This open access paper is available for free download from:
http://rspb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/276/1656/447.full.pdf+html
Robert E Gill, Jr.et al. (2009). “Extreme endurance flights by
landbirds crossing the Pacific Ocean: ecological corridor rather than
barrier?” Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series B,
Biological sciences, 276(1656 ): 447-457.
Abstract: Mountain ranges, deserts, ice fields and oceans
generally act as barriers to the movement of land dependent animals,
often profoundly shaping migration routes. We used satellite telemetry
to track the
southward flights of bar-tailed godwits (Limosa lapponica baueri ),
shorebirds whose breeding and nonbreeding areas are separated by the
vast central Pacific Ocean. Seven females with surgically implanted
transmitters flew non-stop 8117–11 680 km (10 153G1043 s.d.) directly
across the Pacific Ocean; two males with external transmitters flew
non-stop along the same corridor for 7008–7390 km. Flight duration
ranged from 6.0 to 9.4 days (7.8G1.3 s.d.) for birds with implants and
5.0 to 6.6 days for birds with externally attached transmitters. These
extraordinary non-stop flights establish new extremes for avian
flight performance, have profound implications for understanding the
physiological capabilities of vertebrates and how birds navigate, and
challenge current physiological paradigms on topics such as sleep,
dehydration and phenotypic flexibility. Predicted changes in climatic
systems may affect survival rates if weather conditions at their
departure hub or along the migration corridor should change.We propose
that
this transoceanic route may function as an ecological corridor rather
than a barrier, providing a windassisted passage relatively free of
pathogens and predators.
Robin Hide
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