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- Title
Carbon isotope turnover in blood as a measure of arrival time in migratory birds using isotopically distinct environments.
- Authors
Oppel, Steffen; Powell, Abby N.
- Abstract
Arrival time on breeding or non-breeding areas is of interest in many ecological studies exploring fitness consequences of migratory schedules. However, in most field studies, it is difficult to precisely assess arrival time of individuals. Here, we use carbon isotope turnover in avian blood as a technique to estimate arrival time for birds switching from one habitat or environment to another. Stable carbon isotope ratios (δ13C) in blood assimilate to a new equilibrium following a diet switch according to an exponential decay function. This relationship can be used to determine the time a diet switch occurred if δ13C of both the old and new diet are known. We used published data of captive birds to validate that this approach provides reliable estimates of the time since a diet switch within 1–3 weeks after the diet switch. We then explored the utility of this technique for King Eiders ( Somateria spectabilis) arriving on terrestrial breeding grounds after wintering and migration at sea. We estimated arrival time on breeding grounds in northern Alaska (95% CI) from red blood cell δ13C turnover to be 4–9 June. This estimate overlapped with arrival time of birds from the same study site tracked with satellite transmitters (5–12 June). Therefore, we conclude that this method provides a simple yet reliable way to assess arrival time of birds moving between isotopically distinct environments.
- Subjects
BIRD breeding; KING eider; SOMATERIA; MIGRATORY birds; MIGRATORY animals; CAPTIVE wild animals; MIGRATION flyways; STAGING areas (Birds); VAGRANT birds
- Publication
Journal of Ornithology, 2010, Vol 151, Issue 1, p123
- ISSN
2193-7192
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1007/s10336-009-0434-y