Hemispheric-scale wind selection facilitates bar-tailed godwit circum-migration of the Pacific
Section snippets
Atmospheric Setting
The structure of the winds across the Pacific is largely a function of alternating, latitudinally layered bands of high and low pressure (Fig. 1) These produce several prominent wind zones that are defined not only by winds of prevailing direction and strength, but also by their characteristic seasonal synoptic-scale disturbances (e.g. tropical, subtropical and temperate cyclones). The most prominent zones of winds in each hemisphere are the Polar Easterlies, Westerlies and Trade Winds, but
Results
Over 4 study years (2006–2010), we tracked migrations of 24 godwits on one or more of the three migration legs for a total of 37 tracks (one leg: N = 15 birds; two legs: N = 5 birds; three legs: N = 4 birds; Fig. 1, Table 1). We tracked 18 birds northwestward from New Zealand to the major staging area in the Yellow Sea from 14 March to10 April, 8 birds northeastward from the Yellow Sea to breeding grounds in Alaska from 1 May to 13 June, and 10 birds southward in autumn from Alaska back to New
Discussion
That birds are capable of directed flights lasting 1 week or more without stopping to refuel was speculative less than a decade ago (Gill et al., 2005, Gill et al., 2009, Hedenström, 2010). Our results from satellite tracking of individual godwits confirm that not only do birds make such migrations (Battley et al., 2012, Gill et al., 2009), but their ability to do so involves strategic decision and option spaces about when and where to fly within the highly dynamic wind regimes they traverse.
Acknowledgments
The David and Lucile Packard Foundation, the U.S. Geological Survey and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service provided funding. S. Senner, N. Warnock and P. Battley were instrumental in the overall development and conduct of the study. We thank Microwave Telemetry, Inc., for their support and technical expertise with satellite telemetry and S. Hermens for his Alaska-honed piloting skills. For help in the field and in capturing birds we thank P. Battley, J. Conklin, W. Cook, M. Dementyev, M. Green,
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G. Hufford is now at 17734 Kantishna, Eagle River, AK 99577, U.S.A.