Bird Movement and Migration Active
Migration is an amazing annual event. Every year billions of animals – birds, mammals, insects, and fish – make long-distance journeys from breeding grounds to wintering grounds. Most northern hemisphere birds migrate southward, but there are many other ways that birds move seasonally. If we want to protect birds that take these long distance journeys, we need to understand why they move, why they stay, how they move, and why they go where they go.
Our team studies the behaviors, drivers, and migration endpoints of individual birds throughout North America and world-wide. Most of this work is done using tracking devices, such as Global Positioning System (GPS) telemetry or light-level geolocators. Bird movement data can then be linked to other datasets, such as habitat or topographic maps that tell us details about sites birds spend time in or fly by. Our approach reveals the details of the movements of these remarkable birds and how they use different landscapes across continents.
Using GPS Telemetry to Track Golden Eagles
We are tracking migratory movements of golden eagles with GPS-telemetry systems. GPS data can tell us the altitude at which eagles are flying and relate their position to the landform directly below them. For example, we’ve learned that migrating eagles fly at lower altitudes over steeper terrain and at higher altitudes over flat terrain. This fundamental insight into eagle flight strategy helps us better understand the ways that eagles use updrafts to subsidize their flight and identifies reasons that eagles may be at risk from wind turbines constructed along their migration pathway (see “Interaction between Energy Development and Raptors”).
We also evaluate conditions under which eagles choose to migrate by linking GPS telemetry data to large-scale modeled weather data. Eagles respond to weather conditions while flying, while on the ground, or both. Understanding how weather patterns and eagle migration behavior are linked provides important insight into how changes in climate and weather could affect eagle ecology.
Raptor Migration in Asia
Our team also studies migration of eagles and falcons in central Asia. Central Asia is politically important and has some of the largest remaining intact grassland ecosystems anywhere in the world. We use GPS-telemetry systems to track movements of imperial eagles and white-tailed sea eagles from Kazakhstan to wintering grounds in the Middle-East, and light-level geolocators to track movements of red-footed falcons from Kazakhstan to southern Africa and back.
Learn about other projects led by Dr. Todd Katzner.
If you are unable to access or download a product, email fresc_outreach@usgs.gov a request, including the full citation, or call (541) 750-1030.
Video about Dr. Katzner's research.
If you are unable to access or download a product, email fresc_outreach@usgs.gov a request, including the full citation, or call (541) 750-1030.
Applying citizen-science data and mark-recapture models to estimate numbers of migrant golden eagles in an important bird area in eastern North America
Meteorological and environmental variables affect flight behaviour and decision-making of an obligate soaring bird, the California Condor Gymnogyps californianus
Biotelemetery data for golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) captured in coastal southern California, February 2016–February 2017
Improved supervised classification of accelerometry data to distinguish behaviors of soaring birds
Counterintuitive roles of experience and weather on migratory performance
Species composition, timing, and weather correlates of autumn open-water crossings by raptors migrating along the East-Asian Oceanic Flyway
Unusual clockwise loop migration lengthens travel distances and increases potential risks for a central Asian, long distance, trans-equatorial migrant, the Red-footed Falcon Falco vespertinus
Age- and season-specific variation in local and long-distance movement behavior of golden eagles
Biotelemetry data for golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) captured in coastal southern California, November 2014–February 2016
In-flight turbulence benefits soaring birds
Landscape-scale distribution and density of raptor populations wintering in anthropogenic-dominated desert landscapes
- Overview
Migration is an amazing annual event. Every year billions of animals – birds, mammals, insects, and fish – make long-distance journeys from breeding grounds to wintering grounds. Most northern hemisphere birds migrate southward, but there are many other ways that birds move seasonally. If we want to protect birds that take these long distance journeys, we need to understand why they move, why they stay, how they move, and why they go where they go.
Our team studies the behaviors, drivers, and migration endpoints of individual birds throughout North America and world-wide. Most of this work is done using tracking devices, such as Global Positioning System (GPS) telemetry or light-level geolocators. Bird movement data can then be linked to other datasets, such as habitat or topographic maps that tell us details about sites birds spend time in or fly by. Our approach reveals the details of the movements of these remarkable birds and how they use different landscapes across continents.
Using GPS Telemetry to Track Golden Eagles
We are tracking migratory movements of golden eagles with GPS-telemetry systems. GPS data can tell us the altitude at which eagles are flying and relate their position to the landform directly below them. For example, we’ve learned that migrating eagles fly at lower altitudes over steeper terrain and at higher altitudes over flat terrain. This fundamental insight into eagle flight strategy helps us better understand the ways that eagles use updrafts to subsidize their flight and identifies reasons that eagles may be at risk from wind turbines constructed along their migration pathway (see “Interaction between Energy Development and Raptors”).We also evaluate conditions under which eagles choose to migrate by linking GPS telemetry data to large-scale modeled weather data. Eagles respond to weather conditions while flying, while on the ground, or both. Understanding how weather patterns and eagle migration behavior are linked provides important insight into how changes in climate and weather could affect eagle ecology.
Raptor Migration in Asia
Our team also studies migration of eagles and falcons in central Asia. Central Asia is politically important and has some of the largest remaining intact grassland ecosystems anywhere in the world. We use GPS-telemetry systems to track movements of imperial eagles and white-tailed sea eagles from Kazakhstan to wintering grounds in the Middle-East, and light-level geolocators to track movements of red-footed falcons from Kazakhstan to southern Africa and back. - Science
Learn about other projects led by Dr. Todd Katzner.
- Data
If you are unable to access or download a product, email fresc_outreach@usgs.gov a request, including the full citation, or call (541) 750-1030.
- Multimedia
Video about Dr. Katzner's research.
- Publications
If you are unable to access or download a product, email fresc_outreach@usgs.gov a request, including the full citation, or call (541) 750-1030.
Filter Total Items: 35Applying citizen-science data and mark-recapture models to estimate numbers of migrant golden eagles in an important bird area in eastern North America
Estimates of population abundance are important to wildlife management and conservation. However, it can be difficult to characterize the numbers of broadly distributed, low-density, and elusive bird species. Although Golden Eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) are rare, difficult to detect, and broadly distributed, they are concentrated during their autumn migration at monitoring sites in eastern North AmeAuthorsAndrew J. Dennhardt, Adam E. Duerr, David Brandes, Todd E. KatznerMeteorological and environmental variables affect flight behaviour and decision-making of an obligate soaring bird, the California Condor Gymnogyps californianus
The movements of animals are limited by evolutionary constraints and ecological processes and are strongly influenced by the medium through which they travel. For flying animals, variation in atmospheric conditions is critically influential in movement. Obligate soaring birds depend on external sources of updraft more than do other flying species, as without that updraft they are unable to sustainAuthorsSharon Poessel, Joseph Brandt, Tricia A. Miller, Todd E. KatznerBiotelemetery data for golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) captured in coastal southern California, February 2016–February 2017
Because of a lack of clarity about the status of golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) in coastal southern California, the USGS, in collaboration with local, State, and other Federal agencies, began a multi-year survey and tracking program of golden eagles to address questions regarding habitat use, movement behavior, nest occupancy, genetic population structure, and human impacts on eagles. Golden eaAuthorsJeff A. Tracey, Melanie C. Madden, Jeremy B. Sebes, Peter H. Bloom, Todd E. Katzner, Robert N. FisherImproved supervised classification of accelerometry data to distinguish behaviors of soaring birds
Soaring birds can balance the energetic costs of movement by switching between flapping, soaring and gliding flight. Accelerometers can allow quantification of flight behavior and thus a context to interpret these energetic costs. However, models to interpret accelerometry data are still being developed, rarely trained with supervised datasets, and difficult to apply. We collected accelerometry daAuthorsMaitreyi Sur, Tony Suffredini, Stephen M. Wessells, Peter H. Bloom, Michael J. Lanzone, Sheldon Blackshire, Srisarguru Sridhar, Todd E. KatznerCounterintuitive roles of experience and weather on migratory performance
Migration allows animals to live in resource-rich but seasonally variable environments. Because of the costs of migration, there is selective pressure to capitalize on variation in weather to optimize migratory performance. To test the degree to which migratory performance (defined as speed of migration) of Golden Eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) was determined by age- and season-specific responses to vAuthorsAdrian I. Rus, Adam E. Duerr, Tricia A. Miller, James R. Belthoff, Todd E. KatznerSpecies composition, timing, and weather correlates of autumn open-water crossings by raptors migrating along the East-Asian Oceanic Flyway
Raptor migration rarely involves long-distance movements across open oceans. One exception occurs along the East-Asian Oceanic Flyway. We collected migration data at two terrestrial hawkwatch sites along this flyway to better understand open-ocean movements along this largely overwater corridor. At the northern end of the Philippines, at Basco on the island of Batan, we recorded 7587 migratory rapAuthorsCamille B. Concepcion, Patricia T. Dumandan, Medel R. Silvosa, Keith L. Bildstein, Todd E. KatznerUnusual clockwise loop migration lengthens travel distances and increases potential risks for a central Asian, long distance, trans-equatorial migrant, the Red-footed Falcon Falco vespertinus
Capsule: Red-footed Falcons Falco vespertinus migrating from northern Kazakhstan proceed west before heading south to Africa; their northbound travel follows a different route with passage close to shooting hotspots in the Mediterranean.Aim: To use tracking and ringing data to document for the first time the migration of globally threatened Red-footed Falcons from northern Kazakhstan.Methods: LighAuthorsTodd E. Katzner, Evgeny A. Bragin, Alexander E. Bragin, Michael J. McGrady, Tricia A. Miller, Keith L. BildsteinAge- and season-specific variation in local and long-distance movement behavior of golden eagles
Animal movements can determine the population dynamics of wildlife. We used telemetry data to provide insight into the causes and consequences of local and long-distance movements of multiple age classes of conservation-reliant golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) in the foothills and mountains near Tehachapi, California. We estimated size and habitat-related correlates of 324 monthly 95 % home rangeAuthorsSharon Poessel, Peter H. Bloom, Melissa A. Braham, Todd E. KatznerBiotelemetry data for golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) captured in coastal southern California, November 2014–February 2016
The status of golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) in coastal southern California is unclear. To address this knowledge gap, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in collaboration with local, State, and other Federal agencies began a multi-year survey and tracking program of golden eagles to address questions regarding habitat use, movement behavior, nest occupancy, genetic population structure, and humaAuthorsJeff A. Tracey, Melanie C. Madden, Jeremy B. Sebes, Peter H. Bloom, Todd E. Katzner, Robert N. FisherIn-flight turbulence benefits soaring birds
Birds use atmospheric updrafts to subsidize soaring flight. We observed highly variable soaring flight by Black Vultures (Coragyps atratus) and Turkey Vultures (Cathartes aura) in Virginia, USA, that was inconsistent with published descriptions of terrestrial avian flight. Birds engaging in this behavior regularly deviated vertically and horizontally from linear flight paths. We observed the soariAuthorsJulie M. Mallon, Keith L. Bildstein, Todd E. KatznerLandscape-scale distribution and density of raptor populations wintering in anthropogenic-dominated desert landscapes
Anthropogenic development has great potential to affect fragile desert environments. Large-scale development of renewable energy infrastructure is planned for many desert ecosystems. Development plans should account for anthropogenic effects to distributions and abundance of rare or sensitive wildlife; however, baseline data on abundance and distribution of such wildlife are often lacking. We survAuthorsAdam E. Duerr, Tricia A. Miller, Kerri L Cornell Duerr, Michael J. Lanzone, Amy Fesnock-Parker, Todd E. Katzner - News