title: Influence of atmospheric properties on detection of wood-warbler nocturnal flight calls.
abstract: Avian migration monitoring can take on many forms; however, monitoring active nocturnal migration of land birds is limited to a few techniques. Avian nocturnal flight calls are currently the only method for describing migrant composition at the species level. However, as this method develops, more information is needed to understand the sources of variation in call detection. Additionally, few studies examine how detection probabilities differ under varying atmospheric conditions. We use nocturnal flight call recordings from captive individuals to explore the dependence of flight call detection on atmospheric temperature and humidity. Height or distance from origin had the largest influence on call detection, while temperature and humidity also influenced detectability at higher altitudes. Because flight call detection varies with both atmospheric conditions and flight height, improved monitoring across time and space will require correction for these factors to generate standardized metrics of songbird migration.
authors.affiliation: Oklahoma Biological Survey, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, 73019, USA. hortonkg@ou.edu.|Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, 73019, USA. hortonkg@ou.edu.|Advanced Radar Research Center, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, 73072, USA. hortonkg@ou.edu.
authors.forename: Kyle G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Horton
authors.affiliation: Advanced Radar Research Center, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, 73072, USA.|School of Meteorology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, 73072, USA.
authors.forename: Phillip M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Stepanian
authors.affiliation: Advanced Radar Research Center, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, 73072, USA.|School of Meteorology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, 73072, USA.
authors.forename: Charlotte E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Wainwright
authors.affiliation: Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Powdermill Avian Research Center, Rector, PA, 15677, USA.
authors.forename: Amy K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Tegeler
mesh_terms: D000162:Acoustics; D025041:Animal Migration; D000818:Animals; D001274:Atmospheric Pressure; D005426:Flight, Animal; D006813:Humidity; D010414:Pennsylvania; D020308:Songbirds; D013696:Temperature; D014828:Vocalization, Animal
keywords: Acoustic monitoring; Atmospheric attenuation; Bioacoustics; Bird migration; Flight call