Most long-distance migrating passerines that breed in Europe spend their winters in Africa,with only a few species migrating eastward to spend the non-breeding period in South Asia.The use of the Indo-European flyway ...Most long-distance migrating passerines that breed in Europe spend their winters in Africa,with only a few species migrating eastward to spend the non-breeding period in South Asia.The use of the Indo-European flyway is rare and has been poorly studied so far.However,it is extremely interesting as within that system we are currently witnessing a recent range expansion of European breeding long distance migrants and thus the lengthening of migration routes.It may therefore conceal a unique migratory strategies and behaviour that can help us to understand the underlying factors and mechanisms determining the evolution of migration routes,strategies and breeding range extinction.Based on light-level geolocator we reveal a first track of the Citrine Wagtail(Motacilla citreola)migration,providing insight into the migration pattern,timing and behaviour of the species that recently has extended its migration routes.Unexpectedly,the studied individual did not retrace a recent range expansion that runs north and east from the Caspian Sea but followed a migration route running south form the Caspian sea,suggesting possible presence of an alternative species range expansion.The overall migration distance between the breeding site in Poland and the non-breeding site in Pakistan was about 10,420 km and included two endurance movement phases(920 and 2240 km)covering 30%of the whole journey length,with an average movement speed of 574 km/day.We explain this migration behaviour as an adaptation for crossing the ecological barriers imposed by arid environments.展开更多
文摘Most long-distance migrating passerines that breed in Europe spend their winters in Africa,with only a few species migrating eastward to spend the non-breeding period in South Asia.The use of the Indo-European flyway is rare and has been poorly studied so far.However,it is extremely interesting as within that system we are currently witnessing a recent range expansion of European breeding long distance migrants and thus the lengthening of migration routes.It may therefore conceal a unique migratory strategies and behaviour that can help us to understand the underlying factors and mechanisms determining the evolution of migration routes,strategies and breeding range extinction.Based on light-level geolocator we reveal a first track of the Citrine Wagtail(Motacilla citreola)migration,providing insight into the migration pattern,timing and behaviour of the species that recently has extended its migration routes.Unexpectedly,the studied individual did not retrace a recent range expansion that runs north and east from the Caspian Sea but followed a migration route running south form the Caspian sea,suggesting possible presence of an alternative species range expansion.The overall migration distance between the breeding site in Poland and the non-breeding site in Pakistan was about 10,420 km and included two endurance movement phases(920 and 2240 km)covering 30%of the whole journey length,with an average movement speed of 574 km/day.We explain this migration behaviour as an adaptation for crossing the ecological barriers imposed by arid environments.
