Comparing fall migration of three Catharus species using a radio-telemetry network

Camille Bégin Marchand,André Desrochers,Pascal Côté,Junior A Tremblay

doi:10.1515/ami-2020-0001

Camille Bégin Marchand, André Desrochers + Show 2 more

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https://doi.org/10.1515/ami-2020-0001

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Abstract

AbstractMigration routes vary greatly among small passerine species and populations. It is now possible to determine the routes over great distances and long periods of time with emerging monitoring networks. We tracked individual Swainson’s Thrush (Catharus ustulatus), Bicknell’s Thrush (Catharus bicknelli) and Gray-cheeked Thrush (Catharus minimus) in northeastern Quebec and compared their migration routes and paces across an array of radio-telelemetry stations in North America. Swainson’s Thrush migrated further inland than the other two species. Individuals from all three species slowed their migration pace in the southeastern United States, and Swainson’s Thrush was more likely to stopover than Bicknell’s Thrush. Although individuals were tagged in a small area within or close to their breeding range, the results document the variability of migration routes between species with similar ecological characteristics and provide detailed material to be used for migration studies with broader taxonomic or ecological scope.

Highlights

Bird migration is influenced by factors intrinsic or extrinsic to the species [1]
Individuals were tagged in a small area within or close to their breeding range, the results document the variability of migration routes between species with similar ecological characteristics and provide detailed material to be used for migration studies with broader taxonomic or ecological scope
To test whether breeding origin had an effect on migration routes, we performed all analyses a second time with a data subset designed to compare Swainson’s Thrush tagged at Forêt Montmorency (FM)-Monts-Valin national park (MV) vs. those tagged at Observatoire d’oiseaux de Tadoussac (OOT)

Summary

Introduction

Bird migration is influenced by factors intrinsic or extrinsic to the species [1]. Migration routes may vary greatly within and among different species depending on their geneticOur knowledge regarding bird migration has greatly improved over the last decade, especially due to emerging technologies and networks [16, 17]. Migration routes may vary greatly within and among different species depending on their genetic. New tracking technologies like geolocators, light-weighted radio-transmitters and GPS tracking devices have led to detailed migrations routes of a few species of passerines [6, 17, 21,22,23,24]. The Motus wildlife tracking system [25], hereafter, ‘Motus’, is a coordinated radio-telemetry network consisting of receiving stations (Figure 1B) distributed across the American continent (www.motus.org). Limited by the position of the receiving stations, Motus enables the effective measurement of location, direction, and pace of migration without having to recapture the birds [26, 27, 29,30,31]

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