Multi‐colony tracking of two pelagic seabirds with contrasting flight capability illustrates how windscapes shape migratory movements at an ocean‐basin scale

• Published in: Ecography
• Main Authors: Amélineau, Françoise, Tarroux, Arnaud, Lacombe, Simon, Bråthen, Vegard, Descamps, Sebastien, Ekker, Morten, Fauchald, Per, Johansen, Malin, Moe, Børge, Anker-Nilssen, Tycho, Bogdanova, Maria, Bringsvor, Ingar, Chastel, Olivier, Christensen-Dalsgaard, Signe, Daunt, Francis, Dehnhard, Nina, Einar Erikstad, Kjell, Ezhov, Aleksey, Gavrilo, Maria, Hansen, Erpur, Harris, Mike, Helgason, Hálfdán, Langset, Magdalene, Léandri-Breton, Don‐jean, Lorentsen, Svein‐håkon, Merkel, Benjamin, Newell, Mark, Olsen, Bergur, Reiertsen, Tone, Systad, Geir, Thorarinsson, Thorkell, Åström, Jens, Strøm, Hallvard
• Other Authors: Norwegian Polar Institute, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), Ecosystèmes, biodiversité, évolution Rennes (ECOBIO), Université de Rennes (UR)-Institut Ecologie et Environnement - CNRS Ecologie et Environnement (INEE-CNRS), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers de Rennes (OSUR), Université de Rennes (UR)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université de Rennes 2 (UR2)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université de Rennes 2 (UR2)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), École normale supérieure de Lyon (ENS de Lyon), UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Wallingford, United Kingdom, Centre d'Études Biologiques de Chizé - UMR 7372 (CEBC), La Rochelle Université (ULR)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE), Murmansk Marine Biological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences Moscow (RAS), McGill University = Université McGill Montréal, Canada, The SEATRACK project (www.seapop.no/en/seatrack)was funded by the Norwegian Ministry for Climate and theEnvironment, the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and theNorwegian Oil and Gas Association along with eight oil companies.The SEAPOP program (www.seapop.no, grant no. 192141)supported the fieldwork in Norway (including Svalbard and JanMayen). Kittiwake fieldwork in the Kongsfjord was supportedby the French Polar Institute (IPEV, prog. 330 to O. Chastel).The work on the Isle of May was also supported by the NaturalEnvironment Research Council (Award NE/R016429/1 as part ofthe UK-SCaPE programme delivering National Capability).
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2023
• Subjects: animal movement; bird flight; Fratercula arctica; migration; Rissa tridactyla; wind; [SDE.BE]Environmental Sciences/Biodiversity and Ecology; Greenland; Atlantic puffin; Black-legged Kittiwake; fratercula; North Atlantic; rissa tridactyla
• Online Access: https://univ-rennes.hal.science/hal-04249057; https://univ-rennes.hal.science/hal-04249057/document; https://univ-rennes.hal.science/hal-04249057/file/Ecography%20-%202023%20-%20Am%20lineau%20-%20Multi%E2%80%90colony%20tracking%20of%20two%20pelagic%20seabirds%20with%20contrasting%20flight%20capability%20illustrates.pdf; https://doi.org/10.1111/ecog.06496

International audience Migration is a common trait among many animals allowing the exploitation of spatiotemporally variable resources. It often implies high energetic costs to cover large distances, for example between breeding and wintering grounds. For flying or swimming animals, the adequate use of winds and currents can help reduce the associated energetic costs. Migratory seabirds are good models because they dwell in habitats characterized by strong winds while undertaking very long migrations. We tested the hypothesis that seabirds migrate through areas with favourable winds. To that end, we used the SEATRACK dataset, a multi‐colony geolocator tracking dataset, for two North Atlantic seabirds with contrasting flight capabilities, the black‐legged kittiwake Rissa tridactyla and the Atlantic puffin Fratercula arctica , and wind data from the ERA5 climate reanalysis model. Both species had on average positive wind support during migration. Their main migratory routes were similar and followed seasonally prevailing winds. The general migratory movement had a loop‐shape at the scale of the North Atlantic, with an autumn route (southward) along the east coast of Greenland, and a spring route (northward) closer to the British Isles. While migrating, both species had higher wind support in spring than in autumn. Kittiwakes migrated farther and benefited from higher wind support than puffins on average. The variation in wind conditions encountered while migrating was linked to the geographical location of the colonies. Generally, northernmost colonies had a better wind support in autumn while the southernmost colonies had a better wind support in spring, with some exceptions. Our study helps understanding how the physical environment shapes animal migration, which is crucial to further predict how migrants will be impacted by ongoing environmental changes.