Do Seabirds Control Wind Drift during Their Migration across the Strait of Gibraltar? A Study Using Remote Tracking by Radar
This study presents data on the directional flying behaviour of the five most abundant seabird species migrating across the Strait of Gibraltar in relation to the wind, as observed from the north coast, based on radar tracking, and identified to species level by visual observations. A total of 318 s...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:9d0dff277c7840ddb81a3dc0562df751 2023-05-15T18:05:52+02:00 Do Seabirds Control Wind Drift during Their Migration across the Strait of Gibraltar? A Study Using Remote Tracking by Radar Gonzalo Muñoz Arroyo María Mateos-Rodríguez 2022-06-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.3390/rs14122792 https://doaj.org/article/9d0dff277c7840ddb81a3dc0562df751 EN eng MDPI AG https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/14/12/2792 https://doaj.org/toc/2072-4292 doi:10.3390/rs14122792 2072-4292 https://doaj.org/article/9d0dff277c7840ddb81a3dc0562df751 Remote Sensing, Vol 14, Iss 2792, p 2792 (2022) compensation flight behaviour heading morphological characteristics track direction wind conditions Science Q article 2022 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.3390/rs14122792 2022-12-30T21:22:19Z This study presents data on the directional flying behaviour of the five most abundant seabird species migrating across the Strait of Gibraltar in relation to the wind, as observed from the north coast, based on radar tracking, and identified to species level by visual observations. A total of 318 seabird trajectories were analysed, illustrating the expected east–west or west–east movements in spring and autumn. We hypothesised that the seabirds that cross the Strait channel during their migrations would behave differently with respect to compensation for wind direction, depending on their flight styles, the migratory period, and the prevailing winds. In this regard, our results showed that flapping birds (Razorbill, Puffin, Northern Gannet, and Balearic shearwater) compensated for wind drift independently of the season and the predominant wind direction. This agrees with the theory that suggests that under moderate winds and whenever visual contact with the coastline is present (as in the case of our study), migrants should compensate for wind drift to avoid being drifted towards the coast, off their main direction of flight. However, Cory’s shearwater, an active gliding seabird with long, slender wings, showed an adaptive directional response to wind, allowing it to be drifted in spring when westerly tailwinds were prevalent, but compensated for wind in autumn, when both easterly and westerly winds were similarly frequent. This adaptive flight behaviour allows it to take advantage of the prevailing tailwinds in spring, gaining ground speed and saving energy during its passage through the Strait, while in autumn, more frequent headwind conditions and a more directional migration to the south may favour compensating for wind drift. Our results support the usefulness of bird radar as a remote tool for describing the pattern of animal movements in the marine environment, as well as their behavioural response to atmospheric conditions. These studies are particularly relevant in the current framework of climate ... Article in Journal/Newspaper Razorbill Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Remote Sensing 14 12 2792 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
compensation flight behaviour heading morphological characteristics track direction wind conditions Science Q |
spellingShingle |
compensation flight behaviour heading morphological characteristics track direction wind conditions Science Q Gonzalo Muñoz Arroyo María Mateos-Rodríguez Do Seabirds Control Wind Drift during Their Migration across the Strait of Gibraltar? A Study Using Remote Tracking by Radar |
topic_facet |
compensation flight behaviour heading morphological characteristics track direction wind conditions Science Q |
description |
This study presents data on the directional flying behaviour of the five most abundant seabird species migrating across the Strait of Gibraltar in relation to the wind, as observed from the north coast, based on radar tracking, and identified to species level by visual observations. A total of 318 seabird trajectories were analysed, illustrating the expected east–west or west–east movements in spring and autumn. We hypothesised that the seabirds that cross the Strait channel during their migrations would behave differently with respect to compensation for wind direction, depending on their flight styles, the migratory period, and the prevailing winds. In this regard, our results showed that flapping birds (Razorbill, Puffin, Northern Gannet, and Balearic shearwater) compensated for wind drift independently of the season and the predominant wind direction. This agrees with the theory that suggests that under moderate winds and whenever visual contact with the coastline is present (as in the case of our study), migrants should compensate for wind drift to avoid being drifted towards the coast, off their main direction of flight. However, Cory’s shearwater, an active gliding seabird with long, slender wings, showed an adaptive directional response to wind, allowing it to be drifted in spring when westerly tailwinds were prevalent, but compensated for wind in autumn, when both easterly and westerly winds were similarly frequent. This adaptive flight behaviour allows it to take advantage of the prevailing tailwinds in spring, gaining ground speed and saving energy during its passage through the Strait, while in autumn, more frequent headwind conditions and a more directional migration to the south may favour compensating for wind drift. Our results support the usefulness of bird radar as a remote tool for describing the pattern of animal movements in the marine environment, as well as their behavioural response to atmospheric conditions. These studies are particularly relevant in the current framework of climate ... |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Gonzalo Muñoz Arroyo María Mateos-Rodríguez |
author_facet |
Gonzalo Muñoz Arroyo María Mateos-Rodríguez |
author_sort |
Gonzalo Muñoz Arroyo |
title |
Do Seabirds Control Wind Drift during Their Migration across the Strait of Gibraltar? A Study Using Remote Tracking by Radar |
title_short |
Do Seabirds Control Wind Drift during Their Migration across the Strait of Gibraltar? A Study Using Remote Tracking by Radar |
title_full |
Do Seabirds Control Wind Drift during Their Migration across the Strait of Gibraltar? A Study Using Remote Tracking by Radar |
title_fullStr |
Do Seabirds Control Wind Drift during Their Migration across the Strait of Gibraltar? A Study Using Remote Tracking by Radar |
title_full_unstemmed |
Do Seabirds Control Wind Drift during Their Migration across the Strait of Gibraltar? A Study Using Remote Tracking by Radar |
title_sort |
do seabirds control wind drift during their migration across the strait of gibraltar? a study using remote tracking by radar |
publisher |
MDPI AG |
publishDate |
2022 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.3390/rs14122792 https://doaj.org/article/9d0dff277c7840ddb81a3dc0562df751 |
genre |
Razorbill |
genre_facet |
Razorbill |
op_source |
Remote Sensing, Vol 14, Iss 2792, p 2792 (2022) |
op_relation |
https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/14/12/2792 https://doaj.org/toc/2072-4292 doi:10.3390/rs14122792 2072-4292 https://doaj.org/article/9d0dff277c7840ddb81a3dc0562df751 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.3390/rs14122792 |
container_title |
Remote Sensing |
container_volume |
14 |
container_issue |
12 |
container_start_page |
2792 |
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1766177404563226624 |