Shorebirds adjust resting orientation in response to solar radiation and wind speed

Abstract

Animals may signal behavioural responses to climate stressors. To date, there has been no study investigating the altered behaviour of birds due to the synergetic effects of wind, solar radiation and ambient temperature in natural environments. We analysed the body orientation of three close‐related Charadriiformes species with different body masses in response to wind speed, wind direction, sun position and ambient temperature on beaches in south‐eastern Brazil. We expected these birds to adjust their postures according to the intensity of climate stressors and their different body masses. We found that regardless of body mass, resting birds faced the wind according to its speed and reduced their surface area exposed to airflow. They also exhibited a perpendicular orientation to the sun in lower ambient temperatures, which correlated with higher wind speeds. The behavioural adjustments of resting birds to concomitant climate stressors may prevent body destabilization and promote thermoregulation and energy savings.

Factors determining nest‐site selection of surface‐nesting seabirds: a case study on the world's largest pelagic bird, the Wandering Albatross (Diomedea exulans)

“…High wind speeds can greatly decrease nest temperatures (Heenan & Seymour 2012, Gray & Deeming 2017, and also affect the chick's body temperature, potentially reducing their growth rate (Sauve et al 2021). Shorebirds have been found to adjust their directional orientation when resting in response to wind speed and ambient temperatures, allowing them to increase the efficiency of thermoregulation and save energy (Cestari & de Melo 2022). Protection from wind in general, or from the strongest winds at a site, have been theorized to impact where birds construct their nests based on topographic and vegetative protection (Cunningham et al 2016, Holmes et al 2020.…”

“…2021). Shorebirds have been found to adjust their directional orientation when resting in response to wind speed and ambient temperatures, allowing them to increase the efficiency of thermoregulation and save energy (Cestari & de Melo 2022). Protection from wind in general, or from the strongest winds at a site, have been theorized to impact where birds construct their nests based on topographic and vegetative protection (Cunningham et al .…”