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Migration
mystery unravelled
Tiny
transmitters attached to the feathers of migratory swans will enable
wildlife experts and the general public to track the epic migratory
journey of Russian whooper swans for the first time thanks to a
ground breaking study by the Wildfowl and Wetland Trust (WWT) and
the 麻豆社's Natural History Unit Radio (NHU).
Until
now the long distance flight paths of the majestic whooper and Bewick's
Swans have been shrouded in mystery. Experts from 麻豆社 NHU Radio
and the WWT will discuss the study into the habits of these migratory
swans in a series of migration programmes for 麻豆社 Radio 4 starting
on Monday 3 November.
Scientists
travelled to Arctic Russia in August this year to find the swans
and fit transmitters to them, enabling the 麻豆社 and WWT to follow
them along their journey.
One
whooper and five Bewick's swans have been fitted with transmitters
which will enable them to be visibly tracked by satellite and followed
online.
Previous
research has studied the swans at the beginning and end of their
journey, but this is the first study to investigate the mystery
of the migration route and the impact adverse weather has upon it.
World
migration expert and project advisor, Colin Pennycuick, has discovered
that Icelandic whooper swans have no weather forecasting ability.
On their long migration they may therefore face a fierce battle
with the elements.
The
project is also set to reveal at which lakes the swans rest and
refuel. Biologists know that thousands of Bewick's swans overwinter
in Britain and Holland but virtually nothing is know about where
whooper swans from the Russian Tundra overwinter, and their flight
path can only be speculated about.
Knowing
where they feed is vital in creating pan-nation protected flight
paths for these migrant birds.
Julian
Hector, Editor of Natural History Unit Radio, says: "We are
not only finding out their route for the first time, we are unpicking
the event to reveal a huge amount of information and surprising
facts, and 麻豆社 Radio 4 is looking forward to collaborating with
WWT on such an enlightening project."
Tony
Richardson, WWT Director, says: "Detail is very important
when designing conservation strategies for migrant swans. Knowing
that they put down in Estonia isn't enough. We need to know
what lakes they use to feed en route. Something like the size of
a lake we can conserve and manage, not something the size of a country."
The
warmest winter for twenty years delayed the birds' migration, but
now, 'Huc' the whooper and three Bewick's can be tracked online
at .
The
journey, which could be up to 2,500 miles (4,000 kilometres), will
also be followed in a series of live broadcasts for 麻豆社 Radio 4
starting Monday 3 November.
Notes
to Editors
Migration
facts and figures
There
are three species of swan in Britain: the resident mute swan and
two migrant species, Bewick's and whooper. The migrant species
have yellow and black bill markings, unlike mute swans whose bills
are orange.
Bewick's
Swans fly some 3,500 kilometres from breeding grounds in western
Siberia to spend the winter in Britain.
Migrating
whooper Swans can travel at speeds in excess of 90 kilometres per
hour and can reach Scotland from Iceland in just 12.7 hours in good
weather conditions.
About
7,000 whooper Swans migrate to Britain from their breeding grounds
in Iceland every winter, with a further 13,000 migrating to Ireland.
One
satellite-tracked whooper Swan was blown off course by strong winds
and took 42.4 hours to fly from Scotland to Iceland.
The
number of sites visited by Bewick's Swans during migration is affected
by their pairing and breeding success. Single swans are generally
seen at more sites than paired swans, which in turn are seen at
more sites than family parties.
Ringing
studies have shown that Bewick's Swans wintering in northern England
have a more northerly migration route through Europe than those
wintering in southwest England.
Although
there was an early report of whooper Swans flying at heights of
8,200 metres, satellite-tracking studies have found that they generally
fly at levels needed for ground clearance, ranging from 100 metres
over the sea to 1,300 metres over Icelandic glaciers.
The
pattern of yellow and black on the bills of Bewick's Swans is so
variable that individuals can be distinguished by trained observers.
All the
麻豆社's digital services are now available on ,
the new free-to-view digital terrestrial television service, as well
as on satellite and cable.
Freeview
offers the 麻豆社's eight television channels, interactive services
from 麻豆社i, as well as 11 national 麻豆社 radio networks.
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