Ecology of spring-migrating Anatidae : a review

• Spring migration is generally considered as a crucial period of the year for many birds, not the least due to its supposed importance for subsequent breeding success. By reviewing the existing literature for Anatidae (ducks, geese, and swans), we show that little is known about their ecology in spring, although some goose species are exceptions. Another general pattern is that the ecology of Anatidae at staging sites is particularly neglected. Existing studies tend to focus on questions dealing with acquisition of nutrient reserves, whereas almost nothing has been published about stopover habitats, time use, microhabitat use, foraging behaviour, food availability, food limitation, diet selection, and interspecific relationships. Besides summarising present knowledge, we identify taxonomic groups and topics for which gaps of knowledge appear the most evident, thereby also highlighting research needs for the future.

Subject headings

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Biological Sciences (hsv//eng)

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Biologiska vetenskaper (hsv//swe)

Keyword

anatidae

ducks

review

spring migration

staging

GREATER SNOW GEESE

WHITE-FRONTED GEESE

NUTRIENT-RESERVE DYNAMICS

BREEDING NORTHERN SHOVELERS

BRANTA-BERNICLA-BERNICLA

TEAL

ANAS-CRECCA

BODY-COMPOSITION

CANADA GEESE

ENERGY BUDGETS

CLUTCH-SIZE

Biology

Biologi

Publication and Content Type

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