IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/nat/natcom/v15y2024i1d10.1038_s41467-024-48248-7.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Macro-scale relationship between body mass and timing of bird migration

Author

Listed:
  • Xiaodan Wang

    (Fudan University
    University College London)

  • Marius Somveille

    (University College London)

  • Adriaan M. Dokter

    (Cornell University)

  • Wenhua Cao

    (Fudan University)

  • Chuyu Cheng

    (Fudan University)

  • Jiajia Liu

    (Fudan University)

  • Zhijun Ma

    (Fudan University)

Abstract

Clarifying migration timing and its link with underlying drivers is fundamental to understanding the evolution of bird migration. However, previous studies have focused mainly on environmental drivers such as the latitudes of seasonal distributions and migration distance, while the effect of intrinsic biological traits remains unclear. Here, we compile a global dataset on the annual cycle of migratory birds obtained by tracking 1531 individuals and 177 populations from 186 species, and investigate how body mass, a key intrinsic biological trait, influenced timings of the annual cycle using Bayesian structural equation models. We find that body mass has a strong direct effect on departure date from non-breeding and breeding sites, and indirect effects on arrival date at breeding and non-breeding sites, mainly through its effects on migration distance and a carry-over effect. Our results suggest that environmental factors strongly affect the timing of spring migration, while body mass affects the timing of both spring and autumn migration. Our study provides a new foundation for future research on the causes of species distribution and movement.

Suggested Citation

  • Xiaodan Wang & Marius Somveille & Adriaan M. Dokter & Wenhua Cao & Chuyu Cheng & Jiajia Liu & Zhijun Ma, 2024. "Macro-scale relationship between body mass and timing of bird migration," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-9, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:15:y:2024:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-024-48248-7
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48248-7
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-48248-7
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1038/s41467-024-48248-7?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Briana Abrahms & Claire S. Teitelbaum & Thomas Mueller & Sarah J. Converse, 2021. "Ontogenetic shifts from social to experiential learning drive avian migration timing," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-8, December.
    2. Fabrizio Sergio & Alessandro Tanferna & Renaud De Stephanis & Lidia López Jiménez & Julio Blas & Giacomo Tavecchia & Damiano Preatoni & Fernando Hiraldo, 2014. "Individual improvements and selective mortality shape lifelong migratory performance," Nature, Nature, vol. 515(7527), pages 410-413, November.
    3. Jesse R. Conklin & Phil F. Battley & Murray A. Potter & James W. Fox, 2010. "Breeding latitude drives individual schedules in a trans-hemispheric migrant bird," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 1(1), pages 1-6, December.
    4. Kyle G. Horton & Frank A. La Sorte & Daniel Sheldon & Tsung-Yu Lin & Kevin Winner & Garrett Bernstein & Subhransu Maji & Wesley M. Hochachka & Andrew Farnsworth, 2020. "Phenology of nocturnal avian migration has shifted at the continental scale," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 10(1), pages 63-68, January.
    5. W. Jetz & G. H. Thomas & J. B. Joy & K. Hartmann & A. O. Mooers, 2012. "The global diversity of birds in space and time," Nature, Nature, vol. 491(7424), pages 444-448, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Ivan Maggini & Massimiliano Cardinale & Jonas Hentati Sundberg & Fernando Spina & Leonida Fusani, 2020. "Recent phenological shifts of migratory birds at a Mediterranean spring stopover site: Species wintering in the Sahel advance passage more than tropical winterers," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(9), pages 1-15, September.
    2. Joshua J Medina & James M Maley & Siddharth Sannapareddy & Noah N Medina & Cyril M Gilman & John E McCormack, 2020. "A rapid and cost-effective pipeline for digitization of museum specimens with 3D photogrammetry," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(8), pages 1-14, August.
    3. Andrew Brinkworth & Emily Green & Yimeng Li & Jack Oyston & Marcello Ruta & Matthew A. Wills, 2023. "Bird clades with less complex appendicular skeletons tend to have higher species richness," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-13, December.
    4. Stephen A. Schlebusch & Jakub Rídl & Manon Poignet & Francisco J. Ruiz-Ruano & Jiří Reif & Petr Pajer & Jan Pačes & Tomáš Albrecht & Alexander Suh & Radka Reifová, 2023. "Rapid gene content turnover on the germline-restricted chromosome in songbirds," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-13, December.
    5. Justin W. Baldwin & Joan Garcia-Porta & Carlos A. Botero, 2023. "Complementarity in Allen’s and Bergmann’s rules among birds," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-10, December.
    6. Alexandra McQueen & Marcel Klaassen & Glenn J. Tattersall & Robyn Atkinson & Roz Jessop & Chris J. Hassell & Maureen Christie & Matthew R. E. Symonds, 2022. "Thermal adaptation best explains Bergmann’s and Allen’s Rules across ecologically diverse shorebirds," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-12, December.
    7. Elspeth Kenny & Tim R. Birkhead & Jonathan P. Green, 2017. "Allopreening in birds is associated with parental cooperation over offspring care and stable pair bonds across years," Behavioral Ecology, International Society for Behavioral Ecology, vol. 28(4), pages 1142-1148.
    8. Peter Mikula & Oldřich Tomášek & Dušan Romportl & Timothy K. Aikins & Jorge E. Avendaño & Bukola D. A. Braimoh-Azaki & Adams Chaskda & Will Cresswell & Susan J. Cunningham & Svein Dale & Gabriela R. F, 2023. "Bird tolerance to humans in open tropical ecosystems," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-10, December.
    9. Shan Su & Phillip Cassey & Miquel Vall-llosera & Tim M Blackburn, 2015. "Going Cheap: Determinants of Bird Price in the Taiwanese Pet Market," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(5), pages 1-17, May.
    10. John M. Humphreys, 2022. "Amplification in Time and Dilution in Space: Partitioning Spatiotemporal Processes to Assess the Role of Avian-Host Phylodiversity in Shaping Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus Distribution," Geographies, MDPI, vol. 2(3), pages 1-16, July.
    11. Herkt, K. Matthias B. & Barnikel, Günter & Skidmore, Andrew K. & Fahr, Jakob, 2016. "A high-resolution model of bat diversity and endemism for continental Africa," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 320(C), pages 9-28.
    12. Leanna N. DeJong & Samuel D. Cowell & Thuy Nhi N. Nguyen & Darren S. Proppe, 2015. "Attracting songbirds with conspecific playback: a community approach," Behavioral Ecology, International Society for Behavioral Ecology, vol. 26(5), pages 1379-1388.
    13. Andrea Santangeli & Benjamin Weigel & Laura H. Antão & Elina Kaarlejärvi & Maria Hällfors & Aleksi Lehikoinen & Andreas Lindén & Maija Salemaa & Tiina Tonteri & Päivi Merilä & Kristiina Vuorio & Otso , 2023. "Mixed effects of a national protected area network on terrestrial and freshwater biodiversity," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-10, December.
    14. Michael Pittman & Phil R. Bell & Case Vincent Miller & Nathan J. Enriquez & Xiaoli Wang & Xiaoting Zheng & Leah R. Tsang & Yuen Ting Tse & Michael Landes & Thomas G. Kaye, 2022. "Exceptional preservation and foot structure reveal ecological transitions and lifestyles of early theropod flyers," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-14, December.
    15. Kimberley J. Mathot & Josue David Arteaga-Torres & Anne Besson & Deborah M. Hawkshaw & Natasha Klappstein & Rebekah A. McKinnon & Sheeraja Sridharan & Shinichi Nakagawa, 2024. "A systematic review and meta-analysis of unimodal and multimodal predation risk assessment in birds," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-15, December.
    16. Jonathan A. Rader & Tyson L. Hedrick, 2023. "Morphological evolution of bird wings follows a mechanical sensitivity gradient determined by the aerodynamics of flapping flight," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-11, December.
    17. Muhammad Nawaz Rajpar & Shahab Ali Khan & Allah Ditta & Hayssam M. Ali & Sami Ullah & Muhammad Ibrahim & Altaf Hussain Rajpar & Mohamed Zakaria & Mohamed Z. M. Salem, 2021. "Subtropical Broad-Leaved Urban Forests as the Foremost Dynamic and Complex Habitats for a Wide Range of Bird Species," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-20, November.
    18. Conor C. Taff & J. Ryan. Shipley, 2023. "Inconsistent shifts in warming and temperature variability are linked to reduced avian fitness," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-12, December.
    19. Maxime Policarpo & Maude W. Baldwin & Didier Casane & Walter Salzburger, 2024. "Diversity and evolution of the vertebrate chemoreceptor gene repertoire," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-17, December.
    20. Diogo S M Samia & Daniel T Blumstein, 2014. "Phi Index: A New Metric to Test the Flush Early and Avoid the Rush Hypothesis," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 9(11), pages 1-13, November.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:15:y:2024:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-024-48248-7. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.nature.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.