Satellite tracking of the migration routes of Whistling Swans Cygnus columbianus.

Abstract

or neck (one individual) of the swans. A total of 116 location data were obtained. The four swans went north along Sakhalin, and stayed around the mouth of Amur River or in northern Sakhalin for several days to nearly a month. In three of the four swans, the battery exhausted around the mouth of the Amur River or in northern Sakhalin, but one swan was successfully tracked to the breeding ground in tundra. The life of the batteries was expected to be two months but was in fact 30-46 days. The shorter duration may be due to long exposure to cold weather in northern areas.

Migration of Tundra Swans (Cygnus columbianus) Wintering in Japan Using Satellite Tracking: Identification of the Eastern Palearctic Flyway

“…In our study, seven tundra swan migration routes were identified for the EP flyway. One flyway directly crossing the Sea of Japan from Lake Nakaumi found by Kamiya and Ozaki (2002) was not detected in our study; however, all other flyways found by Higuchi et al (1991) and Kamiya and Ozaki (2002) were confirmed. The routes identified by Higuchi et al (1991) are considered to be equivalent to Routes A, B and likely Route E as well.…”

“…One flyway directly crossing the Sea of Japan from Lake Nakaumi found by Kamiya and Ozaki (2002) was not detected in our study; however, all other flyways found by Higuchi et al (1991) and Kamiya and Ozaki (2002) were confirmed. The routes identified by Higuchi et al (1991) are considered to be equivalent to Routes A, B and likely Route E as well. Hence, there are at least 8 flyways in the EP flyway for Tundra Swans wintering in Japan: Seven routes (Routes A-G in Table 2) detected in this study, and one more flyway which directly crosses the Sea of Japan reported by Kamiya and Ozaki (2002) in previous study.…”

“…Previous studies (Higuchi et al, 1991;Kamiya and Ozaki, 2002) have used satellite tracking to show routes taken by tundra swans wintering in Japan. Four tundra swans tracked from Kutcharo Lake, Hokkaido (Higuchi et al, 1991) moved north over Sakhalin and stopped in northern Sakhalin or near the mouth of the Amur River.…”

“…Four tundra swans tracked from Kutcharo Lake, Hokkaido (Higuchi et al, 1991) moved north over Sakhalin and stopped in northern Sakhalin or near the mouth of the Amur River. One swan was tracked to the mouth of the Kolyma River.…”

“…The first satellite tracking of tundra swans for the EP flyway was reported by Higuchi et al (1991), who tracked four tundra swans from Kutcharo Lake (45°1′N, 142°3′E) in Hokkaido, Japan. The second tracking was reported by Kamiya and Ozaki (2002), who tracked eight tundra swans from Nakaumi Lake (35°26′N, 133°17′E) in western Honshu, which is the most southerly lake that is regularly used by tundra swans that winter in Japan.…”