Stable isotope ratios indicate that body condition in migrating passerines is influenced by winter habitat

Abstract

Although predicted some time ago, there has been little success in demonstrating that the overall fitness of migratory birds depends on the combined influences of their experiences over all seasons. We used stable carbon isotope signatures (δ<sup>13</sup>C) in the claws of migrating black-throated blue warblers <i>Dendroica caerulescens</i> to infer their wintering habitats and investigated whether winter habitat selection can be linked to condition during migration. Resident bird species with low δ<sup>13</sup>C corresponded to selection of more mesic habitats, and migrating birds with low δ<sup>13</sup>C were in better condition than conspecifics with higher δ<sup>13</sup>C signatures. These findings concur with empirical observations on the wintering grounds, where dominants (mostly males) tend to exclude subordinates from mesic areas (considered to be high-quality habitats). We believe that variation in condition during migration may be one of the key factors determining differences in arrival times and condition at the breeding areas, which in turn have a major influence on reproductive success