Abstract
Selection of timing to match optimal environments is crucial for migrants that breed at high latitudes where there is a narrow time window suitable for breeding. However, birds generally depart from non-breeding grounds in a broad time window. How birds adjust their migration schedule to match optimal timing of arrival at breeding grounds is largely unexplored. We radio-tracked Great Knots Calidris tenuirostris at stopping sites in the southern and northern Yellow Sea during the entire stopping periods to determine their time schedules during northward migration. Great Knots stayed for 40.7 ± 9.2 days (n = 11) in the whole Yellow Sea, with the early arrivals having a longer length of stay than the late arrivals. There was no significant difference in the length of stay between birds that arrived on various dates in the southern Yellow Sea, while the late arrivals spent less time during flights from the southern to the northern Yellow Sea, and stayed for a shorter time than the early arrivals in the northern Yellow Sea. We estimated that the later arrivals can still moult into full breeding plumage and deposit enough fuel for a flight to the breeding grounds before departure. We propose that early and latter migration are the two ends of migratory schedule, with the former adapting to unpredictable and rigorous environments and the latter to stable and favourable environments en route. Stopping sites play an important role for birds to adjust their migration schedule to meet optimal timing of arrival at migratory destination.
Zusammenfassung
Anpassung des Zugablaufs in Rastgebieten: Zeitstrategie eines Langstreckenziehers während des Heimzuges
Das ‘Timing’ während des Zuges und die Abstimmung auf optimale Umweltbedingungen sind für arktische Brutvögel entscheidend, da sie nur ein schmales Zeitfenster zum Brüten haben. Allerdings fliegen die Vögel im Allgemeinen in einem breiten Zeitfenster aus ihren Überwinterungsgebieten ab. Wie Vögel ihren Zugablauf anpassen, um ihre Ankunft in den Brutgebieten zeitlich optimal zu abzustimmen, ist weitgehend unerforscht. Wir besenderten Große Knutts Calidris tenuirostris in Rastgebieten im südlichen und nördlichen Gelben Meer während der gesamten Rastperiode, um ihren Zeitplan während des Heimzuges zu ermitteln. Große Knutts rasten 40,7 ± 9,2 Tage im Gelben Meer, wobei früh Ankommende länger bleiben als spät ankommende Vögel. Es gab keinen signifikanten Unterschied in der Rastdauer von Vögeln, die zu verschiedenen Zeitpunkten im südlichen Gelben Meer ankamen. Die später ankommenden Vögel brauchten weniger Zeit für den Flug zwischen südlichem und nördlichem Gelben Meer und rasteten kürzer als die Vögel, die früher im Gelben Meer ankamen. Wir schätzen, dass die später angekommenen Vögel vor dem Weiterflug noch in das komplette Brutkleid mausern und genug Fettreserven für den Zug in die Brutgebiete anlagen können. Wir denken, dass früher und später Zug die beiden Enden des Zugzeitplans darstellen. Ersteres ist angepasst an unvorhersehbare und strenge Bedingungen, letzteres an stabile und günstige Bedingungen en route. Rastgebiete spielen eine wichtige Rolle für Vögel im Zusammenhang mit der Anpassung ihres Zugablaufs für ein optimales Timing hinsichtlich der Ankunft in den Brutgebieten.
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Acknowledgments
This study was financially supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (2013CB430404), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31071939, 30670269) and Technology Department of Shanghai (Grant no. 12231204702, 13231203503). We thank the Chongming Dongtan Nature Reserve and the Yalu Estuarine Wetland Nature Reserve for facilitating our fieldwork. We appreciate A. Cantero, P. Brakels, J. Qian, N. Jia, Q.Q. Bai, J.Y. Liu, and X. Zhang for their assistance during the fieldwork.
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Communicated by N. Chernetsov.
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Peng, HB., Hua, N., Choi, CY. et al. Adjusting migration schedules at stopping sites: time strategy of a long-distance migratory shorebird during northward migration. J Ornithol 156, 191–199 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10336-014-1119-8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10336-014-1119-8