Pair bonds Arrival synchrony in migratory birds

Synchronous arrival of pairs of migratory birds at their breeding grounds is important for maintaining pair bonds and is achieved by pairs that remain together all year round. Here we show that arrival is also synchronized in paired individuals of a migratory shorebird, the black-tailed godwit (Limo...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Nature 2004-10, Vol.431 (7009), p.646-646
Main Authors: Gunnarsson, T. G, Gill, J. A, Sigurbjörnsson, T, Sutherland, W. J
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal Migration - physiology
Animals
Birds - physiology
Female
Geography
Iceland
Limosa limosa islandica
Male
Marine
Pair Bond
Reproduction - physiology
Seasons
Time Factors
United Kingdom
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Summary:Synchronous arrival of pairs of migratory birds at their breeding grounds is important for maintaining pair bonds and is achieved by pairs that remain together all year round. Here we show that arrival is also synchronized in paired individuals of a migratory shorebird, the black-tailed godwit (Limosa limosa islandica), even though they winter hundreds of kilometres apart and do not migrate together. The mechanisms required to achieve this synchrony and prevent 'divorce' illustrate the complexity of migratory systems.
ISSN:0028-0836
1476-4687
DOI:10.1038/431646a