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Flexible navigation response in common cuckoos Cuculus canorus displaced experimentally during migration.
Mikkel Willemoes1, Julio Blas2, Martin Wikelski3,4
1Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate; Natural History Museum of Denmark; University of Copenhagen; Universitetsparken 15; 2100 København Ø; Denmark.
Scientific Reports
|November 10, 2015
Summary
Common cuckoos exhibit remarkable navigation skills, adjusting their migratory paths after displacement. These birds demonstrate true navigation by reaching population-specific staging areas, even from unfamiliar locations.
Area of Science:
- Ornithology
- Animal Behavior
- Navigation
Background:
- Migratory birds possess innate programs for complex routes.
- Common cuckoos (Cuculus canorus) typically show consistent migration paths.
- Individual navigation flexibility in migratory birds is not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the navigational flexibility of common cuckoos.
- To determine if displaced cuckoos can reach population-specific destinations.
- To assess the extent of spatial knowledge in individual cuckoos.
Main Methods:
- Tracking 11 adult common cuckoos using satellite telemetry.
- Experimentally displacing adult cuckoos to unfamiliar locations.
- Analyzing individual flight paths and stopover sites.
Main Results:
- Displaced cuckoos demonstrated compensatory travel toward population-specific staging areas.
- Individual birds showed varied responses, flying towards European stopovers or African wintering grounds.
- Cuckoos successfully navigated to familiar and unfamiliar stopover sites.
Conclusions:
- Common cuckoos possess sophisticated navigation capabilities beyond their typical flyway.
- Individual cuckoos make adaptive route decisions based on perceived costs and benefits.
- The study reveals advanced spatial cognition in migratory birds.
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