Fast fuelling but light flight in Broad-billed Sandpipers Limicola falcinellus: stopover ecology at a final take-off site in spring (Sivash, Ukraine)

We studied phenology, staging time and refuelling in Broad‐billed Sandpipers Limicola falcinellus stopping over during spring migration in the Sivash (Black Sea, Ukraine) in May 1991–94. In the study area, peak staging numbers of 2000–2500 individuals occurred in the third week of May. In May 1993,...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Ibis (London, England) Vol. 148; no. 2; pp. 211 - 220
Main Authors:	VERKUIL, YVONNE, VAN DER HAVE, TOM M., VAN DER WINDEN, JAN, KEIJL, GUIDO O., RUITERS, PAUL S., KOOLHAAS, ANITA, DEKINGA, ANNE, CHERNICHKO, IOSIF I.
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01-04-2006 Blackwell
Subjects:	Animal and plant ecology Animal behavior Animal migration Animal, plant and microbial ecology Animals Autoecology Aves Biological and medical sciences Birds body condition Brackish calidris Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology Limicola falcinellus Marine mass northward migrating waders optimal fat loads Ornithology populations semipalmated sandpipers Spring Vertebrata Vertebrates: general zoology, morphology, phylogeny, systematics, cytogenetics, geographical distribution wadden sea western sandpipers Eastern Europe Europe Ukraine MED, Black Sea MED, Ukraine ANE, Scandinavia Locomotion Vertebrata Light Flight Sivash Environmental factor Ecology Aves
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Summary:	We studied phenology, staging time and refuelling in Broad‐billed Sandpipers Limicola falcinellus stopping over during spring migration in the Sivash (Black Sea, Ukraine) in May 1991–94. In the study area, peak staging numbers of 2000–2500 individuals occurred in the third week of May. In May 1993, 460 birds were marked with a yellow dye and 126 of these were colour‐ringed. Before 28 May no departure of birds dyed yellow could be detected; by 3 June all birds had departed. Colour‐ringed adults in mid May 1993 staged for a minimum of 8.2 days. After the observed departure of large flocks (24 May and later) the staging time of colour‐ringed birds decreased significantly with body mass at the time of capture. Of birds mist‐netted in 1991–94, 99.3% were in full summer plumage and 89% were adults. In second‐year birds, fuel deposition rate (measured between individuals) was 0.44 g/day. In adults caught from early May to 24 May, overall fuel deposition rate was 1.04 g/day (3.4% of lean body mass). Mean adult body mass in early May was 34.8 g, increasing to 45.5 g after 24 May. Estimated body mass at departure was 51 g. Departure body mass and flight range estimates suggest that although birds refuelled quickly, fuel loads are only just sufficient for an unbroken flight to Scandinavia and the Kola Peninsula. We suggest that Broad‐billed Sandpipers use the Sivash as a crucial final take‐off stopover site, and that they follow a ‘jumping’ migration strategy, performed under narrow time constraints.
Bibliography:	ark:/67375/WNG-63B23N5H-X ArticleID:IBI490 istex:D67E77A299841E8B6B3583914EBBE4694DFB2AAF ObjectType-Article-1 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-2 content type line 23
ISSN:	0019-1019 1474-919X
DOI:	10.1111/j.1474-919X.2006.00490.x