Hidden space use behaviors of a nonbreeding migratory bird: the role of environment and social context

Movement behavior strongly mediates species and environment interactions, yet our understanding is constrained by challenges tracking space use at fine spatiotemporal resolutions.

Using an automated telemetry array, we quantified variation in and drivers of space use for a nonbreeding population of migratory bird, the American redstart Setophaga ruticilla.

We identified two distinct and common behaviors – territoriality and floating,– that were governed primarily by NDVI as a proxy of resource availability. Within seasons, declines in weekly resources increased the prevalence of forays and the area of space utilized. Floaters were less likely to maintain body condition throughout the nonbreeding season, which is expected to negatively influence fitness and survival.

Our study demonstrates that nonbreeding migratory birds exhibit a high degree of plasticity in space use that is driven primarily by resource availability but influenced by the dominance hierarchy within an individual’s environment which are expected to have important implications on migratory populations.