Social behavior among nocturnally migrating birds revealed by automated moonwatching

Author:

Bridge Eli S12ORCID,Honeycutt Wesley T1,Chen Angela J2,Miller Riley2,Kelly Jeffrey F12

Affiliation:

1. Oklahoma Biological Survey, University of Oklahoma , Norman, Oklahoma , USA

2. School of Biological Sciences, University of Oklahoma , Norman, Oklahoma , USA

Abstract

Abstract Migrating birds often fly in group formations during the daytime, whereas at night, it is generally presumed that they fly singly. However, it is difficult to quantify group behavior during nocturnal migration as there are few means of directly observing interactions among individuals. We employed an automated form of moonwatching to estimate percentages of birds that appear to migrate in groups during the night within the Central Flyway of North America. We compared percentages of birds in groups across the spring and fall and examined overnight temporal patterns of group behavior. We found groups were rare in both seasons, never exceeding 10% of birds observed, and were almost nonexistent during the fall. We also observed an overnight pattern of group behavior in the spring wherein groups were more commonly detected early in the night and again just before migration activity ceased. This finding may be related to changes in species composition of migrants throughout the night, or alternatively, it suggests that group formation may be associated with flocking activity on the ground as groups are most prevalent when birds begin and end a night of migration.

Funder

National Science Foundation

Publisher

Oxford University Press (OUP)

Subject

Animal Science and Zoology,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics

Reference49 articles.

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