Barney A. Schlinger

Introduction Few traits in the animal world are as spectacular as the long-distance seasonal migrations that diverse species of birds express for breeding, moulting, or other energy-exacting processes. The distance of these movements can range from a few hundred kilometers to thousands, with some of the most spectacular migrations occurring across huge massifs, vast deserts, and open oceans (Biebach et al. 2000, Gill et al. 2005, Alerstam et al. 2007).