Night Flight Helps Seabirds Breed Later and Migrate
Author Information
Author(s): Katrina Siddiqi-Davies, Joe Wynn, Oliver Padget, Sarah Bond, Jóhannis Danielsen, Annette L. Fayet, Lewis Fisher-Reeves, Robin Freeman, Natasha Gillies, Holly Kirk, Lou Maurice, Greg Morgan, Martyna Syposz, Akiko Shoji, Tim Guilford
Primary Institution: Department of Biology, University of Oxford
Hypothesis
How does breeding timing affect migratory strategies in Manx shearwaters?
Conclusion
Later-laying Manx shearwaters depart for migration later but can catch up by flying more at night and making fewer stopovers.
Supporting Evidence
- Later-laying birds had shorter breeding periods.
- Birds that experienced higher moon illumination had shorter migration durations.
- Migration duration decreased with later migration start dates.
Takeaway
Seabirds that lay their eggs later can still make it to their winter homes on time by flying at night and taking fewer breaks.
Methodology
The study used a 14-year dataset of geolocator tracking to analyze the migratory behavior of Manx shearwaters.
Limitations
The study may not account for all environmental variables affecting migration, such as winds or storms.
Participant Demographics
Manx shearwaters from five UK breeding colonies.
Statistical Information
P-Value
<0.0001
Confidence Interval
[0.37, 0.75]
Statistical Significance
p<0.0001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Want to read the original?
Access the complete publication on the publisher's website