Migration Routes And Activity Characteristics Of Populations Of Anser Fabalis And Anser Albifrons Wintering In Poyang Lake

To understand the route and rhythm of migratory birds is important for the protection of waterbirds.From February to March 2019,20 bean goose and 12 greater white-fronted goose wintering in Poyang Lake were tracked with satellite collars.We analyzed their migration routes and activity rhythm.The results showed that:(1)Migration timeOn March 5 of 2020,bean goose started its spring migration 11 days earlier than that of greater white-fronted goose.Bean gooses performed their spring migration from early March to April and took about 70.6 ± 8.84 days.Greater white-fronted goose conducted their spring migration from mid-March to April and took about 71.2 ± 12.1 days.These two geese species left the breeding ground at the end of September.The migration duration of bean goose in autumn was 37.2 ± 5.4 days,and that of Greater white-fronted goose was 39.9 ± 7.7 days.The ratio of time used for bean goose's spring migration with China to the total duration of spring migration was 60.0 ± 0.2%,and in autumn it was 91.8 ± 3.0%.The ratio of time used for greater white-fronted goose in spring within China was 72.0 ± 11.1% of the total spring migration duration,and in autumn it was 90.1 ± 0.1%.(2)Migration routes and Traditional stopoversThere were two routes for bean goose's spring migration: the east route and the middle route.The east route passed through provinces such as Anhui,Jiangsu,Shandong,Liaoning,Jilin,Heilongjiang,and then went into Russia.The middle route passed through Hubei,Anhui,Henan,Hebei,Inner Mongolia and then went into Mongolia.Autumn migration route passed through Inner Mongolia,Heilongjiang,Jilin,Liaoning,Shandong,Jiangsu,Anhui,and went to Poyang Lake.For Greater whitefronted goose,the spring migration paths can also be divided into two routes.The east route passed through Anhui,Jiangsu,Shandong,Liaoning,Jilin Heilongjiang and into Russia.The middle route passed through Hubei,Henan,Hebei,Inner Mongolia,Heilongjiang and into Russia.The autumn migration route passed through Heilongjiang,Jilin,Liaoning,Shandong,Jiangsu,Anhui,and returned to Poyang Lake.The key stopovers for bean goose include Wolong Lake,Yangsha Pond,and Wulagai Reservoir.The key stopovers for greater white-fronted goose were Xinhuang Pond,Shankou Reservoir,and Tumuji Pond.(3)Migration patternsBoth bean goose and greater white-fronted goose used the minimum energy-consumption strategy in spring migration,but used the minimum time-consumption strategy in autumn migration.The average migration distance in spring migration of bean goose with China was 2153.1 ± 700.5 km,the number of stopovers was 6 ± 3,while the average migration distance in the autumn migration was 2565.7 ± 439.7 km,with the number of stopovers was 2 ± 1.For greater white-fronted goose,its spring migration distance within China was 2249.6 ± 429.1 km with the number of stopovers was 7 ± 3,while the autumn migration distance within China was 2303.2 ± 510.6 km,and stopover number was 3 ± 1.(4)Activity levelBoth the activity level of bean goose and greater white-fronted goose showed a bimodal curve change before and after their migration.The activity level in daytime was significantly higher than that at night,when the day was long and the night was short,the goose's activity time increased and the activity level decreased;on the contrary,activity time decreased and activity level increased.Bean goose's activity was 1081.1 ± 857.8 times/h before the spring migration,916.7 ± 828.4 times/h during the migration,1020.3 ± 919.5 times/h in the autumn migration,and 1330.1 ± 950.3 times/h during the early wintering(after autumn migration).The activity of greater whitefronted goose was 1124.4 ± 915.1 times/h before spring migration,943.7 ± 861.7 times/h during the spring migration,1036.4 ± 939.3 times/h during the autumn migration,and 1497.1 ± 1122.3 times/h in early winter.(5)Temperature and active distanceThe ambient temperature in relation to bean goose and greater white-fronted goose was normally distribution during their migration,and there was a significant difference in the active distance for each temperature interval.The temperature during the migration is significantly related to their activity distance.Both of their maximum migration distance occurred in 0 ~ 5 ?,when the speed of bean goose was 4.9 ± 14.4 km/h and the speed of greater white-fronted goose was 4.2 ± 14.4 km/h.