Bewick's swans choose wintering areas based on the weather

Bewick's swans fly less far during their autumn migration when the weather is warm. Climate change has therefore led to a shift in their common wintering areas. Now, for the first time, bird researchers from the University of Amsterdam and the Netherlands Institute of Ecology have been able to use long-term GPS data to pinpoint the specific choices that individual swans make.

Bart Nolet, senior researcher at NIOO-KNAW and professor by special appointment at the UvA, started tracking Bewick's swans with GPS transmitters 25 years ago. 'Initially we were happy if we could completely map the autumn migration of the birds, but for this research it was necessary to be able to follow each bird for at least two years in a row.'Analysis of the GPS data shows that cygnets fly further to the southwest during autumn migration on colder days.

Furthermore, the question remains what influence changing food supplies has on the winter migration of the animals. Linssen: 'It seems that Bewick's swans in eastern Netherlands and northern Germany have started to eat more and more corn residues. In addition to the warming winters, this may also have made it possible for the birds to hibernate further in the northeast.' Linssen will soon be researching this.The now published study focuses specifically on wintering areas.

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Bewick's swans choose wintering areas based on the weather, shows long-term GPS data studyBewick's swans fly less far during their autumn migration when the weather is warm. Climate change has therefore led to a shift in their common wintering areas. Now, for the first time, bird researchers from the University of Amsterdam (UvA) and the Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW) have been able to use long-term GPS data to pinpoint the specific choices that individual swans make. The results of their research were published today, Oct. 5, in the journal Global Change Biology.
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