Migration of Birds (1979)Lincoln, Frederick Charles
Science
Migration of Birds (1979)
Lincoln, Frederick Charles
Birds; Birds -- Migration
The adults of most birds leave the young when they are grown. This
gives the parents an opportunity to rest and renew their plumage
before starting for winter quarters. The young are likely to move
south together ahead of their parents. This has been documented in a
number of species including our mourning dove, the common swift of
Europe, and storks. Mueller and Berger (1967) found an age-specific
migration pattern in sharp-shinned hawks passing through Wisconsin.
The immatures were much in evidence during mid-September while the
adults came through a month later. Far to the south in the Antarctic,
young Adelie penguins depart for northern wintering grounds much
earlier than adults.
[Illustration: _Figure 7. Average number of species captured daily
in mist nets during spring migration at Eilat, Israel, in 1968. The
number of species passing through an area on migration will rise and
fall similar to the number of birds counted in the area. In this case
two major movements came through about 1 month apart._]
In a few species, adults depart south before the young. Adult golden
plovers, Hudsonian godwits, and probably most of the Arctic breeding
shorebirds leave the young as soon as they are capable of caring for
themselves and set out for South America ahead of the juveniles.
Likewise, data for the least flycatcher indicate adults migrate
before the young, but Johnson (1963) did not find this segregation
in the Hammond's flycatcher. In Europe, adult red-backed shrikes are
known to migrate ahead of their young.
[Illustration: Cretzschmar's Bunting Ortolan Bunting Black-headed
Bunting]
[Illustration: _Figure 8. Average number of three species of buntings
captured daily in mist nets during spring migration at Eilat, Israel,
in 1968. Closely related species that migrate through the same area
often appear at different times. Thus species that may eat the same
foods do not compete with each other._]
In contrast to this loss of parental concern, geese, swans, and
cranes remain in family groups throughout migration. The parent
birds undergo a wing molt that renders them flightless during the
period of growth of their young so that both the adults and immatures
acquire their flight capabilities at the same time and are able to
start south together. Large flocks of Canada geese, for example, are
composed of many families banded together. When these flocks separate
into small V-shaped units it is probably correct to assume an old
goose or gander is leading the family. After female ducks start to
incubate their eggs, the males of most species of ducks flock by
themselves and remain together until fall. When segregation of the
sexes such as this occurs the young birds often accompany their
mothers south. Murray and Jehl (1964) concluded from mist-netting
many thousands of migrant passerines at Island Beach, New Jersey,
that adults and juveniles travel at approximately the same time.
By Sex
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account