Weak effects of geolocators on small birds: A meta-analysis controlled for phylogeny and publication bias

Abstract Currently, the deployment of tracking devices is one of the most frequently used approaches to study movement ecology of birds. Recent miniaturization of light‐level geolocators enabled studying small bird species whose migratory patterns were widely unknown. However, geolocators may reduce vital rates in tagged birds and may bias obtained movement data. There is a need for a thorough assessment of the potential tag effects on small birds, as previous meta‐analyses did not evaluate unpublished data and impact of multiple life‐history traits, focused mainly on large species and the number of published studies tagging small birds has increased substantially. We quantitatively reviewe…

Tracking migration of black‐headed buntings Emberiza melanocephala reveals the Iranian Plateau as an ecological barrier along the Indo‐European flyway

The black-headed bunting is one of the few species that migrate along the Indo-European flyway, and its migration routes and phenology are poorly understood. We provide the first individual-based year-round tracking study describing route choice and timing of black-headed buntings migrating from a breeding site in Croatia to a 6000 km distant non-breeding region in Maharashtra, central India. To evaluate landscapes important for the black-headed bunting migration, we quantified land covers and climates along the migration corridor. Stopover areas during the post-breeding migration were concentrated in four distinct regions: the Balkan Peninsula, central Anatolia, along with the Zagros mount…

Geolocators reveal variation and sex‐specific differences in the migratory strategies of a long‐distance migrant

First records of complete annual cycles in water rails Rallus aquaticus show evidence of itinerant breeding and a complex migration system

Abstract In water rails Rallus aquaticus, northern and eastern populations are migratory while southern and western populations are sedentary. Few details are known about the annual cycle of this elusive species. We studied movements and breeding in water rails from southernmost Norway where the species occurs year-round. Colour-ringed wintering birds occurred only occasionally at the study site in summer, and vice versa. Geolocator tracks revealed that wintering birds (n = 10) migrated eastwards in spring to breed on both sides of the Baltic Sea, whereas a single breeding bird from the study site wintered in north Italy. Ambient light records of geolocator birds further indicated that all …

Seasonally specific responses to wind patterns and ocean productivity facilitate the longest animal migration on Earth

Migratory strategies of animals are broadly defined by species’ eco-evolutionary dynamics, while behavioural plasticity according to the immediate environmental conditions en route is crucial for energy efficiency and survival. The Arctic tern Sterna paradisaea is known for its remarkable migration capacity, as it performs the longest migration known by any animal. Yet, little is known about the ecology of this record-breaking journey. Here, we tested how individual migration strategies of Arctic terns are adapted to wind conditions and fuelling opportunities along the way. To this end, we deployed geolocators on adult birds at their breeding sites in Svalbard, Norway. Our results confirm f…

Integrating light‐level geolocation with activity tracking reveals unexpected nocturnal migration patterns of the tawny pipit

The Indo‐European flyway: Opportunities and constraints reflected by Common Rosefinches breeding across Europe

The genetic regulation of avian migration timing: combining candidate genes and quantitative genetic approaches in a long-distance migrant

Abstract Plant and animal populations can adapt to prolonged environmental changes if they have sufficient genetic variation in important phenological traits. The genetic regulation of annual cycles can be studied either via candidate genes or through the decomposition of phenotypic variance by quantitative genetics. Here, we combined both approaches to study the timing of migration in a long-distance migrant, the collared flycatcher (Ficedula albicollis). We found that none of the four studied candidate genes (CLOCK, NPAS2, ADCYAP1 and CREB1) had any consistent effect on the timing of six annual cycle stages of geolocator-tracked individuals. This negative result was confirmed by direct ob…

RScriptsCommonRosefinch

Lisovski S, Neumann R, Albrecht T, Munclinger P, Ahola M, Bauer S, Cepak J, Fransson T, Jakobsson S, Jaakkonen T, Klvana P, Kullberg C, Laaksonen T, Metzger B, Piha M, Shurulinkov P, Stach R, Strom K, Velmala W, Briedis M. 2021. The Indo-European Flyway: opportunities and constraints reflected by common rosefinches breeding across Europe. J Biogeogr. doi:10.1111/jbi.14085

Movements of water rails from Norway-reference-data

Lislevand T, Hahn S, Rislaa S, Briedis M. 2020. First records of complete annual cycles in water rails Rallus aquaticus show evidence of itinerant breeding and a complex migration system. J Avian Biol. doi:10.1111/jav.02595

Common Rosefinch migration along the Indo-European Flyway-twilights

Lisovski S, Neumann R, Albrecht T, Munclinger P, Ahola M, Bauer S, Cepak J, Fransson T, Jakobsson S, Jaakkonen T, Klvana P, Kullberg C, Laaksonen T, Metzger B, Piha M, Shurulinkov P, Stach R, Strom K, Velmala W, Briedis M. 2021. The Indo-European Flyway: opportunities and constraints reflected by common rosefinches breeding across Europe. J Biogeogr. doi:10.1111/jbi.14085

Common Rosefinch migration along the Indo-European Flyway-tracks

Lisovski S, Neumann R, Albrecht T, Munclinger P, Ahola M, Bauer S, Cepak J, Fransson T, Jakobsson S, Jaakkonen T, Klvana P, Kullberg C, Laaksonen T, Metzger B, Piha M, Shurulinkov P, Stach R, Strom K, Velmala W, Briedis M. 2021. The Indo-European Flyway: opportunities and constraints reflected by common rosefinches breeding across Europe. J Biogeogr. doi:10.1111/jbi.14085

Data from: The Indo-European Flyway: opportunities and constraints reflected by common rosefinches breeding across Europe

Lisovski S, Neumann R, Albrecht T, Munclinger P, Ahola M, Bauer S, Cepak J, Fransson T, Jakobsson S, Jaakkonen T, Klvana P, Kullberg C, Laaksonen T, Metzger B, Piha M, Shurulinkov P, Stach R, Strom K, Velmala W, Briedis M. 2021. The Indo-European Flyway: opportunities and constraints reflected by common rosefinches breeding across Europe. J Biogeogr. doi:10.1111/jbi.14085

Geolocators reveal variation and sex-specific differences in the migratory strategies of a long-distance migrant

Bell F, Bearhop S, Briedis M, El Harouchi M, Bell SC, Castello J, Burgess M. 2022. Geolocators reveal variation and sex-specific differences in the migratory strategies of a long-distance migrant. Ibis. doi:10.1111/ibi.13017

Geolocators reveal variation and sex-specific differences in the migratory strategies of a long-distance migrant-reference-data

Bell F, Bearhop S, Briedis M, El Harouchi M, Bell SC, Castello J, Burgess M. 2022. Geolocators reveal variation and sex-specific differences in the migratory strategies of a long-distance migrant. Ibis. doi:10.1111/ibi.13017

Data from: Geolocators reveal variation and sex-specific differences in the migratory strategies of a long-distance migrant

Bell F, Bearhop S, Briedis M, El Harouchi M, Bell SC, Castello J, Burgess M. 2022. Geolocators reveal variation and sex-specific differences in the migratory strategies of a long-distance migrant. Ibis. doi:10.1111/ibi.13017

Common Rosefinch migration along the Indo-European Flyway-light-levels

Lisovski S, Neumann R, Albrecht T, Munclinger P, Ahola M, Bauer S, Cepak J, Fransson T, Jakobsson S, Jaakkonen T, Klvana P, Kullberg C, Laaksonen T, Metzger B, Piha M, Shurulinkov P, Stach R, Strom K, Velmala W, Briedis M. 2021. The Indo-European Flyway: opportunities and constraints reflected by common rosefinches breeding across Europe. J Biogeogr. doi:10.1111/jbi.14085

Data from: First records of complete annual cycles in water rails Rallus aquaticus show evidence of itinerant breeding and a complex migration system

In water rails Rallus aquaticus, northern and eastern populations are migratory while southern and western populations are sedentary. Few details are known about the annual cycle of this elusive species. We studied movements and breeding in water rails from southernmost Norway where the species occurs year-round. Colour-ringed wintering birds occurred only occasionally at the study site in summer, and vice versa. Geolocator tracks revealed that wintering birds (n = 10) migrated eastwards in spring to breed on both sides of the Baltic Sea, whereas a single breeding bird from the study site wintered in north Italy. Ambient light records of geolocator birds further indicated that all but one i…

Movements of water rails from Norway-tracks

Lislevand T, Hahn S, Rislaa S, Briedis M. 2020. First records of complete annual cycles in water rails Rallus aquaticus show evidence of itinerant breeding and a complex migration system. J Avian Biol. doi:10.1111/jav.02595

Common Rosefinch migration along the Indo-European Flyway-reference-data

Lisovski S, Neumann R, Albrecht T, Munclinger P, Ahola M, Bauer S, Cepak J, Fransson T, Jakobsson S, Jaakkonen T, Klvana P, Kullberg C, Laaksonen T, Metzger B, Piha M, Shurulinkov P, Stach R, Strom K, Velmala W, Briedis M. 2021. The Indo-European Flyway: opportunities and constraints reflected by common rosefinches breeding across Europe. J Biogeogr. doi:10.1111/jbi.14085

Movements of water rails from Norway-light-levels

Lislevand T, Hahn S, Rislaa S, Briedis M. 2020. First records of complete annual cycles in water rails Rallus aquaticus show evidence of itinerant breeding and a complex migration system. J Avian Biol. doi:10.1111/jav.02595