Year-round tracking of small trans-Saharan migrants using light-level geolocators

Bachler, Erich; Hahn, Steffen; Schaub, Michael; Arlettaz, Raphael; Jenni, Lukas; Fox, James W.; Afanasyev, Vsevolod. 2010 Year-round tracking of small trans-Saharan migrants using light-level geolocators. PLoS One, 5 (3). 4, pp. 10.1371/journal.pone.0009566

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Abstract/Summary

Since 1899 ringing (or banding) remained the most important source of information about migration routes, stopover sites and wintering grounds for birds that are too small to carry satellite-based tracking systems. Despite the large quantity of migrating birds ringed in their breeding areas in Europe, the number of ring recoveries from sub-Saharan Africa is very low and therefore the whereabouts of most small bird species outside the breeding season remain a mystery. With new miniaturized light-level geolocators it is now possible to look beyond the limits of ring recovery data. Here we show for the first time year round tracks of a near passerine trans-Saharan migrant, the European Hoopoe (Upupa epops epops). Three birds wintered in the Sahel zone of Western Africa where they remained stationary for most of the time. One bird chose a south-easterly route following the Italian peninsula. Birds from the same breeding population used different migration routes and wintering sites, suggesting a low level of migratory connectivity between breeding and wintering areas. Our tracking of a near passerine bird, the European Hoopoe, with light-level geolocators opens a new chapter in the research of Palaearctic-African bird migration as this new tool revolutionizes our ability to discover migration routes, stopover sites and wintering grounds of small birds.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	10.1371/journal.pone.0009566
Programmes:	BAS Programmes > Other
ISSN:	1932-6203
NORA Subject Terms:	Zoology Ecology and Environment Electronics, Engineering and Technology
Date made live:	17 Aug 2010 13:45 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/10453

Item Type:

Publication - Article

Digital Object Identifier (DOI):

10.1371/journal.pone.0009566

Programmes:

BAS Programmes > Other

ISSN:

1932-6203

NORA Subject Terms:

Zoology
Ecology and Environment
Electronics, Engineering and Technology

Date made live:

17 Aug 2010 13:45 +0 (UTC)