科创中国

Interspecific comparison of the flight performance between sparrowhawks and common buzzards migrating at the Falsterbo peninsula: A radar study

原文链接：万方

• 作者：

  Gintaras MALMIGA Cecilia NILSSON Johan BACKMAN Thomas ALERSTAM

• 摘要：

  In order to compare the two species' flight performance over the exposed and windy Falsterbo Peninsula, where thermal conditions seldomly are very favorable, we used tracking radar to study flight parameters of sparrowhawks Accipiter ni- sus and common buzzards Buteo buteo during autumn migration. The results showed a clear difference between sparrowhawks and common buzzards in their flight altitudes and speeds, and in the wind conditions they encountered. Common buzzards had higher flight altitudes and were more selective of wind. Flight altitude was negatively related to the wind speed, which was most pronounced for common buzzards. Sparrowhawks had higher mean air- and cross-country speeds than common buzzards. Air- speed was negatively related, whereas ground and cross-country speeds were positively related to the tailwind component for both raptors. The differences between sparrowhawks and buzzards could to a large degree be explained by a larger dependence on thermal soaring among the common buzzards; a strategy associated with selectivity for favourable thermal and wind conditions during migratory flight. An additional important explanation for the interspecific differences was the habit of the sparrowhawks to combine migratory flight with hunting for prey, which makes it prone to fly at lower altitudes and use flapping flight to a much larger degree than common buzzards which do not forage during their migratory passage of the Falsterbo Peninsula [Current Zoo- logy 60(5): 670-679, 2014].

• 关键词：

  飞行性能 迁移过程 跟踪雷达 雀鹰 飞行高度 低海拔地区 速度比 飞行参数

• 作者单位：

  Department of Biology, Lund University, SE-22362 Lund, Sweden

• 来源期刊：

  动物学报(英文版)

• 年，卷(期)：

  2014005