International migration patterns of Red-throated Loons (Gavia stellata) from four breeding populations in Alaska.
Identifying post-breeding migration and wintering distributions of migratory birds is important for understanding factors that may drive population dynamics. Red-throated Loons (Gavia stellata) are widely distributed across Alaska and currently have varying population trends, including some populati...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2018-01-01
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| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC5761837?pdf=render |
| _version_ | 1818941312430243840 |
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| author | Sarah E McCloskey Brian D Uher-Koch Joel A Schmutz Thomas F Fondell |
| author_facet | Sarah E McCloskey Brian D Uher-Koch Joel A Schmutz Thomas F Fondell |
| author_sort | Sarah E McCloskey |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Identifying post-breeding migration and wintering distributions of migratory birds is important for understanding factors that may drive population dynamics. Red-throated Loons (Gavia stellata) are widely distributed across Alaska and currently have varying population trends, including some populations with recent periods of decline. To investigate population differentiation and the location of migration pathways and wintering areas, which may inform population trend patterns, we used satellite transmitters (n = 32) to describe migration patterns of four geographically separate breeding populations of Red-throated Loons in Alaska. On average (± SD) Red-throated Loons underwent long (6,288 ± 1,825 km) fall and spring migrations predominantly along coastlines. The most northern population (Arctic Coastal Plain) migrated westward to East Asia and traveled approximately 2,000 km farther to wintering sites than the three more southerly populations (Seward Peninsula, Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, and Copper River Delta) which migrated south along the Pacific coast of North America. These migration paths are consistent with the hypothesis that Red-throated Loons from the Arctic Coastal Plain are exposed to contaminants in East Asia. The three more southerly breeding populations demonstrated a chain migration pattern in which the more northerly breeding populations generally wintered in more northerly latitudes. Collectively, the migration paths observed in this study demonstrate that some geographically distinct breeding populations overlap in wintering distribution while others use highly different wintering areas. Red-throated Loon population trends in Alaska may therefore be driven by a wide range of effects throughout the annual cycle. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-20T06:53:32Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-71382ff533a84fcdb6d4e5e6ff60a7eb |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-20T06:53:32Z |
| publishDate | 2018-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS ONE |
| spelling | doaj.art-71382ff533a84fcdb6d4e5e6ff60a7eb2022-12-21T19:49:26ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032018-01-01131e018995410.1371/journal.pone.0189954International migration patterns of Red-throated Loons (Gavia stellata) from four breeding populations in Alaska.Sarah E McCloskeyBrian D Uher-KochJoel A SchmutzThomas F FondellIdentifying post-breeding migration and wintering distributions of migratory birds is important for understanding factors that may drive population dynamics. Red-throated Loons (Gavia stellata) are widely distributed across Alaska and currently have varying population trends, including some populations with recent periods of decline. To investigate population differentiation and the location of migration pathways and wintering areas, which may inform population trend patterns, we used satellite transmitters (n = 32) to describe migration patterns of four geographically separate breeding populations of Red-throated Loons in Alaska. On average (± SD) Red-throated Loons underwent long (6,288 ± 1,825 km) fall and spring migrations predominantly along coastlines. The most northern population (Arctic Coastal Plain) migrated westward to East Asia and traveled approximately 2,000 km farther to wintering sites than the three more southerly populations (Seward Peninsula, Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, and Copper River Delta) which migrated south along the Pacific coast of North America. These migration paths are consistent with the hypothesis that Red-throated Loons from the Arctic Coastal Plain are exposed to contaminants in East Asia. The three more southerly breeding populations demonstrated a chain migration pattern in which the more northerly breeding populations generally wintered in more northerly latitudes. Collectively, the migration paths observed in this study demonstrate that some geographically distinct breeding populations overlap in wintering distribution while others use highly different wintering areas. Red-throated Loon population trends in Alaska may therefore be driven by a wide range of effects throughout the annual cycle.http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC5761837?pdf=render |
| spellingShingle | Sarah E McCloskey Brian D Uher-Koch Joel A Schmutz Thomas F Fondell International migration patterns of Red-throated Loons (Gavia stellata) from four breeding populations in Alaska. PLoS ONE |
| title | International migration patterns of Red-throated Loons (Gavia stellata) from four breeding populations in Alaska. |
| title_full | International migration patterns of Red-throated Loons (Gavia stellata) from four breeding populations in Alaska. |
| title_fullStr | International migration patterns of Red-throated Loons (Gavia stellata) from four breeding populations in Alaska. |
| title_full_unstemmed | International migration patterns of Red-throated Loons (Gavia stellata) from four breeding populations in Alaska. |
| title_short | International migration patterns of Red-throated Loons (Gavia stellata) from four breeding populations in Alaska. |
| title_sort | international migration patterns of red throated loons gavia stellata from four breeding populations in alaska |
| url | http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC5761837?pdf=render |
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