Register      Login
Emu Emu Society
Journal of BirdLife Australia
RESEARCH ARTICLE

Do migrating White-crested Elaenia, Elaenia albiceps chilensis, use stop-over sites en route to their breeding areas? Evidence from the central Monte desert, Argentina

Víctor R. Cueto A B C , M. Cecilia Sagario A and Javier Lopez de Casenave A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Desert Community Ecology Research Team (ECODES), Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires and IEGEBA (UBA-CONICET). Piso 4, Pabellón 2, Ciudad Universitaria, C1428EHA, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

B Centro de Investigación Esquel de Montaña y Estepa Patagónica (CIEMEP), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET) and Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia SJB, Sarmiento 849, U9200 Esquel, Chubut, Argentina.

C Corresponding author. Email: vcueto@conicet.gov.ar

Emu 116(3) 301-304 https://doi.org/10.1071/MU15078
Submitted: 5 August 2015  Accepted: 17 December 2015   Published: 10 March 2016

Abstract

Very few bird species are able to complete a single long migratory flight. Instead, a far more common strategy is that birds rest and feed almost every day, accomplishing their journeys in a series of short flights. We evaluated if White-crested Elaenia (Elaenia albiceps chilensis) displays evidence of en route migratory disposition in the central Monte desert, Argentina. Recaptures and resights were lower for White-crested Elaenias than for Greater Wagtail-tyrants (Stigmatura budytoides; resident) and Southern Scrub-flycatchers (Sublegatus modestus; spring-summer visitor). The latter species showed site fidelity between years, but White-crested Elaenia did not. Percentage of individuals with cloacal protuberance was similar among the species, but individuals with brood patches were recorded only in Greater Wagtail-tyrants and Southern Scrub-flycatchers. White-crested Elaenias showed low, medium and high fat stores, while the other species presented no fat or low fat stores. White-crested Elaenia had a high level of fruit consumption, while the other species consumed fruits occasionally or not at all. Our results support the hypothesis that the White-crested Elaenia uses the Monte desert as a stop-over area during its spring flight, and yield novel insights to fill a gap in our knowledge about the annual cycle of migrant birds in the Neotropics.


References

Agresti, A. (2002). ‘Categorical Data Analysis.’ (John Wiley & Sons: Hoboken, NJ.)

Alerstam, T., and Lindström, A. (1990). Optimal bird migration: the relative importance of time, energy, and safety. In ‘Bird Migration: Physiology and Ecophysiology’ (Ed. E. Gwinner) pp. 331–335. (Springer: Berlin, Germany.)

Amico, G. C., and Aizen, M. A. (2005). Dispersión de semillas por aves en un bosque templado de Sudamérica austral: ¿quién dispersa a quién? Ecología Austral 15, 89–100.

Blendinger, P. G. (2005). Abundance and diversity of small-bird assemblages in the Monte desert, Argentina. Journal of Arid Environments 61, 567–587.
Abundance and diversity of small-bird assemblages in the Monte desert, Argentina.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Bravo, S. P., Cueto, V. R., and Amico, G. C. (2015). Do animal-plant interactions influence the spatial distribution of Aristotelia chilensis shrubs in temperate forests of southern South America? Plant Ecology 216, 383–394.
Do animal-plant interactions influence the spatial distribution of Aristotelia chilensis shrubs in temperate forests of southern South America?Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Capllonch, P., Álvarez, M. E., and Blendinger, P. G. (2011). Sobre la migración de Elaenia albiceps chilensis (Aves: Tyrannidae) en Argentina. Acta Zoológica Lilloana 55, 229–246.

Faaborg, J., Holmes, R. T., Anders, A. D., Bildstein, K. L., Dugger, K. M., Gauthreaux, S. A., Heglund, P., Hobson, K. A., Jahn, A. E., Johnson, D. H., Latta, S. C., Levey, D. J., Marra, P. P., Merkord, C. L., Nol, E., Rothstein, S. I., Sherry, T. W., Sillett, T. S., Thompson, F. R., and Warnock, N. (2010). Recent advances in understanding migration systems of New World landbirds. Ecological Monographs 80, 3–48.
Recent advances in understanding migration systems of New World landbirds.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Jahn, A. E., Levey, D. J., Farias, I. P., Mamani, A. M., Vidoz, J. Q., and Freeman, B. (2010). Morphological and genetic variation between migratory and non-migratory Tropical Kingbirds during spring migration in central South America. The Wilson Journal of Ornithology 122, 236–243.
Morphological and genetic variation between migratory and non-migratory Tropical Kingbirds during spring migration in central South America.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Jahn, A. E., Levey, D. J., Cueto, V. R., Pinto Ledezma, J., Tuero, D., Fox, J. W., and Masson, D. (2013). Long-distance bird migration within South America revealed by light-level geolocators. The Auk 130, 223–229.
Long-distance bird migration within South America revealed by light-level geolocators.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Marone, L. (1992). Estatus de residencia y categorización trófica de las especies de aves en la Reserva de la Biosfera de Ñacuñán, Mendoza. Hornero 13, 207–210.

McWilliams, S. R., Guglielmo, C., Pierce, B., and Klaassen, M. (2004). Flying, fasting, and feeding in birds during migration: a nutritional and physiological ecology perspective. Journal of Avian Biology 35, 377–393.
Flying, fasting, and feeding in birds during migration: a nutritional and physiological ecology perspective.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Mezquida, E. T. (2002). Nidificación de ocho especies de Tyrannidae en la Reserva de Ñacuñán, Mendoza, Argentina. Hornero 17, 31–40.

Moore, F. R., Smith, R. J., and Sandberg, R. (2005). Stopover ecology of intercontinental migrants: en route problems and consequences for reproductive performance. In ‘Birds of Two Worlds: The Ecology and Evolution of Migration.’ (Eds R. Greenberg and P. P. Marra) pp. 251–261. (John Hopkins Press, Baltimore, MD.)

Newton, I. (2008). ‘The Migration Ecology of Birds.’ (Academic Press: London, United Kingdom.)

Parrish, J. D. (1997). Patterns of frugivory and energetic condition in Nearctic landbirds during autumn migration. The Condor 99, 681–697.
Patterns of frugivory and energetic condition in Nearctic landbirds during autumn migration.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Pyle, P., Engilis, A., Jr, and Kelt, D. A. (2015). ‘Manual for ageing and sexing landbirds of Bosque Fray Jorge National Park and North-central Chile, with notes on occurrence and breeding seasonality.’ (Special Publication of the Occasional Papers of the Museum of Natural Science: Baton Rouge, LA.)

Quay, W. B. (1985). Cloacal sperm in spring migrants: occurrence and interpretation. The Condor 87, 273–280.
Cloacal sperm in spring migrants: occurrence and interpretation.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Ralph, C. J., Geupel, G. R., Pyle, P., Martin, T. E., and Desante, D. F. (1993). Handbook of field methods for monitoring landbirds. USDA Forest Service General Technical Report PSW-GTR-144, Pacific Southwest Research Station, Albany, CA.

Rappole, J. H. (2013). The Avian Migrant: the Biology of Bird Migration. (Columbia University Press, New York, NY.)

Rosenberg, K. V., and Cooper, R. J. (1990). Approaches to avian diet analysis. Studies in Avian Biology 13, 80–90.

Sillett, T. S., and Holmes, R. T. (2002). Variation in survivorship of a migratory songbird throughout its annual cycle. Journal of Animal Ecology 71, 296–308.
Variation in survivorship of a migratory songbird throughout its annual cycle.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Stotz, D. F., Fitzpatrick, J. W., Parker, T. A., and Moskovits, D. K. (1996). ‘Neotropical Birds: Ecology and Conservation.’ (University of Chicago Press: Chicago, IL.)

Wikelski, M., Tarlow, E. M., Raim, A., Diehl, R. H., Larkin, R. P., and Visser, G. H. (2003). Avian metabolism: costs of migration in free-flying songbirds. Nature 423, 704.
Avian metabolism: costs of migration in free-flying songbirds.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD3sXksV2itr8%3D&md5=bcf3b4741f420884e92bcd07d62306a4CAS | 12802324PubMed |

Williamson, J. (1975). Alimentación de algunas aves de La Pampa. Hornero 11, 322–324.