Open AccessRevealing patterns of nocturnal migration using the European weather radar network
Author(s) -
Nilsson Cecilia,
Dokter Adriaan M.,
Verlinden Liesbeth,
ShamounBaranes Judy,
Schmid Baptiste,
Desmet Peter,
Bauer Silke,
Chapman Jason,
Alves Jose A.,
Stepanian Phillip M.,
Sapir Nir,
Wainwright Charlotte,
Boos Mathieu,
Górska Anna,
Menz Myles H. M.,
Rodrigues Pedro,
Leijnse Hidde,
Zehtindjiev Pavel,
Brabant Robin,
Haase Günther,
Weisshaupt Nadja,
Ciach Michał,
Liechti Felix
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
ecography
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.973
H-Index - 128
eISSN - 1600-0587
pISSN - 0906-7590
DOI - 10.1111/ecog.04003
Subject(s) - flyway , bird migration , nocturnal , geography , mass migration , transect , weather radar , environmental science , radar , physical geography , ecology , climatology , biology , immigration , habitat , telecommunications , archaeology , geology , computer science
Nocturnal avian migration flyways remain an elusive concept, as we have largely lacked methods to map their full extent. We used the network of European weather radars to investigate nocturnal bird movements at the scale of the European flyway. We mapped the main migration directions and showed the intensity of movement across part of Europe by extracting biological information from 70 weather radar stations from northern Scandinavia to Portugal, during the autumn migration season of 2016. On average, over the 20 nights and all sites, 389 birds passed per 1 km transect per hour. The night with highest migration intensity showed an average of 1621 birds km –1 h –1 passing the radar stations, but there was considerable geographical and temporal variation in migration intensity. The highest intensity of migration was seen in central France. The overall migration directions showed strong southwest components. Migration dynamics were strongly related to synoptic wind conditions. A wind‐related mass migration event occurred immediately after a change in wind conditions, but quickly diminished even when supporting winds continued to prevail. This first continental‐scale study using the European network of weather radars demonstrates the wealth of information available and its potential for investigating large‐scale bird movements, with consequences for ecosystem function, nutrient transfer, human and livestock health, and civil and military aviation.