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First-Time Migration in Juvenile Common Cuckoos Documented by Satellite Tracking.
Marta Lomas Vega1, Mikkel Willemoes1, Robert L Thomson2,3
1Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Plos One
|December 23, 2016
Summary
Juvenile common cuckoos (Cuculus canorus) migrate independently to Africa using an innate program. Satellite tracking revealed unique routes and timing compared to adults, confirming self-guided migration.
Area of Science:
- Ornithology
- Animal Behavior
- Ecology
Background:
- Common cuckoos (Cuculus canorus) are obligate brood parasites.
- Juvenile cuckoos are thought to migrate from Palearctic breeding grounds to African wintering grounds without guidance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To document and analyze the migratory behavior of juvenile common cuckoos.
- To determine if juvenile cuckoos can reach wintering grounds independently.
Main Methods:
- Satellite tracking of juvenile (N=5) and adult (N=20) common cuckoos during migration.
- Analysis of migration routes, timing, speed, and direction.
Main Results:
- Juvenile cuckoos initiated migration later and with different initial directions (southwest) compared to adults (southeast).
- Juveniles undertook long Baltic Sea crossings and traveled straighter and faster routes than adults.
- One juvenile successfully reached Northwest Angola, a known wintering ground for adults.
Conclusions:
- Juvenile common cuckoos possess an innate migration program enabling independent navigation to wintering grounds.
- Migration timing and route differ significantly between juvenile and adult common cuckoos.
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