A Quantitative Study of the Nocturnal Migration of BirdsLowery, George H., Jr.
Science
A Quantitative Study of the Nocturnal Migration of Birds
Lowery, George H., Jr.
Birds -- Migration
Sector Density has already been referred to. It may be defined as the
flight density within a 22-1/2° directional spread, or sector,
measured across a one-mile line lying at right angles to the
mid-direction of the sector. It is the basic type of density from the
point of view of the computer, the others being derived from it. In
analysis it provides a means of comparing directional trends at the
same station and of studying variation in directional fanning.
Net Trend Density represents the maximum net flow of migration over a
one-mile line. It is found by plotting the sector densities
directionally as lines of thrust, proportioned according to the
density in each sector, and using vector analysis to obtain a vector
resultant, representing the density and direction of the net trend.
The mile line defining the spacial limits lies at right angles to this
vector resultant, but the density figure includes all of the birds
crossing the line, not just those that do so at a specified angle.
Much of the directional spread exhibited by sector densities
undoubtedly has no basis in reality but results from inaccuracies in
coördinate readings and from practical difficulties inherent in the
method of computation. By reducing all directions to one major trend,
net trend density has the advantage of balancing errors one against
the other and may often give the truer index to the way in which the
birds are actually going. On the other hand, if the basic directions
are too widely spread or if the major sector vectors are widely
separated with little or no representation between, the net trend
density may become an abstraction, expressing the idea of a mean
direction but pointing down an avenue along which no migrants are
traveling. In such instances, little of importance can be learned from
it. In others, it gives an idea of general trends indispensable in
comparing station with station to test the existence of flyways and in
mapping the continental distribution of flight on a given night to
study the influence of weather factors.
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