A red knot as a black swan: how a single bird shows navigational abilities during repeat crossings of the Greenland Icecap
Despite the wealth of studies on seasonal movements of birds between southern nonbreeding locations and High Arctic breeding locations, the key mechanisms of navigation during these migrations remain elusive. A flight along the shortest possible route between pairs of points on a sphere (‘orthodrome...
Published in: | Journal of Avian Biology |
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Language: | English |
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2020
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Online Access: | https://www.vliz.be/imisdocs/publications/92/351992.pdf |
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ftnioz:oai:imis.nioz.nl:329920 2023-05-15T15:10:54+02:00 A red knot as a black swan: how a single bird shows navigational abilities during repeat crossings of the Greenland Icecap Kok, E.M.A. Tibbitts, T.L Douglas, D.C. Howey, P.W. Dekinga, A. Gnep, B. Piersma, T. 2020 application/pdf https://www.vliz.be/imisdocs/publications/92/351992.pdf en eng info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/wos/000568820500004 info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/doi/doi.org/10.1111/jav.02464 https://www.vliz.be/imisdocs/publications/92/351992.pdf info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess %3Ci%3EJ.+Avian+Biol.+51%288%29%3C%2Fi%3E.+%3Ca+href%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Fdx.doi.org%2F10.1111%2Fjav.02464%22+target%3D%22_blank%22%3Ehttps%3A%2F%2Fdx.doi.org%2F10.1111%2Fjav.02464%3C%2Fa%3E info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion 2020 ftnioz https://doi.org/10.1111/jav.02464 2022-05-01T14:12:59Z Despite the wealth of studies on seasonal movements of birds between southern nonbreeding locations and High Arctic breeding locations, the key mechanisms of navigation during these migrations remain elusive. A flight along the shortest possible route between pairs of points on a sphere (‘orthodrome’) requires a bird to be able to assess its current location in relation to its migration goal and to make continuous adjustment of heading to reach that goal. Alternatively, birds may navigate along a vector with a fixed orientation (‘loxodrome’) based on magnetic and/or celestial compass mechanisms. Compass navigation is considered especially challenging for summer migrations in Polar regions, as continuous daylight and complexity in the geomagnetic field may complicate the use of both celestial and magnetic compasses here. We examine the possible use of orientation mechanisms during migratory flights across the Greenland Icecap. Using a novel 2 g solar‐powered satellite transmitter, we documented the flight paths travelled by a female red knot Calidris canutus islandica during two northward and two southward migrations. The geometry of the paths suggests that red knots can migrate across the Greenland Icecap along the shortest‐, orthodrome‐like, path instead of the previously suggested loxodrome path. This particular bird's ability to return to locations visited in a previous year, together with its sudden course changes (which would be appropriate responses to ambient wind fields), suggest a map sense that enables red knots to determine location, so that they can tailor their route depending on local conditions. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Calidris canutus Greenland Red Knot NIOZ Repository (Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research) Arctic Greenland Greenland Icecap ENVELOPE(-40.000,-40.000,72.000,72.000) Journal of Avian Biology 51 8 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
NIOZ Repository (Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research) |
op_collection_id |
ftnioz |
language |
English |
description |
Despite the wealth of studies on seasonal movements of birds between southern nonbreeding locations and High Arctic breeding locations, the key mechanisms of navigation during these migrations remain elusive. A flight along the shortest possible route between pairs of points on a sphere (‘orthodrome’) requires a bird to be able to assess its current location in relation to its migration goal and to make continuous adjustment of heading to reach that goal. Alternatively, birds may navigate along a vector with a fixed orientation (‘loxodrome’) based on magnetic and/or celestial compass mechanisms. Compass navigation is considered especially challenging for summer migrations in Polar regions, as continuous daylight and complexity in the geomagnetic field may complicate the use of both celestial and magnetic compasses here. We examine the possible use of orientation mechanisms during migratory flights across the Greenland Icecap. Using a novel 2 g solar‐powered satellite transmitter, we documented the flight paths travelled by a female red knot Calidris canutus islandica during two northward and two southward migrations. The geometry of the paths suggests that red knots can migrate across the Greenland Icecap along the shortest‐, orthodrome‐like, path instead of the previously suggested loxodrome path. This particular bird's ability to return to locations visited in a previous year, together with its sudden course changes (which would be appropriate responses to ambient wind fields), suggest a map sense that enables red knots to determine location, so that they can tailor their route depending on local conditions. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Kok, E.M.A. Tibbitts, T.L Douglas, D.C. Howey, P.W. Dekinga, A. Gnep, B. Piersma, T. |
spellingShingle |
Kok, E.M.A. Tibbitts, T.L Douglas, D.C. Howey, P.W. Dekinga, A. Gnep, B. Piersma, T. A red knot as a black swan: how a single bird shows navigational abilities during repeat crossings of the Greenland Icecap |
author_facet |
Kok, E.M.A. Tibbitts, T.L Douglas, D.C. Howey, P.W. Dekinga, A. Gnep, B. Piersma, T. |
author_sort |
Kok, E.M.A. |
title |
A red knot as a black swan: how a single bird shows navigational abilities during repeat crossings of the Greenland Icecap |
title_short |
A red knot as a black swan: how a single bird shows navigational abilities during repeat crossings of the Greenland Icecap |
title_full |
A red knot as a black swan: how a single bird shows navigational abilities during repeat crossings of the Greenland Icecap |
title_fullStr |
A red knot as a black swan: how a single bird shows navigational abilities during repeat crossings of the Greenland Icecap |
title_full_unstemmed |
A red knot as a black swan: how a single bird shows navigational abilities during repeat crossings of the Greenland Icecap |
title_sort |
red knot as a black swan: how a single bird shows navigational abilities during repeat crossings of the greenland icecap |
publishDate |
2020 |
url |
https://www.vliz.be/imisdocs/publications/92/351992.pdf |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-40.000,-40.000,72.000,72.000) |
geographic |
Arctic Greenland Greenland Icecap |
geographic_facet |
Arctic Greenland Greenland Icecap |
genre |
Arctic Calidris canutus Greenland Red Knot |
genre_facet |
Arctic Calidris canutus Greenland Red Knot |
op_source |
%3Ci%3EJ.+Avian+Biol.+51%288%29%3C%2Fi%3E.+%3Ca+href%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Fdx.doi.org%2F10.1111%2Fjav.02464%22+target%3D%22_blank%22%3Ehttps%3A%2F%2Fdx.doi.org%2F10.1111%2Fjav.02464%3C%2Fa%3E |
op_relation |
info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/wos/000568820500004 info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/doi/doi.org/10.1111/jav.02464 https://www.vliz.be/imisdocs/publications/92/351992.pdf |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1111/jav.02464 |
container_title |
Journal of Avian Biology |
container_volume |
51 |
container_issue |
8 |
_version_ |
1766341837712261120 |