Radar Observations of Arctic Bird Migration in the Beringia Region
Bird migration was recorded by tracking radar and visual observations in the Beringia region. The data were subdivided into seven areas extending from north of Wrangel Island southeastward toward the Bering Strait and then northwestward off the coast of Alaska to Point Barrow. The studies, which too...
Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
---|---|
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
The Arctic Institute of North America
2009
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/1401241 |
id |
ftulundlup:oai:lup.lub.lu.se:b3441f2b-5182-4790-9b48-68a3b908c101 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
ftulundlup:oai:lup.lub.lu.se:b3441f2b-5182-4790-9b48-68a3b908c101 2023-05-15T14:21:58+02:00 Radar Observations of Arctic Bird Migration in the Beringia Region Hedenström, Anders Alerstam, Thomas Bäckman, Johan Gudmundsson, G. A. Henningsson, Sara Karlsson, Håkan Rosén, Mikael Strandberg, Roine 2009 https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/1401241 eng eng The Arctic Institute of North America https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/1401241 wos:000264781200003 scopus:64549143833 Arctic; 62(1), pp 25-37 (2009) ISSN: 0004-0843 Biological Sciences speed flight flight altitude Beringia migration Arctic birds bird flight orientation great circle radar contributiontojournal/article info:eu-repo/semantics/article text 2009 ftulundlup 2023-02-01T23:35:29Z Bird migration was recorded by tracking radar and visual observations in the Beringia region. The data were subdivided into seven areas extending from north of Wrangel Island southeastward toward the Bering Strait and then northwestward off the coast of Alaska to Point Barrow. The studies, which took place during a ship-based expedition between 30 July and 19 August 2005, recorded a total of 557 tracks (average duration 120 seconds) of bird flocks or individuals on post-breeding migration. The dominant eastward-flying flocks were likely composed of shorebirds on their way from breeding areas in central or eastern Siberia to intermediate stopovers and final destinations in North and South America. The courses were more southerly into the Bering Strait, possibly because of topographical influence. At two areas, the Chukchi Sea and Koluchinskaya Bay, there was also a westward component of migrants. At the Chukchi Sea these were almost certainly passerine birds migrating from Alaska to wintering areas in Asia and Africa, while at Koluchinskaya Bay, king ciders on molt migration could represent an important part of the westward component. The overall mean altitude of flights was 1157 m, and flight altitude was positively correlated with latitude. The mean ground speed was 15.9 m/s and the mean airspeed was 14.1 m/s, indicating that on average the birds were experiencing a small tail wind component. The airspeed was a function of the tail wind component and the vertical speed; altitude and the side wind component did not contribute significantly to variation in airspeed in this data set. Comparing these results with similar data obtained from Siberia and Canada, we concluded that Beringia is a migration hotspot where intense bird migration crosses between Asia and Alaska in both directions. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Arctic birds Arctic Barrow Bering Strait Chukchi Chukchi Sea Point Barrow Wrangel Island Alaska Beringia Siberia Lund University Publications (LUP) Arctic Chukchi Sea Bering Strait Canada Wrangel Island ENVELOPE(-179.385,-179.385,71.244,71.244) |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Lund University Publications (LUP) |
op_collection_id |
ftulundlup |
language |
English |
topic |
Biological Sciences speed flight flight altitude Beringia migration Arctic birds bird flight orientation great circle radar |
spellingShingle |
Biological Sciences speed flight flight altitude Beringia migration Arctic birds bird flight orientation great circle radar Hedenström, Anders Alerstam, Thomas Bäckman, Johan Gudmundsson, G. A. Henningsson, Sara Karlsson, Håkan Rosén, Mikael Strandberg, Roine Radar Observations of Arctic Bird Migration in the Beringia Region |
topic_facet |
Biological Sciences speed flight flight altitude Beringia migration Arctic birds bird flight orientation great circle radar |
description |
Bird migration was recorded by tracking radar and visual observations in the Beringia region. The data were subdivided into seven areas extending from north of Wrangel Island southeastward toward the Bering Strait and then northwestward off the coast of Alaska to Point Barrow. The studies, which took place during a ship-based expedition between 30 July and 19 August 2005, recorded a total of 557 tracks (average duration 120 seconds) of bird flocks or individuals on post-breeding migration. The dominant eastward-flying flocks were likely composed of shorebirds on their way from breeding areas in central or eastern Siberia to intermediate stopovers and final destinations in North and South America. The courses were more southerly into the Bering Strait, possibly because of topographical influence. At two areas, the Chukchi Sea and Koluchinskaya Bay, there was also a westward component of migrants. At the Chukchi Sea these were almost certainly passerine birds migrating from Alaska to wintering areas in Asia and Africa, while at Koluchinskaya Bay, king ciders on molt migration could represent an important part of the westward component. The overall mean altitude of flights was 1157 m, and flight altitude was positively correlated with latitude. The mean ground speed was 15.9 m/s and the mean airspeed was 14.1 m/s, indicating that on average the birds were experiencing a small tail wind component. The airspeed was a function of the tail wind component and the vertical speed; altitude and the side wind component did not contribute significantly to variation in airspeed in this data set. Comparing these results with similar data obtained from Siberia and Canada, we concluded that Beringia is a migration hotspot where intense bird migration crosses between Asia and Alaska in both directions. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Hedenström, Anders Alerstam, Thomas Bäckman, Johan Gudmundsson, G. A. Henningsson, Sara Karlsson, Håkan Rosén, Mikael Strandberg, Roine |
author_facet |
Hedenström, Anders Alerstam, Thomas Bäckman, Johan Gudmundsson, G. A. Henningsson, Sara Karlsson, Håkan Rosén, Mikael Strandberg, Roine |
author_sort |
Hedenström, Anders |
title |
Radar Observations of Arctic Bird Migration in the Beringia Region |
title_short |
Radar Observations of Arctic Bird Migration in the Beringia Region |
title_full |
Radar Observations of Arctic Bird Migration in the Beringia Region |
title_fullStr |
Radar Observations of Arctic Bird Migration in the Beringia Region |
title_full_unstemmed |
Radar Observations of Arctic Bird Migration in the Beringia Region |
title_sort |
radar observations of arctic bird migration in the beringia region |
publisher |
The Arctic Institute of North America |
publishDate |
2009 |
url |
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/1401241 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-179.385,-179.385,71.244,71.244) |
geographic |
Arctic Chukchi Sea Bering Strait Canada Wrangel Island |
geographic_facet |
Arctic Chukchi Sea Bering Strait Canada Wrangel Island |
genre |
Arctic Arctic birds Arctic Barrow Bering Strait Chukchi Chukchi Sea Point Barrow Wrangel Island Alaska Beringia Siberia |
genre_facet |
Arctic Arctic birds Arctic Barrow Bering Strait Chukchi Chukchi Sea Point Barrow Wrangel Island Alaska Beringia Siberia |
op_source |
Arctic; 62(1), pp 25-37 (2009) ISSN: 0004-0843 |
op_relation |
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/1401241 wos:000264781200003 scopus:64549143833 |
_version_ |
1766294651241758720 |