those from northeastern populations followed a straight north-to-south route. We identified important stopover areas in the Sahel belt, mainly in the surroundings of the Lake Chad, and wintering grounds on southwestern Africa farther west than previously reported for the species. Concerning the migratory strategy, satellite data revealed: 1) a mainly nocturnal flying activity, 2) that migration speed depended on the type of crossed habitat, with higher average speed while crossing the desert; and 3) that the migration was slower and lasted longer in autumn than in spring. The studied populations showed weak migratory connectivity, suggesting the confluence of birds from a wide range of breeding grounds in a restricted wintering area. Therefore, we suggest to target on defining precisely key areas for this species and identifying specific threats in them in order to develop an appropriate global conservation programme for the European Roller.     

Investigating connectivity and seasonal differences in wind assistance in the migration of Common Sandpipers

Many migratory bird species have undergone recent population declines, but there is considerable variation in trends between species and between populations employing different migratory routes. Understanding species-specific migratory behaviours is therefore of critical importance for their conservation. The Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos is an Afro-Palaearctic migratory bird species whose European populations are in decline. We fitted geolocators to individuals breeding in England or wintering in Senegal to determine their migration routes and breeding or non-breeding locations. We used these geolocator data in combination with previously published data from Scottish breeding birds to determine the distributions and migratory connectivity of breeding (English and Scottish) and wintering (Senegalese) populations of the Common Sandpiper, and used simulated random migrations to investigate wind assistance during autumn and spring migration. We revealed that the Common Sandpipers tagged in England spent the winter in West Africa, and that at least some birds wintering in Senegal bred in Scandinavia; this provides insights into the links between European breeding populations and their wintering grounds. Furthermore, birds tagged in England, Scotland and Senegal overlapped considerably in their migration routes and wintering locations, meaning that local breeding populations could be buffered against habitat change, but susceptible to large-scale environmental changes. These findings also suggest that contrasting population trends in England and Scotland are unlikely to be the result of population-specific migration routes and wintering regions. Finally, we found that birds used wind to facilitate their migration in autumn, but less so in spring, when the wind costs associated with their migrations were higher than expected at random. This was despite the wind costs of simulated migrations being significantly lower in spring than in autumn. Indeed, theory suggests that individuals are under greater time pressures in spring than in autumn because of the time constraints associated with reproduction.     

Regional variation in seasonality affects migratory behaviour and life-history traits of two Mediterranean passerines

Migratory birds may improve fecundity by moving to seasonal breeding areas, but may also suffer higher mortality rates as a cost of movement. However, the covariation among seasonality, migratoriness and life histories should change between species if their ecological features affect site-tenacity, survival or fecundity. In frugivorous birds, for instance, wandering in search of fruits may trigger broader migrations than territorial defence, and also may improve nonbreeding survival by preventing food shortages that eventually happen in discrete territories. We studied the variation in spatio-temporal distribution, life expectancy and fecundity in robins (Erithacus rubecula) and blackcaps (Sylvia atricapilla) distributed in three Iberian regions with a low, mid or high degree of environmental seasonality. In the Iberian Peninsula, robins and blackcaps are the two most intensive frugivores in winter; however, robins are territorial while blackcaps track fruit abundance among habitat patches. In the most seasonal area, robins and blackcaps decreased abundance in winter and showed a lower breeding-site tenacity, a shorter life expectancy and a larger clutch size. However, blackcaps tended to be more migratory than robins in all regions. Despite their stronger migratory behaviour, blackcaps showed a longer life expectancy and a smaller clutch size than robins in all regions. In robins, winter territoriality could decrease nonbreeding survival but also improve fecundity, because survivors are dominant and hence more efficient breeders. In blackcaps, however, the use of the most profitable habitat patches could improve nonbreeding survival, thereby allowing a similar recruitment than in robins with a lower reproductive investment. These results support that regional-scale changes in seasonality may affect migratory behaviour and hence the tradeoff between reproduction and survival in birds, doing so differently depending on the idiosyncrasy of each species.     

Range‐wide patterns of migratory connectivity in the western sandpiper Calidris mauri

Understanding the population dynamics of migratory animals and predicting the consequences of environmental change requires knowing how populations are spatially connected between different periods of the annual cycle. We used stable isotopes to examine patterns of migratory connectivity across the range of the western sandpiper Calidris mauri. First, we developed a winter isotope basemap from stable‐hydrogen (δD), ‐carbon (δ¹³C), and ‐nitrogen (δ¹⁵N) isotopes of feathers grown in wintering areas. δD and δ¹⁵N values from wintering individuals varied with the latitude and longitude of capture location, while δ¹³C varied with longitude only. We then tested the ability of the basemap to assign known‐origin individuals. Sixty percent of wintering individuals were correctly assigned to their region of origin out of seven possible regions. Finally, we estimated the winter origins of breeding and migrant individuals and compared the resulting empirical distribution against the distribution that would be expected based on patterns of winter relative abundance. For breeding birds, the distribution of winter origins differed from expected only among males in the Yukon‐Kuskokwim (Y‐K) Delta and Nome, Alaska. Males in the Y‐K Delta originated overwhelmingly from western Mexico, while in Nome, there were fewer males from western North America and more from the Baja Peninsula than expected. An unexpectedly high proportion of migrants captured at a stopover site in the interior United States originated from eastern and southern wintering areas, while none originated from western North America. In general, we document substantial mixing between the breeding and wintering populations of both sexes, which will buffer the global population of western sandpipers from the effects of local habitat loss on both breeding and wintering grounds.     

Differential migration and an endocrine response to stress in wintering dark-eyed juncos (Junco hyemalis)

The dark-eyed junco (junco hyemalis) exhibits differential migration in autumn that, in general, results in females overwintering south of males, and young within each sex overwintering north of older birds. Individuals overwintering at higher latitudes face less predictable and more challenging environmental conditions. Rapid increases in circulating levels of the energy-regulating glucocorticosteroid, corticosterone, occur in response to environmental stressors. To establish whether the strength of acute corticosterone secretion was correlated with the probability of encountering poor environmental conditions, we compared the corticosterone stress response (e.g. initial plasma concentrations at the time of capture and 30 min later) in dark-eyed juncos overwintering in Mississippi (MS), USA, near the southern limit of their wintering range, with juncos overwintering in New York (NY), USA, near the northern limit of their wintering range. During two winters, 22 males and one female were sampled in NY; 13 males, 12 females and one bird of undetermined sex were sampled in MS. Not unexpectedly, NY birds carried greater fat reserves that resulted in a significantly higher value of energetic condition (mass corrected for wing cord cubed). There was no difference between the two winters sampled at either site, nor was there an effect of sex on patterns of corticosterone secretion in MS birds. With sexes pooled, MS and NY birds had similar baseline corticosterone levels. However, as predicted, NY birds exhibited significantly higher corticosterone concentrations 30 min after capture. These results support the hypothesis that birds wintering in less predictable, more extreme environments show a higher amplitude corticosterone response, which may enable them to adjust their behaviour and physiology more rapidly in response to environmental stressors such as storms. Adrenocortical sensitivity may be a part of the physiological milieu associated with differential migration in juncos; whether it results from endogenous differences in the migratory programmes of individuals or from acclimatization to local environmental conditions remains to be determined.     

Migration and wintering strategies in vulnerable Mediterranean Osprey populations

A broad range of migration strategies exist in avian species, and different strategies can occur in different populations of the same species. For the breeding Osprey Pandion haliaetus populations of the Mediterranean, sporadic observations of ringed birds collected in the past suggested variations in migratory and wintering behaviour. We used GPS tracking data from 41 individuals from Corsica, the Balearic Islands and continental Italy to perform the first detailed analysis of the migratory and wintering strategies of these Osprey populations. Ospreys showed heterogeneous migratory behaviour, with 73% of the individuals migrating and the remaining 27% staying all year round at breeding sites. For migratory individuals, an extremely short duration of migration (5.2 ± 2.6 days) was recorded. Mediterranean Ospreys were able to perform long non‐stop flights over the open sea, sometimes overnight. They also performed pre‐ and post‐migratory trips to secondary sites, before or after crossing the sea during both autumn and spring migration. Ospreys spent the winter at temperate latitudes and showed high plasticity in habitat selection, using marine bays, coastal lagoons/marshland and inland freshwater sites along the coasts of different countries of the Mediterranean basin. Movements and home‐range areas were restricted during the wintering season. The short duration of trips and high levels of variability in migratory routes and wintering grounds revealed high behavioural plasticity among individuals, probably promoted by the relatively low seasonal variability in ecological conditions throughout the year in the Mediterranean region, and weak competition for non‐breeding sites. We stress the importance of considering the diversity in migration strategies and the particular ecology of these vulnerable populations, especially in relation to proactive management measures for the species at the scale of the Mediterranean region.