Scholars Day: April 11, 2012

Migratory Songbird Orientation and Energetics

Long and short-distance migration is an energy-intensive behavior undertaken in both spring and fall by millions of songbirds, in order to reach distant breeding and wintering grounds. When faced with large ecological barriers (such as bodies of water or deserts), long-distance migrants in poor energetic condition alter their migratory trajectory in order to replenish energy reserves in stopover habitats prior to crossing the barrier. Understanding how songbirds utilize stopover habitat has important implications for both management and conservation, because a bird's energetic condition may affect its probability of survival during migration, and its reproductive success once it arrives on the breeding grounds. The researcher plans to study the relationship between energetic condition and flight trajectories of long- and short-distance migrant songbirds arriving at Braddock Bay Bird Observatory on the south shore of Lake Ontario. The study will contribute to our existing knowledge on how songbirds undertake migration.

Please note that presentation times are approximate. If you are interested in attending sessions with multiple presentations, please be in the room at the start of the session.