On Mon, 6 May 2002 wrote:
> I don't think small honeyeaters could get very far without replenishing
> reserves. As such their route must be determined by food availability.
Alerstam's Bird Migration gives the example of Sedge Warblers doing
the 4000km journey from England to West Africa in a single hop without
feeding. A Sedge Warbler's normal weight is 10g (similar to a Spinebill)
although with the fat reserves accumulated for pre-migration they may
weigh 20g. So wouldn't be small honeyeaters be physiologically capable of
traversing a considerable part of coastal E. Australia without feeding,
if they can accumulate suitable amounts of fat beforehand?
> A search of "Emu" should find at least some of this work.
The relevant ref, for those who Emu collection stretches
further back than mine, is (I think):
Munro, U., W. Wiltschko & H. Ford (1993): Changes in the migratory
direction of Yellow-faced Honeyeaters, Lichenostomus chrysops
(Meliphagidae), during autumn migration. Emu 93, 59-62.
Andrew
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