Migration: Peregrines / Island Girl

[Kinderchick]

What an amazing distance Island Girl flies in such a relatively short period of time. I find this information very interesting. Thanks for posting it, TPC.

[The Peregrine Chick]

Speaking of Island Girl ...

- October 1st she was in Illinois
- September 30th she flew 635km
- average distance of her southward migrations = 15,250 km
- average distance of her northward migrations = 13,200 km
- her average annual migrations = 14,366 km

Which is why I posed the question of, are tundra peregrines larger and/or stronger than our, I hate to label them as standard, but, just curious... or, is it just that, that's where that particular specie of falcons breed, and that's just what they do because it's instinct and they are hard wired to do so?

Tundras and anatum are about the same size/weight.  Pealei are non-migratory and larger by up to a couple hundred grams.  They migrate to Chile because its not that dissimilar to their habitat up north and the coast of Chile is a pretty productive environment for birds and aquatic mammals and fish - lots to eat so there is lots for the tundra birds to eat as well.  If they were hanging out in Mexico or Central America or even northern South America, they would be in competition for food with lots of other raptor species - including anatum peregrines.  Not a good evolutionary adaptation.  The distance they fly is long but birds can die anywhere along a route, short or long.  They can die while waiting to come back north or the can die when they get back up here.  So its all choices  - need food and need space to reproduce, Tundra peregrines have found a combination that works for them though its a bit of a hike to get there.

Just as an FYI ... Island Girl as of 3pm this afternoon was over the Gulf of Mexico roughly 600km east of Corpus Christi.  She has been on migration for 12 days and has covered just over 4000km.  I suspect that she will come ashore about between Matamoros and Veracruz based on her flight path so far.  Last year she essentially stayed over land following the southern Texas coast then the eastern coast of Mexico and much of Central America before hopping overland and down the west coast of South America.  In 2010 and 2009 she hopped from Florida to Cuba then across to the Honduras-Costa Rica area and then south.  This year she's splitting the difference it looks like - looking at USA national weather maps, looks like she's avoiding storms that run from the Great Lakes to Louisiana.

[allikat]

Speaking of Island Girl ...

- October 1st she was in Illinois
- September 30th she flew 635km
- average distance of her southward migrations = 15,250 km
- average distance of her northward migrations = 13,200 km
- her average annual migrations = 14,366 km

Which is why I posed the question of, are tundra peregrines larger and/or stronger than our, I hate to label them as standard, but, just curious... or, is it just that, that's where that particular specie of falcons breed, and that's just what they do because it's instinct and they are hard wired to do so?

[The Peregrine Chick]

Why and how was Island Girl caught?

She was caught as part of a transmitter study to see how/when/where tundra falcons summer/migrate/winter.  There have been about 10 of them banded, 2 are still active but I think its really just one that's still active (Island Girl).  Most of the others had their transmitters fail - a couple of have been confirmed to have died, the others its still unknown.  Island Girl was caught on her wintering grounds in Chile - they tend not to travel very far while they are there so they are not exactly easy to find/catch but easier relatively speaking.

[irenekl]

Why and how was Island Girl caught?

[transplanted maple]

Island Girl sure travels, it is nice to know that her transmitter is still working..

[The Peregrine Chick]

Speaking of Island Girl ...

- October 1st she was in Illinois
- September 30th she flew 635km
- average distance of her southward migrations = 15,250 km
- average distance of her northward migrations = 13,200 km
- her average annual migrations = 14,366 km

[The Peregrine Chick]

That's amazing! I can't remember... how old would Island Girl be, TPC?

No idea how old, she was caught and fitted with a transmitter as an adult while on the tundra peregrine wintering grounds in Chile in 2009.  So minimum 5 years old or she could be 15 years old.  Probably somewhere more than 6 if I had to guess based on her migration travels, she's wickedly consistent on her path north and south over thousands of kilometres - minimum median adult lifespan for tundra birds is 4-5 years old.

[Kinderchick]

That's amazing! I can't remember... how old would Island Girl be, TPC?

[birdcamfan]

unbelievable!

[allikat]

Island Girl the tundra peregrine that nests on Baffin Island and has a transmitter is on the move ... she left on the 24th and 4.8 days later she has already covered 2,009 km (1,250mi). 

At 1400h on the 29th the bird was north of Pukaskwa Provincial Park on her way south.  From 2200h on the 25th to 2200h on the 26th, she flew 919km (520 mi) then hung out for a day before getting going again on the 27th. 

At this rate she could be passing through Texas before a number of our birds are!

WOW!!!  I'm amazed!  Are the female tundra peregrines stronger and/or larger?  It seems from what you have explained before regarding Island Girl, this bird flies a very long and vigorous route to basically land, mate, brood, mother, teach and then she's off again...again, WOW!

[bcbird]

Island Girl the tundra peregrine that nests on Baffin Island and has a transmitter is on the move ... she left on the 24th and 4.8 days later she has already covered 2,009 km (1,250mi). 

At 1400h on the 29th the bird was north of Pukaskwa Provincial Park on her way south.  From 2200h on the 25th to 2200h on the 26th, she flew 919km (520 mi) then hung out for a day before getting going again on the 27th. 

At this rate she could be passing through Texas before a number of our birds are!

Absolutely amazing species!

[The Peregrine Chick]

Island Girl the tundra peregrine that nests on Baffin Island and has a transmitter is on the move ... she left on the 24th and 4.8 days later she has already covered 2,009 km (1,250mi). 

At 1400h on the 29th the bird was north of Pukaskwa Provincial Park on her way south.  From 2200h on the 25th to 2200h on the 26th, she flew 919km (520 mi) then hung out for a day before getting going again on the 27th. 

At this rate she could be passing through Texas before a number of our birds are!