Migration Patterns of Upland Sandpipers in the Western Hemisphere

Hill, Jason M.; Sandercock, Brett K.; Renfrew, Rosalind B.

doi:10.3389/fevo.2019.00426

Cited by 13 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 78 publications

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“…The importance of individuals adjusting migratory behaviors to environmental conditions is particularly evident in long-distance avian migrants that cross challenging landscapes such as deserts, oceans and mountains [19][20][21]. How migratory birds overcome ecological barriers has been studied for many species [e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Foraging on the wing for fish while migrating over changing landscapes: traveling behaviors vary with available aquatic habitat for Caspian terns

Rueda‐Uribe

Lötberg²,

Åkesson

2022

Mov Ecol

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Background Birds that forage while covering distance during migration should adjust traveling behaviors as the availability of foraging habitat changes. Particularly, the behavior of those species that depend on bodies of water to find food yet manage to migrate over changing landscapes may be limited by the substantial variation in feeding opportunities along the route. Methods Using GPS tracking data, we studied how traveling behaviors vary with available foraging habitat during the long-distance migration of Caspian terns (Hydroprogne caspia), a bird with a specialized diet based on fish that needs bodies of water to forage. We measured individual variation in five traveling behaviors related to foraging along the route and used linear mixed effects models to test the following variables as predictors of traveling behaviors: proportion of overlap with water bodies, weather conditions, days at previous stopover and days of migration. Also, we tested if during traveling days flight height and speed varied with time of day and if birds were in areas with greater proportion of water bodies compared to what would be expected by chance from the landscape. Results We found variation in migratory traveling behaviors that was mainly related to the proportion of overlap with water bodies and experienced tailwinds. Suggesting a mixed migratory strategy with fly-and-foraging, Caspian terns reduced travel speed, flew fewer hours of the day, had lower flight heights and increased diurnal over nocturnal migratory flight hours as the proportion of overlap with water bodies increased. Birds had lower flight speeds and higher flight heights during the day, were in foraging habitats with greater proportions of water than expected by chance but avoided foraging detours. Instead, route tortuosity was associated with lower wind support and cloudier skies. Conclusions Our findings show how birds may adjust individual behavior as foraging habitat availability changes during migration and contribute to the growing knowledge on mixed migratory strategies of stopover use and fly-and-forage.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Foraging on the wing for fish while migrating over changing landscapes: traveling behaviors vary with available aquatic habitat for Caspian terns

Rueda‐Uribe

Lötberg²,

Åkesson

2022

Mov Ecol

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“…New tracking technologies can provide valuable insights into the movements of migratory shorebirds, but it is often difficult to assess whether the methods are also reducing survivorship (Olson et al, 2014 ; Senner et al, 2019 ). Estimates of survival for banded‐only birds provide a useful comparison for evaluation of different types of harness designs and tracking tags (Hill et al, 2019 ; Mong & Sandercock, 2007 ; Ruthrauff et al, 2019 ; Watts et al, 2019 ). Baseline estimates of survival are also useful for identifying the negative effects of habitat loss and degradation.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Breeding populations of Marbled Godwits and Willets have high annual survival and strong site fidelity to managed wetlands

Sandercock

Gratto‐Trevor

2023

Ecology and Evolution

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The Prairie Pothole Region of central Canada supports a diverse community of breeding waterbirds, but many species have declining populations and the demographic mechanisms driving the declines remain unknown. We conducted a 7-year field study during 1995-2001 to investigate the demographic performance of Marbled Godwits (Limosa fedoa) and Willets (Tringa semipalmata) breeding in managed wetlands near Brooks, Alberta. Mark-recapture analyses based on Cormack-Jolly-Seber models revealed that the annual rates of apparent survival for Marbled Godwits ( ̂ = 0.953 ± 0.012SE) and Willets ( ̂ = 0.861 ± 0.015SE) are among the highest rates of survivorship reported for any breeding or nonbreeding population of large-bodied shorebirds. Our estimates of life expectancy for males were comparable to longevity records in godwits (17.3 years ±5.8SE vs. 25-29+ years) and willets (7.7 ± 1.5SE vs.10+ years). The two species both showed strong breeding site fidelity but differed in rates of mate fidelity. Pairs that reunited and males that switched mates usually nested <300 m from their previous nests, whereas females that switched mates usually moved longer distances >1.1-1.5 km. Returning pairs usually reunited in godwits (85%) but not in willets (28%), possibly because of species differences in adult survival or patterns of migration. Baseline estimates of annual survival for banded-only birds will be useful for evaluating the potential effects of new tracking tags or the environmental changes that have occurred during the past 20 years. Conservation strategies for large-bodied shorebirds should be focused on reduction of exposure to anthropogenic mortality because low rates of natural mortality suggest that losses to collisions at breeding sites or harvest at nonbreeding areas are likely to cause additive mortality.

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“…This extends our knowledge of shorebird species that are capable of transoceanic flights to those weighing <100 g. Typically, large shorebirds averaging ≥200 g, such as bar‐tailed godwit ( Limosa lapponica ; Battley et al, 2012; Gill et al, 2009) and bristle‐thighed curlew ( Numenius tahitiensis ; Marks & Redmond, 1994) are considered capable of extended non‐stop flights of >4000 km in distance. However, recent studies have indicated that medium‐ and light‐weight shorebirds such as upland sandpiper ( Bartramia longicauda ; mean body mass of 142 g; Hill et al, 2019) and sanderling ( Calidris alba ; mean body mass of 70 g; Conklin et al, 2017) are also capable of transoceanic flights without the need to refuel. Additionally, smaller migrants such as pectoral sandpiper ( Calidris melanotos ; mean body mass of 79 g) and white‐rumped sandpiper ( Calidris fuscicollis ; mean body mass of 42 g) that travel through the James Bay Region are known to complete long‐distance migrations without apparent refueling stops in the United States (Anderson et al, 2019).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Flyway‐scale GPS tracking reveals migratory routes and key stopover and non‐breeding locations of lesser yellowlegs

McDuffie

Christie

Taylor

et al. 2022

Ecology and Evolution

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Many populations of long‐distance migrant shorebirds are declining rapidly. Since the 1970s, the lesser yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes) has experienced a pronounced reduction in abundance of ~63%. The potential causes of the species' decline are complex and interrelated. Understanding the timing of migration, seasonal routes, and important stopover and non‐breeding locations used by this species will aid in directing conservation planning to address potential threats. During 2018–2022, we tracked 118 adult lesser yellowlegs using GPS satellite tags deployed on birds from five breeding and two migratory stopover locations spanning the boreal forest of North America from Alaska to Eastern Canada. Our objectives were to identify migratory routes, quantify migratory connectivity, and describe key stopover and non‐breeding locations. We also evaluated predictors of southbound migratory departure date and migration distance. Individuals tagged in Alaska and Central Canada followed similar southbound migratory routes, stopping to refuel in the Prairie Pothole Region of North America, whereas birds tagged in Eastern Canada completed multi‐day transoceanic flights covering distances of >4000 km across the Atlantic between North and South America. Upon reaching their non‐breeding locations, lesser yellowlegs populations overlapped, resulting in weak migratory connectivity. Sex and population origin were significantly associated with the timing of migratory departure from breeding locations, and body mass at the time of GPS‐tag deployment was the best predictor of southbound migratory distance. Our findings suggest that lesser yellowlegs travel long distances and traverse numerous political boundaries each year, and breeding location likely has the greatest influence on migratory routes and therefore the threats birds experience during migration. Further, the species' dependence on wetlands in agricultural landscapes during migration and the non‐breeding period may make them vulnerable to threats related to agricultural practices, such as pesticide exposure.

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Migration Patterns of Upland Sandpipers in the Western Hemisphere

Cited by 13 publications

References 78 publications

Foraging on the wing for fish while migrating over changing landscapes: traveling behaviors vary with available aquatic habitat for Caspian terns

Foraging on the wing for fish while migrating over changing landscapes: traveling behaviors vary with available aquatic habitat for Caspian terns

Breeding populations of Marbled Godwits and Willets have high annual survival and strong site fidelity to managed wetlands

Flyway‐scale GPS tracking reveals migratory routes and key stopover and non‐breeding locations of lesser yellowlegs

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