First migration stage accomplished
Newsletter 18/08/2018
On August 15 started the human-led migration towards Southern Tuscany! After nearly three months of training in Hödingen near Überlingen at Lake Constance, all 31 hand-raised Northern Bald Ibises got past all difficulties and follow the two aircrafts easily.
After realising that they should follow their foster mothers sitting in the two microlights, the NBIs were ready for the first stage of the human-led migration which led the formation to Andelsbuch in Austria. The conditions for a smooth flight were perfect, and after two hours the first flight stage was accomplished.
Having mastered this first flight to unknown territory, the birds were allowed to spend their first night in the open air and to relax during the following days.
Tomorrow the journey towards the wintering area continues. The next destination is Ried im Oberinntal, which means a flight distance of around 115 km. The particular challenge of this flight will be the altitude, as the formation has to fly over the first mountains of the alps.
Two research projects are part of this year’s human-led migration. The social bonds between the birds are observed both in the aviary as well as during the formation flights, comparing the results with previous ones. In this context, we use data loggers that exactly register the individual position of each bird during the flights.
For the first time, we use so called Icarus-tags from the Max-Planck-Institute for Ornithology. Alternative settings are tested, e.g. to gain knowledge about the battery charging. Particular attention will be paid to the further development of the tags, thus enabling the birds to deliver results without being limited in their movements.
Picture (Corinna Esterer): Formation flight of the Northern Bald Ibises.
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