Moving polewards in winter: a recent change in the migratory strategy of a pelagic seabird? - Research portal of Justus Liebig University Giessen:

Journal article

Moving polewards in winter: a recent change in the migratory strategy of a pelagic seabird?

Authors list: Quillfeldt, P; Masello, JF; McGill, RAR; Adams, M; Furness, RW

Publication year: 2010

Pages: 15-

Journal: Frontiers in Zoology

Volume number: 7

ISSN: 1742-9994

DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.1186/1742-9994-7-15

Publisher: BioMed Central

Abstract:
Background: During the non-breeding period, many birds migrate to milder areas, found closer to the equator than their breeding sites. Opposite movements are very rare. In the Southern Ocean, the abundance of C-13 declines markedly with more southern latitude, providing a characteristic C-13 isoscape. This can be used as a tracer for the movement of seabirds between breeding and inter-breeding areas, by comparing stable isotope ratios of feathers grown at different times of the year.Results: We studied seasonal movements of Thin-billed prions (Aves, Procellariiformes), breeding at the Subantarctic Falkland/Malvinas Islands, compared with those of Wilson's storm-petrels breeding in the Antarctic South Shetland Islands. The two species showed opposite migratory movements. While Wilson's storm-petrels moved to warmer waters north of the Drake Passage in winter, Thin-billed prions showed a reversed movement towards more polar waters. Carbon stable isotope ratios in recent and historical feathers indicated that poleward winter movements of Thin-billed prions were less common historically (45% in 1913-1915), and have only recently become dominant (92% in 2003-2005), apparently in response to warming sea temperatures.Conclusions: This study shows that pelagic seabirds can rapidly change migration strategies within populations, including migration towards more poleward waters in winter.

Authors/Editors

- Uni.-Prof. Dr. Petra Quillfeldt

Citation Styles

Harvard Citation style: Quillfeldt, P., Masello, J., McGill, R., Adams, M. and Furness, R. (2010) Moving polewards in winter: a recent change in the migratory strategy of a pelagic seabird?, Frontiers in Zoology, 7, p. 15. https://doi.org/10.1186/1742-9994-7-15

APA Citation style: Quillfeldt, P., Masello, J., McGill, R., Adams, M., & Furness, R. (2010). Moving polewards in winter: a recent change in the migratory strategy of a pelagic seabird?. Frontiers in Zoology. 7, 15. https://doi.org/10.1186/1742-9994-7-15