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Updated: Mar 7, 2026

A Push-pull Protocol to Reduce Colonization of Bird Nest Boxes by Honey Bees

A Push-pull Protocol to Reduce Colonization of Bird Nest Boxes by Honey Bees

Published on: September 4, 2016

Honey buzzards don't always make a beeline.

Jason W Chapman¹

¹Centre for Ecology and Conservation, Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall, UK.

The Journal of Animal Ecology

|February 8, 2017

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

European honey buzzards migrating to Africa make large detours to use favorable winds, reducing energy costs. This contrasts with Montagu's harriers, whose shorter routes involve more sea crossings.

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Area of Science:

Ornithology
Animal Migration
Ecology

Background:

Migratory birds often deviate from shortest routes, increasing journey time and energy use.
European honey buzzards migrate between Western Europe and West Africa, utilizing soaring flight.
Montagu's harriers undertake similar migrations but predominantly use flapping flight.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the migration routes and strategies of European honey buzzards.
To compare the migratory behavior of European honey buzzards with Montagu's harriers.
To understand how detours influence energy expenditure and exploit wind patterns.

Main Methods:

Satellite tracking of 12 adult European honey buzzards over multiple migrations.
Analysis of migratory tracks in relation to shortest possible routes and wind regimes.
Comparison with migration data from 34 satellite-tagged adult Montagu's harriers.

Main Results:

European honey buzzards made significant westerly detours in Africa on both spring and autumn routes.
These detours allowed exploitation of favorable winds, reducing energetic costs.
Montagu's harrier routes were straighter, involving longer sea crossings.

Conclusions:

Detours in migration routes can be adaptive strategies to minimize energy expenditure by utilizing wind patterns.
Soaring migrants like honey buzzards may employ different strategies than flapping migrants like harriers.
Understanding these strategies is crucial for predicting how migration evolves with changing climate and atmospheric patterns.