Multi-colony tracking of two pelagic seabirds with contrasting flight capability illustrates how windscapes shape migratory movements at an ocean-basin scale

Migration is a common trait among many animals allowing the exploitation of spatiotemporally variable resources. It often implies high energetic costs to cover large distances, for example between breeding and wintering grounds. For flying or swimming animals, the adequate use of winds and currents can help reduce the associated energetic costs. Migratory seabirds are good models because they dwell in habitats characterized by strong winds while undertaking very long migrations. We tested the hypothesis that seabirds migrate through areas with favourable winds. To that end, we used a multi-colony geolocator tracking dataset of two North Atlantic seabirds with contrasting flight capabilities, the black-legged kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla) and the Atlantic puffin (Fratercula arctica), and wind data from the ERA5 climate reanalysis model. Both species had on average positive wind support during migration. Their main migratory routes were similar and followed seasonally prevailing winds. The...

迁徙是诸多动物共有的适应性特征，可使其开发利用时空动态变化的资源。此类迁徙往往需要付出高昂的能量成本以跨越漫长距离，例如往返于繁殖地与越冬地之间。对于飞行或水生动物而言，合理利用风力与洋流可助力降低相关能量消耗。迁徙海鸟是极佳的研究模型，因为它们在开展超长距离迁徙的过程中，栖息于强风主导的生境之中。本研究验证了"海鸟会选择风力条件有利的区域进行迁徙"这一假说。为此，我们使用了两类飞行能力迥异的北大西洋海鸟的多群体地理定位器（geolocator）追踪数据集，分别为黑脚三趾鸥（*Rissa tridactyla*）与大西洋海鹦（*Fratercula arctica*），并结合了来自ERA5气候再分析模型的风力数据。两类海鸟在迁徙过程中平均均可获得正向风力助力。二者的主要迁徙路线高度相似，均顺应季节性盛行风向。