Abstract
Seasonality in birds is most evident for physiological and behavioral events associated with reproduction, migration, and molt. These events have been intensively studied and thoroughly reviewed in the recent literature (Assenmacher, 1958; Farner, 1955, 1959, 9167; Farner and Follett, 1966; Immelmann, 1971; Lofts and Murton, 1968; Marshall, 1959; Wolfson, 1960). Therefore the present summary of the annual cycle in birds and its underlying physiological regulatory mechanism emphasizes the variations in timing attributable to weather-related phenological factors. The discussion pertains mainly to songbirds of temperate and high latitudes. Seasonality in other taxonomic groups or in birds of the sea, tropics, or deserts is mentioned only incidentally.
Research supported by the University of Oregon’s Office of Scientific and Scholarly Research. Thanks to Philip Lounibos and Christina Holzapfel for their help with the manuscript
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Assenmacher, I. 1958. La mue des oiseaux et son déterminisme endocrinien. Alauda 26, 241–289.
Bagg, A. M., W. W. H. Gunn, D. S. Miller, J. T. Nichols, W. Smith and F. P. Wolfarth. 1950. Barometric pressure patterns and spring bird migration. Wilson Bull. 62, 5–19.
Blanchard, B. D. 1941. The white-crowned sparrows (Zonotrichia leucophrys) of the Pacific seaboard: Environment and annual cycle. Univ. California Publ. Zool. 46, 1–178.
Bryson, R. 1966. Air masses, streamlines, and the boreal forest. Geogr. Bull. 8, 228–269.
Delius, J. D. 1965. A population study of skylarks, Alauda arvensis. Ibis 107, 466–492.
Farner, D. S. 1955. The annual stimulus for migration: Experimental and physiologic aspects. In Recent Studies in Avian Biology ,A. Wolfson, ed. pp. 198–237. Urbana: University of Illinois Press.
Farner, D. S. 1959. Photoperiodic control of annual gonadal cycles in birds. In Photoperiodism, R. B. Withrow, ed. pp. 717–750. Washington, D.C.: American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Farner, D. S. 1964. The photoperiodic control of reproductive cycles in birds. Am. Sci. 52, 137– 156.
Farner, D. S. 1967. The control of avian reproductive cycles. Proc. 14th Intern. Ornithol. Congr. 1966 ,107–133.
Farner, D. S., and B. K. Follett. 1966. Light and other environmental factors affecting avian reproduction. J. Animal Sci. 25, 90–118.
Farner, D. S. and A. C. Wilson. 1957. A quantitative examination of testicular growth in the white-crowned sparrow. Bio I. Bull. 113,254–267.
Gauthreaux, S. A. Jr. 1971. A radar and direct visual study of passerine spring migration in southern Louisiana. Auk. 88, 343–365.
Hassler, S. S., R. R. Graber, and F. C. Bellrose. 1963. Fall migration and weather, a radar study. Wilson Bull. 75, 56–77.
Helms, C. W. 1963. The annual cycle and Zugunruhe in birds. Proc. 13th Intern. Ornithol. Congr. 1962, 925–939.
Hinde, R. W. 1967. Aspects of the control of avian reproductive development within the breeding season. Proc. 14th Intern. Ornithol. Congr. 1966 ,135–153.
Immelmann, K. 1971. Ecological aspects of periodic reproduction. In Avian Biology ,D. S. Farner and J. R. King, eds. pp. 341–389. New York and London: Academic Press.
Kendeigh, S. C. 1963. Regulation of nesting time and distribution in the house wren. Wilson Bull. 75, 418–427.
King, J. R., and D. S. Farner. 1959. Premigratory changes in body weight and fat in wild and captive male white-crowned sparrows. Condor 61, 315–324.
Kluijver, H. N. 1951. The population ecology of the great tit, Parus m. major L. Ardea 39, 1–135.
Lack, D. 1960. The influence of weather on passerine migration: A review. Auk. 11, 171–209.
Lincoln, F. C. 1952. Migration of Birds. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday.
Lofts, B., and R. K. Murton. 1968. Photoperiodic and physiological adaptations regulating avian breeding cycles and their ecological significance. J. Zool. 155, 327–394.
Lowery, G. H., and R. J. Newman. 1966. A continent-wide view of bird migration on four nights in October. Auk 83, 547–586.
Marshall, A. J. 1949. Weather factors and spermatogenesis in birds. Proc. Zool. Soc. London 119, 711–716.
Marshall, A. J. 1959. Internal and environmental control of breeding. Ibis 101, 456–478.
Mayer-Gross, H. 1964. Late nesting in Britain in 1960. Brit. Birds 51 ,102–118.
Morton, M. L., and L. R. Mewaldt. 1962. Some effects of castration on a migratory sparrow (Zonotrichia atricapilld). Physiol. Zool. 35, 237–247.
Newton, I. 1966. The moult of the bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula. Ibis 108, 41–67.
Nice, M. M. 1937. Studies in the life history of the song sparrow. I. A population study of the song sparrow. Trans. Linn. Soc. New York 4, 1–246.
Nisbet, I. C. T., and W. H. Drury. 1968. Short-term effects of weather on bird migration:
A field study using multivariate statistics. Animal Behaviour 16, 496–530.
Perrins, C. M. 1970. The timing of bird’s breeding seasons. Ibis 112, 242–255.
Pitelka, F. A. 1958. Timing of molt in Stellers jays of the Queen Charlotte Islands, British Columbia. Condor 60, 38–49.
Von Haartman, L. 1963. The nesting times of Finnish birds. Proc. 13th Intern. Ornithol. Congr. 1962 ,611–619.
Weise, C. M. 1956. Nightly unrest in caged migratory sparrows under outdoor conditions. Ecology 37, 274–287.
Weise, C. M. 1963. Annual physiological cycles in captive birds of differing migratory habits. Proc. 13th Intern. Ornithol. Congr. 1962 ,983–993.
Wolfson, A. 1959. The role of light and darkness in the regulation of spring migration and reproductive cycles in birds. In Photoperiodism ,R. B. Withrow, ed. pp. 679–716.
Washington, D.C.: American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Washington, D.C.1960. Regulation of annual periodicity in the migration and reproduction of birds. Cold Spring Harbor Symp. Quant. Biol. 25, 507–514.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1974 Springer Science+Business Media New York
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Weise, C.M. (1974). Seasonality in Birds. In: Lieth, H. (eds) Phenology and Seasonality Modeling. Ecological Studies, vol 8. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-51863-8_12
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-51863-8_12
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-642-51865-2
Online ISBN: 978-3-642-51863-8
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive