Work

Exploration speed in Red Knots affects spring migration timing, but only after experimentally constrained fuelling conditions

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Individual variation in avian migration timing is still poorly understood, yet recent evidence shows that it is closely linked to personality traits and may also be affected by food availability. Here, we examined how the interaction of the personality trait exploration speed and food availability affected the departure timing of Red Knots Calidris canutus from their wintering grounds. Using experimental manipulations of food access and measures of exploration speed in captivity followed by tracking of released individuals, we show that fast‐exploring birds departed later but only when subjected to restricted food access in the experiment, whereas birds with unlimited food access showed no personality‐dependent differences in departure timing. Our results suggest that personality does not reflect intrinsic variation in spring migration timing, but rather interactions with environmental variation affecting the birds' ability to refuel body stores after food restrictions.

Source: Ibis

DOI: 10.1111/ibi.70098

Authors: Tohar Tal, Allert I. Bijleveld, Karein van Bijssum, Hidde Kressin, Thomas K. Lameris

Institutions: Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, University of Amsterdam, University of Groningen

Language: English

Topic: Avian ecology and behavior

Subfield: Ecology

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $4,480

Funders: Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, Koninklijk Nederlands Instituut voor Onderzoek der Zee