What is austral bird migration?
Austral migrant birds breed in temperate latitudes of South America and move toward the Neotropics in austral fall (beginning in March) for the winter until the following austral spring (beginning in October), when they return to their breeding grounds (see map).
What information that has been gleaned on the ecology, distribution and natural history of these species is limited to certain taxa and/or localities. Chesser (1998), for example, elucidated some of the details on breeding and wintering ranges of flycatcher (Tyrannidae) migrants; however, topics such as diet, habitat use and overall constraints among seasons are poorly known for most migrant species. While most austral migrants are known to breed in open, scrubby habitats (Chesser 1994), winter range distributions and habitat use of austral migrants are poorly known (Stotz et al. 1996, Joseph 1996).
Concerning the migratory period itself, very little is known about migratory strategies or habitat use during migration of these species. For example, if austral migrants practice a strategy that takes them from breeding or wintering grounds via one long flight, resource use during migration may be insignificant. Should migrants make several to many stops along the migratory route, habitat quality may be an important determinant of migratory success.
That so little research has been conducted on this migratory system relative to bird migration systems on other continents was the primary impetus to hold a symposium at the Neotropical Ornithological Congress in Chile in October, 2003. To learn more about what happened at that meeting, to learn about current research and for further information on austral bird migration research in general, follow the links on the left margin of this page.