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Regulation of stopover duration in the European Robin Erithacus rubecula

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Abstract

Analysis of factors that influence stopover departure decisions in migrating birds is an important step in understanding their movements. We studied body condition, refuelling efficiency and weather during arrival and subsequent departure of migrant European Robins Erithacus rubecula at a stopover site on the Courish Spit (Eastern Baltic) to explain why some birds continued migration on the night following arrival (‘transients’) while others stopped over for a more prolonged period (‘non-transients’). Analysis of 125 uniquely recaptured birds showed that long stopovers could not explained by adverse weather during the night following arrival. Comparison of arrival fuel loads in ‘transient’ and ‘non-transient’ individuals revealed no clear differences and most birds were able to gain mass. Only the combined consideration of both energetic and weather parameters showed that departure decisions depended on simultaneous action of nearly all factors. In ‘non-transient’ birds, the exact stopover duration is governed by a combination of achieved fuel deposition rate/fuel stores and the prevailing weather pattern. In spring, European Robins selected optimal wind condition to start a new flight bout while in autumn they departed under moderately unfavorable winds.

Zusammenfassung

Steuerung der Rastaufenthaltsdauer beim Rotkehlchen Erithacus rubecula

Die Analyse der Faktoren, welche bei rastenden Zugvögeln die Entscheidung zwischen Verweilen oder Weiterflug beeinflussen, ist ein wichtiger Schritt zum Verständnis ihrer Zugbewegungen. Wir untersuchten Körperkondition, Effizienz beim Wiederauffüllen der Energiereserven und die Wetterbedingungen bei der Ankunft und dem anschließenden Weiterflug von ziehenden Rotkehlchen in einem Rastgebiet auf der Kurischen Nehrung (Ostbaltikum), um eine Erklärung dafür zu finden, warum manche Vögel ihren Zug in der auf die Ankunft folgenden Nacht fortsetzten („Durchzügler“), während andere über einen längeren Zeitraum hinweg dort verweilten („Rastvögel“). Die Analyse von 125 einmalig wiedergefangenen Vögeln zeigte, dass sich eine lange Verweildauer nicht durch ungünstige Wetterverhältnisse in der auf die Ankunft folgenden Nacht erklären ließ. Der Vergleich der Energiereserven von durchziehenden und verweilenden Individuen bei Ankunft ließ keine klaren Unterschiede erkennen und die meisten Vögel konnten an Masse zunehmen. Erst die gemeinsame Betrachtung von Energie- und Wetterparametern zeigte, dass die Entscheidung zum Weiterflug von der gleichzeitigen Einwirkung fast aller Faktoren abhing. Bei den nicht nur durchziehenden Vögeln wird die genaue Verweildauer von einer Kombination aus der erreichten „Auftankrate“ beziehungsweise den Energiereserven sowie den vorherrschenden Wetterbedingungen bestimmt. Im Frühling wählten die Rotkehlchen optimale Windverhältnisse, um zu einer neuen Flugetappe aufzubrechen, während sie im Herbst bei mäßig ungünstigen Winden abflogen.

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Acknowledgments

We are most grateful to Martin Griffiths and Lyndon Roberts for correcting our English and Volker Salewski and an anonymous reviewer who helped us greatly to improve the manuscript. We are indebted to many our colleagues and students who caught birds in the daytime and helped us to control the high nets at night. We thank the British Atmospheric Data Centre (BADC) for the wind balloon data. This study was supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (grant 01-04-49801, 04-04-49161 and 13-04-00490). Trapping of the birds complied with the current laws of Russia.

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  1. Biological Station Rybachy of Zoological Institute RAS, Rybachy, 238535, Kaliningrad Region, Russia

    Victor N. Bulyuk & Arseny Tsvey

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  1. Victor N. Bulyuk
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  2. Arseny Tsvey
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Correspondence to Victor N. Bulyuk.

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Communicated by N. Chernetsov.

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Bulyuk, V.N., Tsvey, A. Regulation of stopover duration in the European Robin Erithacus rubecula . J Ornithol 154, 1115–1126 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10336-013-0981-0

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