Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

An Exploration of the Energetics of Leap-Frog Migration in Arctic Breeding Waders

  • Conference paper
Bird Migration

Abstract

Of the many problems posed by the phenomenon of bird migration, the interpretation of current migratory patterns in an evolutionary perspective remains a very thorny one. A widespread feature is for populations of the same species occupying distinctly disjunct breeding ranges to show differences in their wintering range as well. In some cases the more northerly breeding forms pass over the other populations to winter beyond the more southerly breeding forms. This migratory pattern, termed leap-frog migration, was first recognized more than 50 years ago and has been extensively discussed by Salomonsen (1955a,b), who in particular extended the list to include a number of waders. All authors who have grappled with this problem are in agreement that the displacement of the populations in winter must be attributed to the avoidance of competition (for review see Greenberg 1986). We accept this essential ingredient, and from this basic premise we will explore the implications of the spectacular differences in wintering area for the energy budgets of populations so segregated. In essence, we believe that pinpointing the essential differences in the energetic balance of the leap-frogging component may help to identify the selective advantages associated with the evolution of this migratory pattern.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 169.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Alerstam T, Högstedt G (1980) Spring predictability and leap-frog migration. Ornis Scand 11:196–200

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Alerstam T, Högstedt G (1985) Leap-frog arguments: reply to Pienkowski, Evans and Townshend. Ornis Scand 16:71–74

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ashkenazie S, Safriel UN (1979) Time-energy budget of the semipalmated sandpiper Calidris pusilla at Barrow, Alaska. Ecology 60:783–799

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bakken GS, Buttemer WA, Dawson WR, Gates DM (1981) Heated taxidermic mounts: a means of measuring the standard operative temperature affecting small animals. Ecology 62:311–318

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boer F de, Drent RH (1989) Breeding success of high arctic breeding geese and waders: eating or being eaten? Wader Study Group Bull 55:11–16

    Google Scholar 

  • Boere GC (1976) The significance of the Dutch Waddenzee in the annual life cycle of arctic, subarctic and boreal waders. Part 1. The function as a moulting area. Ardea 64:210–291

    Google Scholar 

  • Castro G (1987) High basal metabolic rate in sanderlings (Calidris alba). Wilson Bull 99:267–268

    Google Scholar 

  • Castro G (1988) Ecophysiology of sanderlings migrating to four different latitudes. Thesis, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia

    Google Scholar 

  • Castro G, Stoyan N, Myers JP (1989) Assimilation efficiency in birds: a function of taxon or food type? Comp Biochem Physiol A Comp Physiol 92:271–278

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chappell MA (1980) Thermal energetics of chicks of Arctic-breeding shorebirds. Comp Biochem Physiol A Comp Physiol 65:311–317

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cherel Y, Robin J-P, Maho Y Le (1988) Physiology and biochemistry of long-term fasting in birds. Can J Zool 66:159–166

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cramp S, Simmons KEL (eds) (1983) The birds of the western Palearctic, vol 3. Oxford University Press Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  • Davidson NC, Evans PR (1988) Pre-breeding accumulation of fat and protein by arctic-breeding shorebirds. Proc XIX Int Congr Ornithol Ottawa, pp 342–352

    Google Scholar 

  • Dick WJA (ed) (1975) Oxford and Cambridge Mauritanian Expedition 1973. Report Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  • Dolnik VR, Gavrilov VM (1973) Caloric equivalent of body weight variations in chaffinches (Fringilla coelebs) In: Bykhovskii BE (ed) Bird migrations, ecological and physiological factors. Wiley, New York, pp 273–287

    Google Scholar 

  • Ens BJ. Goss-Custard JD (1984) Interference among oystercatchers, Haematopus ostralegus L., feeding on mussels, Mytilus edulis L., on the Exe estuary. J Anim Ecol 53:217–232

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Glutz von Blotzheim UN, Bauer KM, Bezzel E (1977) Handbuch der Vögel Mitteleuropas, Band 7. Akademische Verlagsgesellschaft, Wiesbaden

    Google Scholar 

  • Goss-Custard JD, Durell SEA le V dit (1987) Age-related effects in oystercatchers, Haematopus ostralegus, feeding on mussels, Mytilus edulis. J Anim Ecol 56:521–558

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Greenberg R (1986) Competition in migrant birds in the nonbreeding season. Curr Ornithol 3:281–307

    Google Scholar 

  • Gudmundsson GA (1988) Intraspecific variation in bird migration patterns. Introductory paper no49. Department of Animal Ecology, University of Lund

    Google Scholar 

  • Gundlach BL, Visscher GJW (1986) The plethysmometric measurement of total body volume. Human Biol 58:783–799

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Järvi T (1983) On the evolution of inter- and intraspecific communication through natural and sexual selection. Thesis, University of Stockholm

    Google Scholar 

  • Kersten M, Piersma T (1987) High levels of energy expenditure in shorebirds; metabolic adaptations to an energetically expensive way of life. Ardea 75:175–187

    Google Scholar 

  • Kirkwood JK (1983) A limit to metabolizable energy intake in mammals and birds. Comp Biochem Physiol A Comp Physiol 75:1–3

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Klaassen M, Kersten M, Ens BJ (1990) Energetic requirements for maintenance and premigratory body mass gain of waders wintering in Africa. Ardea 78: (in press)

    Google Scholar 

  • Lundberg S, Alerstam T (1986) Bird migration patterns: conditions for stable geographical population segregation. J Theor Biol 123:403–414

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Masman D (1986) The annual cycle of the Kestrel Falco tinnunculus: a study in behavioural energetics. Thesis, University of Groningen

    Google Scholar 

  • Masman D, Klaassen M (1987) Energy expenditure during free flight in trained and free-living Eurasian kestrels (Falco tinnunculus). Auk 104:603–616

    Google Scholar 

  • Masman D, Daan S, Beldhuis HJA (1988) Ecological energetics of the kestrel: daily energetic expenditure throughout the year based on time-energy budget, food intake and doubly labeled water methods. Ardea 76:64–81

    Google Scholar 

  • Mjelstad H, Saetersdal M (1986) Density, population size and breeding distribution of spotted redshank Tringa erythropus, bar-tailed godwit Limosa lapponica and jack snipe Lymnocryptes minimus in Norway. Fauna Norv Ser C, Cinclus 9:13–16

    Google Scholar 

  • Morrison RIG, Davidson NC (1988) Migration, body condition and behaviour of shorebirds during spring migration at Alert, Ellesmere Island, N.W.T. Syllogeus (in press)

    Google Scholar 

  • Myers JP (1981) Cross-seasonal interactions in the evolution of sandpiper social systems. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 8:195–202

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Myers JP, Maron JL, Sallaberry M (1985) Going to extremes: why do sanderlings migrate to the Neotropics. Ornithol Monogr 36:520–535

    Google Scholar 

  • Petersen BD (1981) Vadefuglenes fouragering og predation paâ bundfaunaen paÃ¥ Tipperne. Dansk Ornithol Foren Tidsskr 75:7–22

    Google Scholar 

  • Pienkowski MW (1983) Surface activity of some intertidal invertebrates in relation to temperature and the foraging behaviour of their shorebird predators. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 11:141–150

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pienkowski MW, Evans PR (1985) The role of migration in the population dynamics of birds. In: Sibly RM, Smith RH (eds) Behavioural ecology: ecological consequences of adaptive behaviour. Oxford Blackwell Scientific, pp 331–352

    Google Scholar 

  • Pienkowski MW, Evans PR, Townshend DJ (1985) Leap-frog and other migration patterns of waders: a critique of the Alerstam and Högstedt hypothesis, and some alternatives. Ornis Scand 16:61–70

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pierce E (1989) Breeding biology of the purple sandpiper on Spitsbergen. Thesis, University of Bergen

    Google Scholar 

  • Piersma T (1982) Foraging of bar-tailed godwits. In: Altenburg W, Engelmoer M, Mes R, Piersma T (eds) Wintering waders on the Banc d’Arguin, Mauritania. Stichting Veth tot steun aan Wad-denonderzoek, Leiden, pp 135–148

    Google Scholar 

  • Piersma T (1987) Hink, stap of sprong? Reisbeperkingen van arctische steltlopers door voedselzoeken, vetopbouw en vliegsnelheid. Limosa 60:185–194

    Google Scholar 

  • Piersma T, Jukema J (1990) Budgeting the flight of a long-distance migrant: changes in nutrient reserve levels of bar-tailed godwits at successive spring staging sites. Ardea 78 (in press)

    Google Scholar 

  • Prokosch P (1988) Das Schleswig-Holsteinische Wattenmeer als Frühjahrs-Aufenthaltsgebiet arktischer Watvogel-Populationen am Beispiel von Kiebitzregenpfeifer (Pluvialis squatarola, L. 1758), Knutt (Calidris canutus, L. 1758) und Pfuhlschnepfe (Limosa lapponica, L. 1758). Corax 12:274–442

    Google Scholar 

  • Salomonsen F (1955a) Evolution and bird-migration. Acta XI Congr Int Ornithol, pp 337–339

    Google Scholar 

  • Salomonsen F (1955b) The evolutionary significance of bird-migration. Dan Biol Medded 22(6): 1–61

    Google Scholar 

  • Smit CJ, Piersma T (1989) Numbers, mid-winter distribution and migrations of wader populations using the East Atlantic flyway. In: Boyd H, Pirot J-Y (eds) Flyways and reserve networks for waterbirds. IWRB Spec Publ No 9. Canadian Wildlife Service, Ottawa, pp 24–63

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith PC (1975) A study of the winter feeding ecology and behaviour of the bar-tailed godwit Limosa lapponica. Thesis, University of Durham

    Google Scholar 

  • Speakman JR (1987) Apparent absorption efficiencies for redshank (Tringa totanus L.) and oyster-catcher (Haematopus ostralegus L.): implications for the predictions of optimal foraging models. Am Nat 130:677–691

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Summers RW, Underhill LG (1987) Factors related to breeding production of brent geese Branta b. bernicla and waders (Charadrii) on the Taimyr Peninsula. Bird Study 34:161–172

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sutherland WJ, Parker GR (1985) Distribution of unequal competitors. In: Sibly RM, Smith RH (eds) Behavioural ecology: ecological consequences of adaptive behaviour. Blackwell Scientific, Oxford, pp 255–273

    Google Scholar 

  • Townshend DJ (1985) Decisions for a lifetime: establishment of spatial defence and movement patterns of juvenile grey plovers (Pluvialis squatarola). J Anim Ecol 54:267–274

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walsberg GE (1988) Evaluation of a nondestructive method for determining fat stores in small birds and mammals. Physiol Zool 61:153–159

    Google Scholar 

  • Wijnandts H (1984) Ecological energetics of the long-earned owl (Asio otus). Ardea 72:1–92

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Zoological Laboratory, University of Groningen, P.O. Box 14, 9750 AA, Haren, The Netherlands

    R. Drent & T. Piersma

  2. Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, P.O. Box 59, 1790 AB, Den Burg, Texel, The Netherlands

    T. Piersma

Authors
  1. R. Drent
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. T. Piersma
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Max-Planck-Institut für Verhaltensphysiologie Vogelwarte, D-8138, Andechs, Germany

    Eberhard Gwinner

Additional information

Dedicated to Prof. Dr. J. Aschoff in recognition of his long-term support for studies of both animal energetics and migration

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1990 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this paper

Cite this paper

Drent, R., Piersma, T. (1990). An Exploration of the Energetics of Leap-Frog Migration in Arctic Breeding Waders. In: Gwinner, E. (eds) Bird Migration. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-74542-3_26

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-74542-3_26

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-74544-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-74542-3

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation