Underuse of stopover site by migratory swans

• Published in: Journal of Ornithology
• Main Authors: Nolet, B.A., Gyimesi, A.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2013
• Subjects: national; Cygnus columbianus
• Online Access: https://pure.knaw.nl/portal/en/publications/1baa3d7f-08ce-4e34-b492-615f400b4598; https://doi.org/10.1007/s10336-013-0934-7; https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11755/1baa3d7f-08ce-4e34-b492-615f400b4598; https://pure.knaw.nl/ws/files/467112/Nolet_ea_5400IP.pdf; https://pure.knaw.nl/ws/files/467113/5400_NoletOnline.pdf; http://mda.vliz.be/mda/directlink.php?fid=VLIZ_00000333_1377002275

Many migratory birds use a chain of stopover sites to fuel their migration. Under time-minimizing migration, fuelling time and giving-up density at stopovers are predicted to depend on fuelling conditions. Fluctuations in food accessibility likely lead to changes in fuelling conditions, which should in turn be reflected in fuelling time and giving-up density. During their migration, Bewick’s Swans Cygnus columbianus bewickii refuel on belowground tubers of Fennel Pondweed Potamogeton pectinatus in shallow lakes. We studied giving-up density and stop-over use (expressed in bird-days) of Bewick's Swans at an autumn stopover site (Lauwersmeer, The Netherlands) during 1995–2008, as dependent on local environmental conditions. High water levels were hypothesized to restrict access to tuber stocks. High water levels at the stopover site were predicted to lead to higher giving-up densities and less bird-days spent at the stopover. Annual variation in giving-up densities and number of bird-days was strongly associated with year-to-year differences in initial tuber biomass density and number of days with high water levels. As predicted, giving-up density increased and bird-days decreased with the number of days with high water level. We conclude that, in line with time-minimizing migration, changes in fuelling conditions may lead to underuse of a stopover site. Underuse of stopovers by migratory birds has been reported before but only in the sense that more food was left at stopover sites than at wintering sites. In contrast, in our case, dealing with a given stopover site, more food is left behind in some years than in other years. Many migratory birds use a chain of stopover sites to fuel their migration. Under time-minimizing migration, fuelling time and giving-up density at stopovers are predicted to depend on fuelling conditions. Fluctuations in food accessibility likely lead to changes in fuelling conditions, which should in turn be reflected in fuelling time and giving-up density. During their migration, ...