Migration flyways of geese in Central Siberia

Abstract

Observations of geese abundance and migration in Central Siberia are especially relevant for international scientists due to the lack of objective data on this topic in English literature. The goal of this paper is to summarize the results of a long-term study (1980-2016) on migration of geese in Central Siberia, to distinguish and describe their migration routes in the environment of Continental Asia. The authors used a methodological complex comprising universally accepted techniques of ornithological studies, such as visual and instrumental observations at staging sites and along geese migration routes, registration of birds on the ground (travelling on foot, by boat or by car) and in the air (using aircraft). To clarify the subspecies, the authors carried out collection of birds or their body parts (heads, wings, legs, n = 1032 units). Capture and banding of nesting geese was done in the Altai-Sayan Ecoregion. The places and dates of maximum geese concentration, as well as the time of their departure, are quite permanent; that made it possible to carry out their definite registration using aircraft (25.5 thousand km). The works at each of the most significant sites were performed annually, at the same time of the year. They also analyzed data available in scientific literature and reports on returns of rings from the Ringing Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences, as well as information about geese received from hunters and specialists of environmental services. The paper shows main migration routes and their territorial connections. The Great Lakes Depression in Mongolia is a kind of “migration dead end” for a great number of waterfowl migrating in spring.