Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Within-winter movements: a common phenomenon in the Common Pochard Aythya ferina

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Journal of Ornithology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Waterbirds are often observed to move between different wintering sites within the same winter—for example, in response to food availability or weather conditions. Within-winter movements may contribute to the spreading of diseases, such as avian influenza, outside the actual migration period. The Common Pochard Aythya ferina seems to be particularly sensitive to infection with the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus H5N1 and, consequently, could play an important role as vectors for the disease. We describe here the within-winter movements of Pochards in Europe in relation to topography, climate, sex and age. We analysed data provided by the Euring data bank on 201 individuals for which records from different locations from the same winter (December–February) were available. The distances and directions moved within the winter varied markedly between regions, which could be ascribed to the differing topography (coast lines, Alps). We found no significant differences in terms of distances and directions moved between the sexes and only weak indications of differences between the age classes. In Switzerland, juveniles moved in more westerly directions than adults. During relatively mild winters, winter harshness had no effect on the distances travelled, but in cold winters, a positive relationship was observed, a pattern possibly triggered by the freezing of lakes. Winter harshness did not influence the directions of the movement. About 41% (83/201) of the Pochards that were recovered at least 1 km from the ringing site had moved more than 200 km. A substantial number of birds moved between central/southern Europe and the north-western coast of mainland Europe, and between the north-western coast of mainland Europe and Great Britain, whereas no direct exchange between Great Britain and central/southern Europe was observed. Within-winter movements of Pochards seem to be a common phenomenon in all years and possibly occur as a response to the depletion of food resources. This high tendency to move could potentially contribute to the spread of bird-transmitted diseases outside the actual migration period.

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

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Agostinelli C (2006) Circular statistics. R package: circular statistics. In: Jammalamadaka SR, SenGupta A (eds) Topics in circular statistics. World Scientific, Singapore

  • Alerstam T (1990) Bird migration. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  • Baker H, Stroud DA, Aebischer NJ, Cranswick PA, Gregory RD, McSorley CA, Noble DG, Rehfisch MM (2006) Population estimates of birds in Great Britain and the United Kingdom. Br Birds 99:25–44

    Google Scholar 

  • Batschelet E (1981) Circular statistics in biology. Academic Press, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Berthold P (2000) Vogelzug, Eine aktuelle Gesamtübersicht. Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft, Darmstadt

    Google Scholar 

  • Bezzel E (1959) Beiträge zur Biologie der Geschlechter bei Entenvögeln. Anz Ornithol Ges Bayern 5:269–355

    Google Scholar 

  • Bezzel E (1969) Die Tafelente (Aythya ferina). Die neue Brehm-Bücherei, vol 405. A. Ziemsen-Verlag, Wittenberg Lutherstadt

    Google Scholar 

  • Blums P, Baumanis J (1990) Migration and geographical distribution of Pochard and Tufted Duck populations in the USSR. In: Vìcksne J, Vilks I (eds) Baltic birds 5, ecology migration and protection of Baltic birds, vol I. Publisher Riga, Riga, pp 49–57

    Google Scholar 

  • Carbone C, Owen M (1995) Differential migration of the sexes of Pochard Aythya ferina: results from a European survey. Wildfowl 46:99–108

    Google Scholar 

  • del Hoyo J, Elliot A, Sargatal J (1992) Handbook of the birds of the world, vol 1: Ostrich to ducks. Lynx Editions, Barcelona

  • Delany S, Veen J, Clark J (2006) Urgent preliminary assessment of ornithological data relevant to the spread of avian influenza in Europe. Wetlands International. Available at: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/nature_conservation/focus_wild_birds/avian_influenza/index_en.htm

  • Federal Veterinary Office (2007) Schweizer Zoonosebericht 2006. BVET Magazin 3:12–14

    Google Scholar 

  • Fisher NI (1993) Statistical analysis of circular data. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Glutz von Blotzheim UN, Bauer KM (1991) Handbuch der Vögel Mitteleuropas 12/1(3). AULA, Wiesbaden

  • Glutz von Blotzheim UN, Bauer K, Bezzel E (1985) Handbuch der Vögel Mitteleuropas, vol 10/1. AULA, Wiesbaden

  • Hamilton DJ, Ankney CD, Bailey RC (1994) Predation of Zebra Mussels by diving ducks: an exclosure study. Ecology 75:521–531

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Heine G, Jacoby H, Leuzinger H, Stark H (1999) Die Vögel des Bodenseegebietes. Vorkommen und Bestand der Brutvögel, Durchzügler und Wintergäste. Ornithol Jahreshefte Baden-Württemberg 14/15:847

    Google Scholar 

  • Hepp GR, Hines JE (1991) Factors affecting winter distribution and migration distance of Wood Ducks from southern breeding populations. Condor 93:884–891

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hofer J, Korner-Nievergelt F, Korner-Nievergelt P, Kestenholz M, Jenni L (2006) Herkunft und Zugverhalten von in der Schweiz überwinternden oder durchziehenden Tafelenten Aythya ferina. Ornithol Beob 103:65–86

    Google Scholar 

  • Ijnsen F (1988) Het karakterisieren van winters. Zenit 15:50–58

    Google Scholar 

  • Imboden C, Imboden D (1972) Formel für Orthodrome und Loxodrome bei der Berechnung von Richtung und Distanz zwischen Beringungs- und Wiederfundort. Vogelwarte 26:336–346

    Google Scholar 

  • Impekoven MZ (1965) Verbreitung und Fluchtmigration von Krickenten in den kalten Wintern 1956 und 1962/63: Eine vergleichende Analyse der Rückmeldungen in la Tour du Valant. Trans Conf Int Union Game Biol 6:293–307

    Google Scholar 

  • Keller V (2005) Entwicklung der Wasservogelbestände in den Wasservogelreservaten von internationaler Bedeutung 1992/93–2002/03: Eine Bilanz. Schweizerische Vogelwarte, Sempach

    Google Scholar 

  • Keller V, Burkhardt M (2007) Monitoring Überwinternde Wasservögel: Ergebnisse der Wasservogelzählungen 2005/06 in der Schweiz. Schweizerische Vogelwarte, Sempach,

    Google Scholar 

  • Kershaw M (2002) Common Pochard (Pochard) Aythya ferina. In: Wernham C, Toms M, Marchant J, Clark J, Siriwardena G, Baillie S (eds) The migration atlas movements of the birds of Britain and Ireland. T&A D Poyser, London, pp 204–207

    Google Scholar 

  • Kestenholz M (1995) Movements and roosting behaviour of diving ducks (Aythya fuligula and A. ferina) wintering in Switzerland. Philosophisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Fakultät, Universität Basel

    Google Scholar 

  • Kestenholz M (1999) Mid-winter movements: a behavioural strategy of diving ducks wintering in a changing environment. Ring 21:26

    Google Scholar 

  • Kinzelbach R (1992) The main features of the phylogeny and dispersal of the Zebra Mussel Dreissena polymorpha. Gustav Fischer Verlag, Stuttgart

    Google Scholar 

  • Lovvorn JR (1989) Distributional response of Canvasback Ducks to weather and habitat change. J Appl Ecol 26:113–130

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lovvorn JR (1994) Nutrient reserves, probability of cold spells and the question of reserve regulation in wintering Canvasbacks. J Anim Ecol 63:11–23

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Monval JY, Pirot JY (1989) Results of the IWRB international waterfowl census 1967–1986. International Waterfowl Research Bureau special publication no. 8. IWRB, Slimbridge

  • Nilsson L (1984) The impact of hard winters on waterfowl populations of south Sweden. Wildfowl 35:71–80

    Google Scholar 

  • Ogilvie MA (1981) Hard weather movements of Anas crecca ringed in western Europe—a preliminary computer analysis. In: Proc IWRB Symp. International Waterfowl Research Bureau, Alushta

  • Ogilvie MA (1982) Winter 1978/79 hard weather movements and mortality of ducks ringed in the United Kingdom. In: Proc 2nd Tech Meet Western Palearctic Migratory Bird Manage. International Waterfowl Research Bureau, Paris

  • Owen M, Black JM (1990) Waterfowl ecology. Chapman & Hall, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Owen M, Dix M (1986) Sex ratios in some common British wintering ducks. Wildfowl 37:104–112

    Google Scholar 

  • Perdeck AC (1977) The analysis of ringing data: pitfalls and prospects. Vogelwarte 29[Sonderheft]: 33–44

  • Perdeck AC, Clason C (1983) Sexual differences in migration and winter quarters of ducks ringed in the Netherlands. Wildfowl 34:137–143

    Google Scholar 

  • R Development Core Team (2006) R: a language and environment for statistical computing. R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna, Austria

    Google Scholar 

  • Ridgill SC, Fox AD (1990) Cold weather movements of waterfowl in Western Europe. International Waterfowl Research Bureau special publication 13. IWRB, Slimbridge, pp 1–89

  • Rose PM, Scott DA (1994) Waterfowl population estimates. International Waterfowl Research Bureau special publication 29. IWRB, Slimbridge

  • Rustamov EA (1994) The wintering waterfowl of Turkmenistan. Wildfowl 45:242–247

    Google Scholar 

  • Sayler RD, Afton AD (1981) Ecological aspects of Common Goldeneyes Bucephala clangula wintering on the upper Mississippi River. Ornis Scand 12:99–108

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Scott DA, Rose PM (1996) Atlas of Anatidae populations in Africa and Western Eurasia. Wetlands International Publication, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  • Suter W (1982) Die Bedeutung von Untersee-Ende/Hochrhein (Bodensee) als wichtiges Überwinterungsgewässer für Tauchenten (Aythya, Bucephala) und Blässhuhn (Fulica atra). Ornithol Beob 79:73–96

    Google Scholar 

  • Suter W, Van Eerden MR (1992) Simultaneous mass starvation of wintering diving ducks in Switzerland and the Netherlands: a wrong decision in the right strategy? Ardea 80:229–242

    Google Scholar 

  • Tamisier A (1985) Hunting as a key environmental parameter for the Western Palearctic duck population. Wildfowl 36:95–103

    Google Scholar 

  • Thomson D, Conroy M (2007) Euring 2007, Technical meeting. January 14–20 2007, Dunedin, New Zealand

  • Turner H, Kuiper JGJ, Thew N, Bernasconi R, Rüetschi J, Wüthrich M, Gosteli M (1998). Mollusca, Atlas. Centre Suisse de Cartographie de la Faune (CSCF/SZKF), Neuchâtel

  • Werner S, Mörtl M, Bauer HG, Rothhaupt KO (2005) Strong impact of wintering waterbirds on Zebra Mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) populations at Lake Constance, Germany. Freshw Biol 50:1412–1426

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wernham C, Toms M, Marchant J, Clark J, Siriwardena G, Baillie S (2002) The Migration Atlas: movements of the birds of Britain and Ireland. T.& A.D, Poyser, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Willi P (1970) Zugverhalten, Aktivität, Nahrung und Nahrungserwerb auf dem Klingnauerstausee häufig auftretender Anatiden, insbesondere von Krickente, Tafelente und Reiherente. Ornithol Beob 67:141–217

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We thank Euring and, in particular, Chris du Feu, for providing the data. We are grateful to Marc Kéry, Michael Schaub, Annette Sauter, Dominik Thiel, Elisabeth Wiprächtiger and Arie van Noordwijk for their support and helpful discussions. Verena Keller, Barbara Tschirren and an anonymous reviewer provided valuable comments on an earlier draft of this manuscript.

Author information

Author notes

  1. Irene Keller

    Present address: Eawag, Department of Aquatic Ecology and Department of Fish Ecology and Evolution, Überlandstrasse 133, 8600, Dübendorf, Switzerland

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Schweizerische Vogelwarte, Sempach, 6204, Switzerland

    Irene Keller, Fränzi Korner-Nievergelt & Lukas Jenni

Authors
  1. Irene Keller
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Fränzi Korner-Nievergelt
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Lukas Jenni
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Fränzi Korner-Nievergelt.

Additional information

Communicated by F. Bairlein.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Keller, I., Korner-Nievergelt, F. & Jenni, L. Within-winter movements: a common phenomenon in the Common Pochard Aythya ferina . J Ornithol 150, 483–494 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10336-008-0367-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10336-008-0367-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation