Unexpected migration patterns in a high-latitude breeding songbird: evidence from multi-sensor geolocators and isotopes.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Migratory birds often exhibit within-species variation in migration routes and non-breeding areas, yet the mechanisms shaping these patterns remain poorly understood, particularly in high-latitude breeding populations. Several hypotheses have been proposed to explain why birds follow particular routes: optimal migration theory proposes that routes minimizing time or energy expenditure are favored, whereas the historical contingency hypothesis posits that routes are shaped by past range expansion, sometimes resulting in "suboptimal" migrations. We investigated whether distance minimization or historical contingency more strongly influenced migration routes in high-latitude breeding myrtle warblers (Setophaga coronata coronata), which indirect evidence previously suggested

SUBMITTER: Szarmach SJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12829184 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature