TY - JOUR

T1 - Application of the Optical-Electronic Device for the study of specific aspects of nocturnal passerine migration

AU - Bolshakov, Casimir V.

AU - Vorotkov, Michael

AU - Синельщикова, Александра Юрьевна

AU - Victor, Bulyuk

AU - Griffiths, Martin

PY - 2010

Y1 - 2010

N2 - This paper is dedicated to a new technique for advances in the study of the main parameters of migratory flight in passerine birds. In addition to a detailed technical description of the equipment it also addresses the limitations of the method and the opportunities it offers for studying the main parameters of nocturnal migratory flight in songbirds. Special attention isgiven to one of the major difficulties in research into bird migration – the potential for the identification of individual species of passerines flying in the night sky. This application is illustrated by different examples of characteristics of nocturnal flight during autumn passage at the Courish Spit of the Baltic Sea in 2008–2009. Primarily the equipment design is shown ideal for investigating in particular the mechanisms of adaptation of birds to flight in darknessunder different wind conditions. It appears possible to study under natural conditions the following issues for individual species of passerines or groups of closely related species: 1) ground- and airspeed; 2) compensation for wind drift on the basis of direct measurements of headings and track directions of individual birds; 3) wing-beat pattern and its variation depending on wind direction and velocity

AB - This paper is dedicated to a new technique for advances in the study of the main parameters of migratory flight in passerine birds. In addition to a detailed technical description of the equipment it also addresses the limitations of the method and the opportunities it offers for studying the main parameters of nocturnal migratory flight in songbirds. Special attention isgiven to one of the major difficulties in research into bird migration – the potential for the identification of individual species of passerines flying in the night sky. This application is illustrated by different examples of characteristics of nocturnal flight during autumn passage at the Courish Spit of the Baltic Sea in 2008–2009. Primarily the equipment design is shown ideal for investigating in particular the mechanisms of adaptation of birds to flight in darknessunder different wind conditions. It appears possible to study under natural conditions the following issues for individual species of passerines or groups of closely related species: 1) ground- and airspeed; 2) compensation for wind drift on the basis of direct measurements of headings and track directions of individual birds; 3) wing-beat pattern and its variation depending on wind direction and velocity

M3 - Article

VL - 18

SP - 23

EP - 51

JO - AVIAN ECOLOGY AND BEHAVIOUR

JF - AVIAN ECOLOGY AND BEHAVIOUR

SN - 1561-9958

ER -