High-altitude flight in Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus inferred from GPS tracking and ERA5 wind-field data
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.30456/avo.30339Keywords:
Flight speed, GPS tracking, Migration, Wading birds, Wind assistanceAbstract
Understanding how migratory birds adjust their flight behaviour to cope with environmental challenges is essential to identify the limits of their aerial performance. Black-winged Stilts Himantopus himantopus are considered medium-distance migrants, but their flight altitude has not been studied in detail. In this study, we explored the potential use of high-altitude flight in this species by analysing GPS tracks from two individuals and combining observed ground speeds with vertical wind profiles derived from ERA5 reanalysis data. In several segments, birds reached ground speeds well above the predicted maximum range speed (Vmr = 50 km/h), which, together with favourable tailwind conditions at higher altitudes, suggests they may have flown at between 2000 and 7200 m. These findings are consistent with the possibility of high-altitude migratory flights in H. himantopus, a strategy that could help reduce the cost of transport or avoid adverse surface conditions. Further studies combining GPS tracking with direct measurements of flight altitude are needed to confirm these patterns and assess their generality across populations.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Samuel Pinya Fernández
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Accepted 2026-05-06
Published 2026-07-15
