Origins of Nearctic migratory landbird vagrants recorded in Europe revealed by feather isotopic analysis.

ABSTRACT: Understanding the occurrence of vagrant individuals away from their usual distribution range can shed light on animal navigation systems. In autumn, migratory Nearctic landbirds often occur as far as Western Europe, and while the link between these occurrences and wind conditions over the Atlantic Ocean is largely established, the drivers and natal origins of these transatlantic vagrants remain elusive. We conducted feather hydrogen isotopic (δ²H_f) analyses from 72 Nearctic individuals representing 26 landbird species captured in the Azores (Portugal), Iceland and France over the last century to infer their likely origins. While potential origins of several individuals came from northeastern Nearctic populations (e.g., Blackpoll Warbler, Northern Parula), we also foun

SUBMITTER: Dufour P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12048478 | biostudies-literature | 2025 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature