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A dispersive migration in the Atlantic Puffin and its implications for migratory navigation
Tim Guilford1, Robin Freeman, Dave Boyle
1Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom. tim.guilford@zoo.ox.ac.uk
Plos One
|July 30, 2011
Summary
Atlantic Puffins exhibit unique migratory patterns, deviating from typical avian navigation. Their complex, individualistic movements suggest navigational memory, not just genetic or cultural inheritance, guides their long-distance sea journeys.
Area of Science:
- Ornithology
- Animal Behavior
- Ecology
Background:
- Avian migration navigation is traditionally explained by genetic or cultural inheritance.
- Previous studies focused primarily on terrestrial birds, leaving pelagic seabird navigation less understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the migratory behavior and navigational strategies of the Atlantic Puffin (Fratercula arctica).
- To determine if established models of avian migration apply to pelagic seabirds.
Main Methods:
- Tracking individual Atlantic Puffins over successive years using geolocators.
- Analyzing migratory routes, distances, and directions during the non-breeding period.
Main Results:
- Atlantic Puffins display a dispersive, rather than a single-destination, migratory pattern.
- Significant individual variability in migratory routes was observed within the population.
- Remarkable consistency in individual migratory routes across different years was documented.
Conclusions:
- The observed migratory behavior challenges traditional genetic or cultural inheritance models for avian navigation.
- Individual exploration and acquired navigational memory are proposed as key mechanisms controlling Puffin migration over the ocean.
- These findings may also apply to the migratory strategies of other pelagic seabirds.
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