When an animal settles preferentially in a habitat within which it does poorly relative to other
available habitats, it is said to have been caught in an “ecological trap.” Although the …

Swans, geese and some ducks (A natidae) are obligate herbivores, many are important
quarry species and all contribute to a variety of ecosystem services. Population growth and …

Species usually have to use indirect cues when assessing habitat quality. This means that it
is possible for humans to alter habitats in a way that causes a discrepancy between the cues …

Spring migration is generally considered as a crucial period of the year for many birds, not
the least due to its supposed importance for subsequent breeding success. By reviewing the …

Structural carbohydrates in plants are hard to digest by the animals that eat them, and they
hamper digestion of the content of the plant cells. The efficiency of digestion by herbivores …

Traditionally, investigation of the dynamics of avian migration has been heavily biased
towards the autumn return trip to the wintering quarters. Since the migratory prelude to …

On their way from the wintering area to the breeding grounds in Spitsbergen, barnacle
geese Branta leucopsis stage on islands off the coast of Norway. The aim of this study was …

In barnacle geese Branta leucopsis, pair-bond members generally remain together every
day, each year, often for life. Geese that maintain long-lasting pair bonds during their lifetime …

The effects of flock position on the foraging performance of individual barnacle geese,
Branta leucopsis, were determined by comparing foraging behaviour, vegetation quality and …

An earlier onset of spring has been recorded for many parts of Eurasia in recent decades.
This has consequences for migratory species, both in changing the conditions encountered …