Upwind or downwind: the spring arrival of Arctic Terns Sterna paradisaea at Troms, north Norway. Issue 1 (1st June 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Barrett, Robert T.
• Is Part Of: Ringing & migration. Volume 31:Issue 1(2016)
• Page Start: 23
• Page End: 29
• Publication Date: 2016-06-01
• Subjects: Bird banding -- Great Britain -- Periodicals; Birds -- Migration -- Periodicals; Birds -- Great Britain -- Periodicals; Bird banding; Birds; Birds -- Migration; Great Britain; Periodicals; 598.07232
• DOI: 10.1080/03078698.2016.1190610
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0307-8698

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Arctic Terns Sterna paradisaea have a record long migration between their breeding grounds in the Arctic and wintering areas in the Antarctic. Nevertheless, return dates to north Norway were remarkably constant over a 35-year period (1981–2015), with Arctic Terns arriving in Troms within a 13-day time window in mid to late May. Since 1993, arrival dates have advanced by about four days. No relationships were found between arrival dates and large-scale weather proxies such as the North Atlantic Oscillation or sea temperatures, but when terns were approaching Troms, headwinds tended to delay arrivals whereas tailwinds advanced them.