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- Title
Bone collagen and muscle δC in relation to the timing of the migration of Garden Warblers Sylvia borin during return migration from Africa.
- Authors
Yohannes, Elizabeth; Lee, Raymond; Popenko, Vladimir; Bauchinger, Ulf
- Abstract
In migratory birds, seasonal factors interacting at different stages of the annual cycle can influence individual life histories. These have been well documented for Nearctic-Neotropical birds. Yet, seasonal interactions between the wintering, migration, and breeding periods have not been demonstrated for Palearctic-African passerine migrants. We tested whether variation in long- and short-term dietary choice of the Garden Warbler Sylvia borin can influence events during the subsequent spring migration from the African winter quarters to the Palearctic breeding grounds. Using bone collagen and muscle carbon stable isotope (δC) analysis, we assessed the relationships between dietary history, body condition, and migration timing in the Garden Warbler during a return migration from Africa. We predicted that Garden Warblers arriving early will have significantly different muscle and collagen δC relative to those arriving later. Whereas muscle δC (referring to events in the immediate past) was not related to body condition, we found a strong association between body condition and collagen δC signatures (representing the integration of long-term events). Collagen and muscle δC indicate that birds passing through later originated from moister or cooler geographic areas. The observed variation in isotope signatures might relate to differences in habitat and geographic/population origin, or in dietary intake.
- Subjects
MIGRATORY birds; BIRD migration; GARDEN warbler; BIRD physiology; BIRD habitats; ANIMAL behavior
- Publication
Journal of Ornithology, 2012, Vol 153, Issue 3, p783
- ISSN
2193-7192
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1007/s10336-011-0794-y