Greater white-fronted goose family migration flight

Kölzsch A, Müskens GJDM, Glazov P, Kruckenberg H, Wikelski M. 2020. Greater white-fronted goose family migration flight. Movebank Data Repository. https://doi.org/10.5441/001/1.ms87s2m6/1

Abstract

Many migratory animals travel in large social groups. Large, avian migrants that fly in V‐formations were proposed do so for energy saving by the use of up‐wash by following individuals and regularly change leadership. As groups have been rather homogeneous in previous work, we aimed to explore leadership and its flight mechanics consequences in an extremely heterogeneous case of social migration, namely in spring migration of goose families. In families the experience of group members differs strongly and inclusive fitness may be important. We successfully collected overlapping spring migration tracking data of a complete family of greater white‐fronted geese (Anser a. albifrons) and extracted leadership, flapping frequency and wind conditions in flight. Our data revealed V‐formations where one parent was flying in front at all times. Although the father led the family group most of the time, he did not flap at higher frequency while doing so. In contrast, the mother flapped faster when leading, possibly because she experienced less supportive wind conditions than when the father led. We argue that in heterogeneous, social groups leadership might be fixed and not costly if supportive environmental conditions like wind can be used.

Keywords

animal movement,animal tracking,Anser albifrons,avian migration,group migration,flight mechanics,GSM telemetry,white-fronted geese

DOIs of related Publications

https://doi.org/10.1111/jav.02392

URI

https://datarepository.movebank.org/handle/10255/move.1031

BibTex

@misc{001/1_ms87s2m6/1,
  title = {Greater white-fronted goose family migration flight},
  author = {Kölzsch, A and Müskens, GJDM and Glazov, P and Kruckenberg, H and Wikelski, M},
  year = {2020},
  URL = {http://dx.doi.org/10.5441/001/1.ms87s2m6/1},
  doi = {doi:10.5441/001/1.ms87s2m6/1},
  publisher = {Movebank data repository}
}

RIS

TY  - DATA
ID  - doi:10.5441/001/1.ms87s2m6/1
T1  - Greater white-fronted goose family migration flight
AU  - Kölzsch, Andrea
AU  - Müskens, Gerhard J.D.M.
AU  - Glazov, Peter
AU  - Kruckenberg, Helmut
AU  - Wikelski, Martin
Y1  - 2020/01/22
KW  - animal movement
KW  - animal tracking
KW  - Anser albifrons
KW  - avian migration
KW  - group migration
KW  - flight mechanics
KW  - GSM telemetry
KW  - white-fronted geese
KW  - Anser albifrons
PB  - Movebank data repository
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.5441/001/1.ms87s2m6/1
DO  - doi:10.5441/001/1.ms87s2m6/1
ER  -

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