Whimbrel Populations Differ in Trans-atlantic Pathways and Cyclone Encounters

• Published in: Scientific Reports
• Main Authors: Watts, B. D., Smith, F. M., Hines, C., Duval, L.
• Format: Text
• Language: unknown
• Published: W&M ScholarWorks 2021
• Subjects: Biology; Hudson Bay; Canada; Hudson; Mackenzie Delta; Whimbrel
• Online Access: https://scholarworks.wm.edu/aspubs/2054; https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-92429-z; https://scholarworks.wm.edu/context/aspubs/article/3059/viewcontent/Whimbrel_populations_differ_in_trans_atlantic_pathways_and_cyclone_encounters.pdf

Each year hundreds of millions of birds cross the Atlantic Ocean during the peak of tropical cyclone activity. The extent and consequences of migrant-storm interactions remain unknown. We tracked whimbrels from two populations (Mackenzie Delta; Hudson Bay) to examine overlap between migration routes and storm activity and both the frequency and consequence of storm encounters. Here we show that Mackenzie Delta and Hudson Bay whimbrels follow different routes across the ocean and experience dramatically different rates of storm encounters. Mackenzie Delta whimbrels departed North America from Atlantic Canada, made long (x¯" role="presentation" style="box-sizing: inherit; display: inline; line-height: normal; word-spacing: normal; overflow-wrap: normal; white-space: nowrap; float: none; direction: ltr; max-width: none; max-height: none; min-width: 0px; min-height: 0px; border: 0px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; position: relative;">x¯x¯ = 5440 ± 120.3 km) nonstop flights far out to sea that took several days (x¯" role="presentation" style="box-sizing: inherit; display: inline; line-height: normal; word-spacing: normal; overflow-wrap: normal; white-space: nowrap; float: none; direction: ltr; max-width: none; max-height: none; min-width: 0px; min-height: 0px; border: 0px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; position: relative;">x¯x¯ = 6.1 ± 0.18) to complete and encountered storms during 3 of 22 crossings. Hudson Bay whimbrels departed North America from the south Atlantic Coast, made shorter (x¯" role="presentation" style="box-sizing: inherit; display: inline; line-height: normal; word-spacing: normal; overflow-wrap: normal; white-space: nowrap; float: none; direction: ltr; max-width: none; max-height: none; min-width: 0px; min-height: 0px; border: 0px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; position: relative;">x¯x¯ = 3643 ± 196.2 km) nonstop flights across the Caribbean Basin that took less time (x¯" role="presentation" style="box-sizing: inherit; display: inline; line-height: normal; ...