A team of ornithologists led by William DeLuca of the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, reports the first direct evidence that the blackpoll warbler (Setophaga striata) completes an autumn trans-Atlantic migration ranging from 2,270 to 2,770 km (1,410 to 1,721 miles) and requiring 2 to 3 days of non-stop flight. Annual blackpoll warbler migration between the northern breeding grounds and Biology Letters, published online April 01, 2015; doi: 10.1098/rsbl.2014.1045, © 2011-2020. The disproportionate effect of global warming on the arrival dates of short-distance migratory birds in North America. Ibis 145:484-495. The bird is a long-distance Neotropical migrant. Annual blackpoll warbler migration between the northern breeding grounds and wintering grounds in the Amazon basin of northern South America is one of the longest migratory routes for any North American songbird (DeLuca et al., 2013; Morris et al., 2016), and was recently tracked from geographically distant breeding populations using light‐level geolocators (DeLuca et al., 2015, 2019; Figure 1). “For small songbirds, we are only just now beginning to understand the migratory routes that connect temperate breeding grounds to tropical wintering areas,” Mr DeLuca said. They weigh 0.4 – 0.5 oz (12–13 g). “When we accessed the locators, we saw the blackpolls’ journey was indeed directly over the Atlantic. Taipan. Ornithologists report the first direct evidence that the blackpoll warbler completes an autumn trans-Atlantic migration ranging from 2,270 to 2,770 km. Blackpoll Warblers breeding in Western Alaska make the longest migration of any North American songbird, an annual round trip of eleven to twelve thousand miles. Photo: Sara Morris. 3 posts Blackpoll Warbler - Setophaga striata Blackpoll Warbler - Setophaga striata. Which is to say, the species is classified as an uncommon transient in its migration, and as such it is rarely seen on Abaco. “This is the first study to provide direct evidence of the birds’ migration route – we found they flew directly over the Atlantic Ocean to reach their wintering grounds in South America,” said Prof Ryan Norris of the University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada, the senior author of the paper published in the journal Biology Letters. The sharply marked Blackpoll Warbler is nature’s hearing test, with a high-pitched, almost inaudible song that floats through the boreal forests of Canada. Berttam G. Mnrrar, Jr. BLACKPOLL WARBLER MIGRATION 72- 60- a w m 5 2 z 361 24- 12- 01 127 GRAMS FIG. Blackpoll warblers (Setophaga striata) that breed in western North America migrate up to 12,400 miles (20,000 km) roundtrip each year, some crossing the entire North American continent before making a nonstop trans-ocean flight of up to four days to South America. All Rights Reserved. A boreal songbird’s 20,000 km migration across North America and the Atlantic Ocean. The Blackpoll Warbler Setophaga striata is a “TR3” on Abaco. During fall migration, Blackpoll Warblers from all areas of their breeding range migrate eastwards, with many stopping in the Gulf of Maine re-gion before departing on a ~ 2500 km transatlantic flight A Blackpoll Warbler in fall plumage, held by a researcher. 2003. In 2015, University of Guelph biologist Ryan Norris and colleagues were the first to show that 12-g blackpoll warblers breeding in the Maritimes and New England complete a non-stop transoceanic flight of up to three days and 1,721 miles (2,770 km) along the eastern coast of the United States. For more than fifty years, it has been hypothesized that, during autumn migration, blackpoll warblers depart northeastern North America and undertake a non-stop flight to Puerto Rico, the Lesser Antilles, or northern South America. Apex Predator. Blackpoll Warbler - Setophaga striata. Monarch butterflies spend generations migrating across the entire North American continent, and humpback whales log as many as 3,000 miles a month as they go between Alaska and Hawaii. “As a conservation scientist, what strikes me most is that in a single year a blackpoll warbler has to navigate 12,400 miles across land and ocean, facing risks of cat predation, storms and collisions with buildings and vehicles, all while trying to find islands of habitat to rest and refuel in our human-dominated landscapes,” said study co-author Dr. Hilary Cooke, a conservation scientist with Wildlife Conservation Society Canada. Blackpoll Warbler is known as the longest distance migrant of the warbler species. Share. A new study, published in the journal Ecology, confirms the epic migration journey that ornithologists had long suspected but not yet proved. 9. The ornithologists found that in some cases, the birds flew more than 2,500 km, non-stop, to reach their destinations. The blackpoll warbler (Setophaga striata). They covered between 1,400 miles (2,250 km) and 2,113 miles (3,400 km) for that transoceanic hop. [Song of Blackpoll Warbler] In August, the warblers head east on an ancient migratory pathway across the boreal forests of Canada to the Maritime Provinces and the coast of New England. Total southward migration took about 60 days on average over distances ranging from 4,287 miles (6,900 km) for birds breeding in Churchill to 6,650 miles (10,700 km) for populations on the western edge of the continent in Nome. “We had long believed that blackpoll warblers followed the great circle route. “In comparison, the boreal region of northern Canada provides safe and high-quality breeding habitat for this declining species. Seventy-two to 90 continuous hours of migration over the ocean by a half-ounce bird seems an impossible feat. The distances traveled ranged from 2,270 to 2,770 km.”. Blackpoll Warbler Migration January 27, 2017 Blackpoll Warblers make the longest migration of any North American songbird, an annual round trip of eleven to twelve thousand miles. 2016), which combined with the earlier spring migration provides the possibility of a longer breeding season in this species. Ecology, published online March 19, 2019; doi: 10.1002/ecy.2651, © 2011-2020. The geo-locators tracked the birds’ flight path, but, because of their small size, they were not able to transmit the data remotely. The blackpoll warbler is a relatively small songbird weighing only 12-13 g. Its wingspan is usually less than 23 cm across. For the study, Dr. Norris and co-authors tracked birds outfitted with tiny geolocators, weighing 0.5 g and with a 12-month battery life, from four boreal forest sites: Churchill, Manitoba; Whitehorse, Yukon Territory; Denali National Park and Nome, both in Alaska. Magnolia Warbler Summer; Breeding Migration Winter; Non-breeding *modified from State of North America’s Birds 2016. Blackpoll warblers from Nome took 18 days to fly across North America to the Atlantic coast of the Carolinas. “It’s amazing. Their underparts are white with black streaks, and they display two white wing bars. 42 Fall migration of the Blackpoll Warbler S. R. Morris, K. M. Covino, J. D. Jacobs, and P. D. Taylor following keys in the North American Bird Banding Manual (U.S. Earth Matters: Tiny blackpoll warblers are champions of long-distance flight A blackpoll warbler in the fall, fattening for its flight to South America. Blackpoll Warbler 14 Ruby-throated Hummingbird Arctic Tern. ... From winter grounds to breeding grounds is a migration distance of 2,500 to 3,000 miles. There have been no definitive answers – until now. Spends winters in the tropics of Central and South America. “Acquiring a better understanding of the full annual cycle for blackpoll warblers is critically important to ecologists,” Dr. DeLuca added. 1. 14K 2,541. Share with: Link: Copy link. “The data collected in this new study helps fill in the migratory network of the species,” said study co-author Stuart McKenzie, from Bird Studies Canada. This map animates weekly estimated relative abundance, defined as the expected count on an eBird Traveling Count starting at the optimal time of day with the optimal search duration and distance that maximizes detection of that species in a region on the specified date. Doppler Radar 16 Geolocators Satellite Tracking Radio Telemetry Protecting Canada’s boreal forest is critical to saving this amazing songbird.”, William V. DeLuca et al. The blackpoll warbler (Setophaga striata). The well-noted 2,150 autumn migration distance some New England Blackpoll partake in the autumn as trans-ocean migrants is a breathtaking marvel. Blackpoll Warbler - Setophaga striata St. Martin - Etang Gulchard (SX) 2011-10-20 Hans Verdaat Next ». Sci-News.com. “To prepare for the flight, the birds build up their fat stores. The coast will, however, always have a concentrating effect, resulting in an increased number of records from that-area. 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Image credit: UMass Amherst / University of Guelph. Image credit: William H. Majoros / CC BY-SA 3.0. Smaller numbers breed in southeastern Canada, and isolated breeding populations exist in the mountains of New England and New York. A blackpoll warbler in the fall, ... On most late summer and fall nights with heavy migration, the flight direction in the Northeast is northeast to southwest, roughly parallel to the coastline. 9 ... SHORT-DISTANCE MIGRATION MEDIUM-DISTANCE MIGRATION LONG-DISTANCE 13. The species primarily breeds across Alaska and north-central Canada. “It was fascinating to witness the schedule of this migration. 10.1098/Rsbl.2014.1045, © 2011-2020 a tiny bird with an annual migration route of Blackpoll on. S birds 2016 great circle route Winter ; Non-breeding * modified from State of North America ’ s boreal is! 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