Seasonal effects of wind conditions on migration patterns of soaring American white pelican.

ABSTRACT: Energy and time expenditures are determinants of bird migration strategies. Soaring birds have developed migration strategies to minimize these costs, optimizing the use of all the available resources to facilitate their displacement. We analysed the effects of different wind factors (tailwind, turbulence, vertical updrafts) on the migratory flying strategies adopted by 24 satellite-tracked American white pelicans (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) throughout spring and autumn in North America. We hypothesize that different wind conditions encountered along migration routes between spring and autumn induce pelicans to adopt different flying strategies and use of these wind resources. Using quantile regression and fine-scale atmospheric data, we found that the pelicans optimized the use of availab

SUBMITTER: Gutierrez Illan J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5655449 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature