Size and accumulation of fuel reserves at stopover predict nocturnal restlessness in a migratory bird.

ABSTRACT: Early arrival at the breeding site positively affects the breeding success of migratory birds. During migration, birds spend most of their time at stopovers. Therefore, determining which factors shape stopover duration is essential to our understanding of avian migration. Because the main purpose of stopover is to accumulate fat as fuel for the next flight bout, fuel reserves at arrival and the accumulation of fuel are both expected to affect stopover departure decisions. Here, we determined whether fuel reserves and fuel accumulation predict a bird's motivation to depart, as quantified by nocturnal migratory restlessness (Zugunruhe), using northern wheatears (Oenanthe oenanthe) that were captured and temporarily contained at spring stopover. We found that fuel reserves at capture were pos

SUBMITTER: Eikenaar C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3871357 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature