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<p>We investigated the migratory strategy of an alpine population of Whinchat <i>Saxicola rubetra</i>, a long-distance migratory passerine experiencing severe population declines in Europe. We tracked seven individuals breeding in the French Alps using multi-sensor loggers combining light, accelerometer, and barometric pressure data. Tracked whinchats exhibited an anti-clockwise, loop migration. In autumn, birds migrated westward through France and the Iberian Peninsula, entering Africa near the Strait of Gibraltar and moving south along the western edge of the Sahara Desert. Autumn migration lasted 17–50&#xa0;days and was characterized by a short step strategy, with numerous short nocturnal flights (mean 9&#xa0;h) interspersed with frequent, often brief stopovers (on average 15 stops of median duration 16&#xa0;h). Spring migration followed a more direct, easterly route across the Sahara Desert toward Europe. In contrast, it was faster (12–24&#xa0;days) and more synchronized, typically beginning with a single, non-stop trans-Saharan flight lasting 37–45&#xa0;h. These initial spring flights reached the highest of the recorded altitudes (4000–6000&#xa0;m above sea level), considerably higher than autumn flights, likely facilitating barrier crossing and thermoregulation. Subsequent spring movements involved fewer flights and short stopovers, resulting in a highly accelerated return to breeding sites. Non-breeding ecology revealed flexible strategies. Each individual used one or two main non-breeding sites in West Africa, primarily in Guinea, Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, Senegal, and Mauritania. Four of seven birds shifted between non-breeding sites at mid-winter, while others remained resident or roamed locally before spring migration. Compared to British breeding populations, alpine Whinchats showed a more spatially aggregated winter distribution, suggesting a moderate degree of migratory connectivity. Conservation implications emphasize the importance of preserving a network of stopover and late-winter fueling sites along the West African flyway, particularly in the context of habitat degradation and climate change.</p>

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Migratory connectivity, short steps and loop migration in an alpine population of Whinchats Saxicola rubetra

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  • 发表日期：

    2026年5月21日

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  • Frédéric Jiguet,
  • Jocelyn Champagnon,
  • Olivier Duriez,
  • Paul Dufour

摘要

We investigated the migratory strategy of an alpine population of Whinchat Saxicola rubetra, a long-distance migratory passerine experiencing severe population declines in Europe. We tracked seven individuals breeding in the French Alps using multi-sensor loggers combining light, accelerometer, and barometric pressure data. Tracked whinchats exhibited an anti-clockwise, loop migration. In autumn, birds migrated westward through France and the Iberian Peninsula, entering Africa near the Strait of Gibraltar and moving south along the western edge of the Sahara Desert. Autumn migration lasted 17–50 days and was characterized by a short step strategy, with numerous short nocturnal flights (mean 9 h) interspersed with frequent, often brief stopovers (on average 15 stops of median duration 16 h). Spring migration followed a more direct, easterly route across the Sahara Desert toward Europe. In contrast, it was faster (12–24 days) and more synchronized, typically beginning with a single, non-stop trans-Saharan flight lasting 37–45 h. These initial spring flights reached the highest of the recorded altitudes (4000–6000 m above sea level), considerably higher than autumn flights, likely facilitating barrier crossing and thermoregulation. Subsequent spring movements involved fewer flights and short stopovers, resulting in a highly accelerated return to breeding sites. Non-breeding ecology revealed flexible strategies. Each individual used one or two main non-breeding sites in West Africa, primarily in Guinea, Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, Senegal, and Mauritania. Four of seven birds shifted between non-breeding sites at mid-winter, while others remained resident or roamed locally before spring migration. Compared to British breeding populations, alpine Whinchats showed a more spatially aggregated winter distribution, suggesting a moderate degree of migratory connectivity. Conservation implications emphasize the importance of preserving a network of stopover and late-winter fueling sites along the West African flyway, particularly in the context of habitat degradation and climate change.