Abstract
East Asian migratory waterfowl have greatly declined since the 1950s, especially the populations that winter in China. Conservation is severely hampered by the lack of primary information about migration patterns and stopover sites. This study utilizes satellite tracking techniques and advanced spatial analyses to investigate spring migration of the greater white‐fronted goose (Anser albifrons) and tundra bean goose (Anser serrirostris) wintering along the Yangtze River Floodplain. Based on 24 tracks obtained from 21 individuals during the spring of 2015 and 2016, we found that the Northeast China Plain is far‐out the most intensively used stopover site during migration, with geese staying for over 1 month. This region has also been intensely developed for agriculture, suggesting a causal link to the decline in East Asian waterfowl wintering in China. The protection of waterbodies used as roosting area, especially those surrounded by intensive foraging land, is critical for waterfowl survival. Over 90% of the core area used during spring migration is not protected. We suggest that future ground surveys should target these areas to confirm their relevance for migratory waterfowl at the population level, and core roosting area at critical spring‐staging sites should be integrated in the network of protected areas along the flyway. Moreover, the potential bird–human conflict in core stopover area needs to be further studied. Our study illustrates how satellite tracking combined with spatial analyses can provide crucial insights necessary to improve the conservation of declining Migratory species.
Highlights
E Figure Birds were p aced individua y into bags and immediate y transported to the c osest hand ing station We identified their sex confirmed with mo ecu ar methods fo owing
For identified stopover sites centra ocations and radiuses were used to describe the range of each site The main stopover sites were defined as those where at east two individua s stayed for cumu ative y no ess than weeks Number of staying individua s and cumu ative staying days were reported for these main stopover sites for each individua we identified the departure and arriva dates the
Anas platyrhynchos wintering in Japan during the spring migration
Summary
Migratory birds are essentia indicator species for monitoring ecosystem hea th Bauer HoyeStee e Bayn Grant Bauer HoyeSi et a Migratory birds can trave vast distances in a re ative y short time and exp oit the seasona food surp us in the high Arctic during summer whi e avoiding scarcity during the harsh Arctic winter by returning to temperate or tropica areas NewtonSomvei e Rodrigues ManicaBird migration is predictab e as migrants tend to synchronize their spatia distribution with the seasona avai abi ity of food resources Drent Fox StahSi Xin de Boer et a Synchrony between distribution and resources a so makes migratory birds particu ar y vu nerab e to a terations in food avai abi ity a ong the f yway by g oba c imate and and cover change Drent et a Knudsen et aSi Xin Prins de Boer Gong. Migratory birds are essentia indicator species for monitoring ecosystem hea th Bauer Hoye. Si et a Migratory birds can trave vast distances in a re ative y short time and exp oit the seasona food surp us in the high Arctic during summer whi e avoiding scarcity during the harsh Arctic winter by returning to temperate or tropica areas Newton. Bird migration is predictab e as migrants tend to synchronize their spatia distribution with the seasona avai abi ity of food resources Drent Fox Stah. Si Xin de Boer et a Synchrony between distribution and resources a so makes migratory birds particu ar y vu nerab e to a terations in food avai abi ity a ong the f yway by g oba c imate and and cover change Drent et a Knudsen et a.
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