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The trans-Himalayan flights of bar-headed geese (Anser indicus)

Lucy A. Hawkes, Sivananinthaperumal Balachandran, Nyambayar Batbayar, Patrick J. Butler, Peter B. Frappell, William K. Milsom, Natsagdorj Tseveenmyadag, Scott H. Newman, Graham R. Scott, Ponnusamy Sathiyaselvam, John Y. Takekawa, Martin Wikelski and Charles M. Bishop
PNAS May 31, 2011. 201017295; published ahead of print May 31, 2011. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1017295108
Lucy A. Hawkes
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Sivananinthaperumal Balachandran
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Nyambayar Batbayar
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Patrick J. Butler
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Peter B. Frappell
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William K. Milsom
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Natsagdorj Tseveenmyadag
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Scott H. Newman
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Graham R. Scott
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Ponnusamy Sathiyaselvam
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John Y. Takekawa
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Martin Wikelski
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Charles M. Bishop
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  1. Edited by Robert E. Ricklefs, University of Missouri, St. Louis, MO, and approved April 27, 2011 (received for review November 18, 2010)

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Abstract

Birds that fly over mountain barriers must be capable of meeting the increased energetic cost of climbing in low-density air, even though less oxygen may be available to support their metabolism. This challenge is magnified by the reduction in maximum sustained climbing rates in large birds. Bar-headed geese (Anser indicus) make one of the highest and most iconic transmountain migrations in the world. We show that those populations of geese that winter at sea level in India are capable of passing over the Himalayas in 1 d, typically climbing between 4,000 and 6,000 m in 7–8 h. Surprisingly, these birds do not rely on the assistance of upslope tailwinds that usually occur during the day and can support minimum climb rates of 0.8–2.2 km·h−1, even in the relative stillness of the night. They appear to strategically avoid higher speed winds during the afternoon, thus maximizing safety and control during flight. It would seem, therefore, that bar-headed geese are capable of sustained climbing flight over the passes of the Himalaya under their own aerobic power.

  • exercise physiology
  • high altitude
  • satellite tracking
  • vertebrate migration
  • climbing flight

Footnotes

  • ↵1To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: c.bishop{at}bangor.ac.uk.
  • Author contributions: P.J.B., J.Y.T., M.W., and C.M.B. designed research; L.A.H., S.B., N.B., P.J.B., P.B.F., W.K.M., N.T., S.H.N., G.R.S., P.S., J.Y.T., and C.M.B. performed research; L.A.H. analyzed data; and L.A.H. and C.M.B. wrote the paper.

  • The authors declare no conflict of interest.

  • This article is a PNAS Direct Submission.

Freely available online through the PNAS open access option.

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The trans-Himalayan flights of bar-headed geese (Anser indicus)
Lucy A. Hawkes, Sivananinthaperumal Balachandran, Nyambayar Batbayar, Patrick J. Butler, Peter B. Frappell, William K. Milsom, Natsagdorj Tseveenmyadag, Scott H. Newman, Graham R. Scott, Ponnusamy Sathiyaselvam, John Y. Takekawa, Martin Wikelski, Charles M. Bishop
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences May 2011, 201017295; DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1017295108

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The trans-Himalayan flights of bar-headed geese (Anser indicus)
Lucy A. Hawkes, Sivananinthaperumal Balachandran, Nyambayar Batbayar, Patrick J. Butler, Peter B. Frappell, William K. Milsom, Natsagdorj Tseveenmyadag, Scott H. Newman, Graham R. Scott, Ponnusamy Sathiyaselvam, John Y. Takekawa, Martin Wikelski, Charles M. Bishop
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences May 2011, 201017295; DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1017295108
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  • Divergent respiratory and cardiovascular responses to hypoxia in bar-headed geese and Andean birds
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