Data from: Forecasting spring from afar? Timing of migration and predictability of phenology along different migration routes of an avian herbivore [Barents Sea data] ...

• Main Authors: Van Der Jeugd, Henk, Osterbeek, Kees, Ens, Bruno J, Shamoun-Baranes, Judy, Exo, Klaus-Michael
• Format: Dataset
• Language: English
• Published: Movebank Data Repository 2014
• Subjects: Branta leucopsis; animal migration; animal tracking; Argos; barnacle goose; capital breeding; climatic barrier; green wave hypothesis; migration flyway; onset of spring; Arctic; Barents Sea; Greenland; Svalbard; Barnacle goose
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.5441/001/1.ps244r11; https://www.datarepository.movebank.org/handle/10255/move.383

1. Herbivorous birds are hypothesized to migrate in spring along a seasonal gradient of plant profitability towards their breeding grounds (green wave hypothesis). For Arctic-breeding species in particular, following highly profitable food is important, so that they can replenish resources along the way and arrive in optimal body condition to start breeding early. 2. We compared the timing of migratory movements of Arctic-breeding geese on different flyways to examine whether flyways differed in the predictability of spring conditions at stopovers, and whether this was reflected in the degree to which birds were following the green wave. 3. Barnacle geese (Branta leucopsis) were tracked with solar Argos/GPS PTTs from their wintering grounds to breeding sites in Greenland (N = 7), Svalbard (N = 21) and the Barents Sea (N = 12). The numerous stopover sites of all birds were combined into a set of 16 general stopover regions. 4. The predictability of climatic conditions along the flyways was calculated as the ...