Spatial behavior and choice of Spatial behavior and choice of habitat on migratory stopover habitat on migratory stopover

site in European Robinssite in European Robins ((Erithacus rubeculaErithacus rubecula)): : a telemetry a telemetry

studystudy

Arseny Tsvey and Arseny Tsvey and

Pavel KtitorovPavel Ktitorov

Biological Station Biological Station RybachyRybachy

Zoological InstituteZoological Institute

RussiaRussia

Objectives of the studyObjectives of the study

► Evaluation of general pattern of spatial Evaluation of general pattern of spatial behaviorbehavior

► Studying the possible difference in space Studying the possible difference in space use between spring and autumn, fat and use between spring and autumn, fat and lean individualslean individuals

► Studying of habitat use in spring and in Studying of habitat use in spring and in autumnautumn

Asia

Europe

Atlanticocean

Africa

Geographic position of the study plotGeographic position of the study plot

Study plot

Baltic sea

Lithuania

Courish spit(length – 100km

Width – 400 – 3000 m)

Courishgulf

Russia

AutumnAutumn SpringSpring

2020 1313

Number of marked birds

Robin with transmitterRobin with transmitter

antenna

Holohil Systems Ltd.

Model: LB-2

Weight: 0.46g – 0.5g

Lifespan: up 21 days

Transmitters:

Stopover duration of marked robins. Stopover duration of marked robins. Data for autumn and spring are pooled.Data for autumn and spring are pooled.

Stopover duration, days

No

of o

bs

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Examples of movement path during the Examples of movement path during the first day of stopoverfirst day of stopover

100 mCapture/release site

Baltic Sea

Courish gulf

N

951 m

Autumn

Examples of movement path during the Examples of movement path during the first day of stopoverfirst day of stopover

100 m

Capture/release site

Baltic Sea

Courish gulf

N

512 m

Spring

Examples of movement path during the Examples of movement path during the first day of stopoverfirst day of stopover

100 m

Capture/release site

Baltic Sea

Courish gulf

N Autumn

438 m

Typical features of spatial Typical features of spatial behavior during the first day of stopoverbehavior during the first day of stopover

Stationary periodafter release

Duration of stationary period after releaze

ANOVA:Season: F(1, 28)=3.3, p=0.081

Fat: F(1, 28)=13.1, p=0.001Interaction : F(1, 28)=3. 7 , p=.065

Autumn Spring

Season

0:28

0:57

1:26

1:55

2:24

2:52

3:21

min

LEAN FAT

Typical features of spatial Typical features of spatial behavior during the first day of stopoverbehavior during the first day of stopover

Active movement duringpart of the day and

movement within temporaryhome range during the

remaining time

Active movements and movements Active movements and movements within a temporary home rangewithin a temporary home range

100 mCapture/release site

Baltic Sea

Courish gulf

N Autumn

Active movements

Temporaryhome range

Active movements and movements Active movements and movements within a temporary home rangewithin a temporary home range

100 m

Capture/release site

Baltic Sea

Courish gulf

N Spring

Active movements

Temporaryhome ranges

Active movements and movements Active movements and movements within a temporary home rangewithin a temporary home range

100 m

Capture/release site

Baltic Sea

Courish gulf

N Autumn

Active movements

Temporaryhome range

Typical features of spatial Typical features of spatial behavior during the first day of stopoverbehavior during the first day of stopover

Active movement duringpart of the day and

movement within temporaryhome range during the

remaining time

Relative time of movement within temporary home range(s)ANOVA:

Season: F(1, 28)= 0.0 2, p= 0.90Fat: F(1, 28)=0.07, p=0.80

Autumn Spring

Season

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

0.9

1.0

LEAN FAT

Total distance covered during the first Total distance covered during the first day of stopoverday of stopover

ANOVASeason : F(1, 28)= 4.63 , p= 0.04

Fat: F(1, 28)=4.99, p=0.034

Autumn Spring

Season

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

tota

l dis

tanc

e, m

LEAN FAT

Total distance covered during the first Total distance covered during the first day of stopoverday of stopover

500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000

Total distance of movement, m

29-Mar

3-Apr

8-Apr

13-Apr

18-Apr

23-Apr

28-Apr

3-May

8-May

dat

e o

f ca

ptu

re/r

ealis

e

b= -0.80 R 2=0.64, F(1, 10 )=61.11, p<0.01, n=1 2

Orientation of movements during the Orientation of movements during the first day of stopoverfirst day of stopover

Autumn, р<0.05 Spring, p>0.1

Spatial distribution of individual Spatial distribution of individual temporal home ranges (MCPs) during temporal home ranges (MCPs) during

autumn 2004autumn 2004

100 m

Capture/release site

Baltic Sea

Courish gulf

N

Spatial distribution of individual Spatial distribution of individual temporal home ranges (MCPs) during temporal home ranges (MCPs) during

spring 2005spring 2005

100 m

Capture/release site

Baltic Sea

Courish gulf

N

Size of temporary home range areas in Size of temporary home range areas in spring and autumn and in lean and fat spring and autumn and in lean and fat

individualsindividualsANOVA:

Season: F(1, 28)=1.28, p=0.27Fat : F(1, 28)= 0.0 5, p= 0.83

Autumn Spring

Season

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

30000

35000S

ize

of

tem

po

rary

ho

me

ra

ng

es

, m

2

LEAN FAT

Lim: 2113 – 48795 m2

Mean14447 ± 12942 m2

Spatial behavior during the second and Spatial behavior during the second and subsequent days of stopoversubsequent days of stopover

AutumnAutumn SpringSpring

1010 44

100 m

Baltic Sea N Autumn

Capture/release site

An example of temporary range fidelityStopover duration – 6 days

Spatial behavior during the second and Spatial behavior during the second and subsequent days of stopoversubsequent days of stopover

AutumnAutumn SpringSpring

1010 44

100 m

Baltic Sea N Autumn

Capture/release site

An example of temporary range infidelityStopover duration – 2 days

Habitat types at the study areaHabitat types at the study area

Open dune Dune with shrubsBeachGrassGrass with shrubsYoung pine forestPine forestDeciduous forest

Baltic Sea

Courish gulf

1 km

Pine forestDeciduous forestOpen habitats

Distribution of individual home ranges Distribution of individual home ranges (MSPs) within different habitat types in (MSPs) within different habitat types in

the study area.the study area.Open dune Dune with shrubsBeachGrassGrass with shrubsYoung pine forestPine forestDeciduous forest

Baltic Sea

Courish gulf

1 km

Autumn

MCPs

Distribution of individual home ranges Distribution of individual home ranges (MSPs) within different habitat types in (MSPs) within different habitat types in

the study area.the study area.Open dune Dune with shrubsBeachGrassGrass with shrubsYoung pine forestPine forestDeciduous forest

Baltic Sea

Courish gulf

1 km

Spring

MCPs

Area of available habitats in spring and Area of available habitats in spring and autumnautumn

Open dune Dune with shrubsBeachGrassGrass with shrubsYoung pine forestPine forestDeciduous forest

Baltic Sea

Courish gulf

Spring

Autumn

Results of compositional analysis of Results of compositional analysis of habitat preference in robins on habitat preference in robins on

migratory stopovermigratory stopoverSpring

0.00

10.00

20.00

30.00

40.00

50.00

60.00

70.00

decidious forest pine forest open habitats

%

Available

Used

Autumn

0.00

10.00

20.00

30.00

40.00

50.00

60.00

70.00

decidious forest pine forest open habitats

%

Available

Used

LambdaLambda 0.870.87

χχ22 1.711.71

pp 0.430.43

Random pRandom p 0.530.53

Pine forest > deciduous forest > open Pine forest > deciduous forest > open habitatshabitats

>>> denotes a significant difference between two consecutively ranked

variables

LambdaLambda 0.610.61

χχ22 9.849.84

pp 0.0070.007

Random pRandom p 0.0070.007

deciduous forest > pine forest >>> deciduous forest > pine forest >>> open habitatsopen habitats

>>> denotes a significant difference between two consecutively ranked

variables

Biomass of invertebrates during spring Biomass of invertebrates during spring and autumn in two main habitat typesand autumn in two main habitat types

ANOVA:Season: F(1,94)=26.85, p<0.0001

Habitat type: F(1,94)=4.41, p=0.038

BIO

MA

SS

, g*w

eek

-1*(

78,5

cm

2 )-1

Spring

deciduouconifero

0.00

0.05

0.10

0.15

0.20

0.25

0.30

0.35

0.40

0.45

0.50

0.55

Autumn

deciduouconifero

Mean ±SE ±SD

deciduous coniferous

deciduous coniferous

R2=0.15, F (1, 53) =9.02, p=0.04

0.00 0.05 0.10 0.15 0.20 0.25 0.30 0.35

Biomass of invertebrates, g*week -1 *(78,5sm 2)-1

3-Apr

8-Apr

13-Apr

18-Apr

23-Apr

28-Apr

3-May

8-May

13-May

Dat

e

Correlates of robin’s behavior with Correlates of robin’s behavior with invertebrates abundance invertebrates abundance

11 The total distance of The total distance of movement during the movement during the first day of stopover is first day of stopover is shorter in autumn than shorter in autumn than in springin spring

The biomass of The biomass of invertebrates is higher in invertebrates is higher in autumn compared with autumn compared with springspring

22 In spring the total In spring the total distance of distance of movements after movements after landing decreases with landing decreases with the progress of seasonthe progress of season

The biomass of The biomass of invertebrates increases invertebrates increases with the progress of with the progress of spring seasonspring season

3 There is no difference in use of the two main habitat types (humid deciduous forest and pine forest)

There is no difference in biomass of invertebrates between the two main habitat types (humid deci-duous forest and pine forest)

Main conclusionsMain conclusions► Movements of European robins at day time stopovers after Movements of European robins at day time stopovers after

completing migratory flights are a specific behavior, not completing migratory flights are a specific behavior, not directly related to flights themselves.directly related to flights themselves.

► The general pattern of movements of most robins during the The general pattern of movements of most robins during the first day of stopover includes active movement during a first day of stopover includes active movement during a certain period of time, and then movements within one or two certain period of time, and then movements within one or two temporary home ranges.temporary home ranges.

► Spatial behavior of robins is related to their energy status. Spatial behavior of robins is related to their energy status. Generally, fat birds are less mobile than lean ones.Generally, fat birds are less mobile than lean ones.

► Our results suggest that the general pattern of spatial Our results suggest that the general pattern of spatial behavior at stopovers depends on food abundance and behavior at stopovers depends on food abundance and availabilityavailability

Thank you very much for your attention

Acknowledgements:We are grateful to everybody who helped us with this study.Special thanks to: Casimir Bolshakov,Nicolai Poeplau, Maxim Dubinin, Jan Peyrat and Nikita Chernetsov