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Tornadic storm avoidance behavior in breeding songbirds

Henry M. Streby·Gunnar R. Kramer·Sean M. Peterson·Justin A. Lehman·David A. Buehler·David E. Andersen
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Abstract

Migration is a common behavior used by animals of many taxa to occupy different habitats during different periods . Migrant birds are categorized as either facultative (i.e., those that are forced to migrate by some proximal cue, often weather) or obligate (i.e., those that migrate on a regular cycle) . During migration, obligate migrants can curtail or delay flights in response to inclement weather or until favorable winds prevail , and they can temporarily reorient or reverse direction when ecological or meteorological obstacles are encountered . However, it is not known whether obligate migrants undertake facultative migrations and make large-scale movements in response to proximal cues outside of their regular migration periods . Here, we present the first documentation of obligate long-distance migrant birds undertaking a facultative migration, wherein breeding golden-winged warblers ( Vermivora chrysoptera ) carrying light-level geolocators performed a >1,500 km 5-day circumvention of a severe tornadic storm. The birds evacuated their breeding territories >24 hr before the arrival of the storm and atmospheric variation associated with it. The probable cue, radiating >1,000 km from tornadic storms , perceived by birds and influencing bird behavior and movements , is infrasound (i.e., sound below the range of human hearing). With the predicted increase in severity and frequency of similar storms as anthropogenic climate change progresses , understanding large-scale behavioral responses of animals to such events will be an important objective of future research.

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Henry M. Streby, Gunnar R. Kramer, Sean M. Peterson, Justin A. Lehman, David A. Buehler, David E. Andersen. 2015. Tornadic storm avoidance behavior in breeding songbirds. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2014.10.079

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