Data from: Study "Long-tailed Jaeger - GLS - Canadian Arctic" ...

• Main Authors: Seyer, Yannick, Gauthier, Gilles, Lecomte, Nicolas
• Format: Dataset
• Language: English
• Published: Movebank Data Repository 2022
• Subjects: Stercorarius longicaudus; animal movement; animal tracking; avian migration; geolocator; light-level logger; long-tailed jaeger; seabirds; Igloolik; Long-tailed Jaeger
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.5441/001/1.558kn337; https://www.datarepository.movebank.org/handle/10255/move.1434

Long-distance migratory seabirds need to adjust their migration strategy according to internal (breeding, molting) and external factors (seasonality, resource availability). Time-minimizing strategies are common during spring migration to arrive at the optimal time to breed. We studied the annual movements and migration strategy of the long-tailed jaeger Stercorarius longicaudus, a small arctic-nesting seabird. First, we documented year-round movements (routes, wintering sites) of male and female jaegers breeding in the Canadian Arctic. We then compared their migration strategies between seasons (phenology, stopover use, travel distance, speed) to determine whether they adopt a time-minimizing strategy in spring. Over 6 yr, we collected 43 tracks from geolocators deployed on Bylot and Igloolik Islands. Jaegers departed the breeding site over a 5 wk period and traveled on average 32375 km (round trip) before returning to breed, one of the longest documented migrations on Earth. Birds used a major stopover ...