Table 2 Model parameters of the species compass course simulations.

From: Predicting performance of naïve migratory animals, from many wrongs to self-correction

Species (reference)

Route

Goal radius (km)

Date of departure (and last arrival)

Distance (km)

Initial heading (°)

Flight speed (m/s)

Flight-step distance (km)

Consecutive flight-steps, stopover duration (d)

Travel speed (km/d)

Minimum (maximum) flight-steps

Length-adjusted goal breadth

Monarch butterfly, Danaus plexippus25

Quebec–Mexico

100

Aug 15 ± 14 (~Dec 13)

3290 (3300)

219 (213)

3.0

85

5, 3 ± 1

55

36.9 (77)

0.18

Ring ouzel, Turdus torquatus78

Scotland–N Africa

250

Aug 31 ± 7 (~Nov 29)

2610 (2610)

181 (179)

11.5

330

10, 15 ± 5

130

7.1 (42)

0.26

Common rosefinch, Carpodacus erythrinus79

Bulgaria–NW India

400

Aug 7 ± 7 (~Nov 29)

5110 (5170)

96 (123)

12.5

360

5, 5 ± 2

400

13.1 (44)

0.28

Marsh warbler, Acrocephalus palustris12,14

Finland–Kenya

500

Sep 1 ± 7 (~Jan 1)

6720 (6730)

168 (173)

11.5

330

5, 5 ± 2

165

18.8 (48)

0.32

Kirtland’s warbler, Setophaga kirtlandii80

Michigan– Bahamas

300

Oct 6 ± 7 (~Dec 5)

2370 (2370)

157 (160)

10

290

5, 5 ± 2

145

7.2 (33)

0.34

Nathusius bat, Pipistrellus nathusii81

Latvia– Spain

300

Aug 15  ± 14 (~Nov 13)

2040 (2050)

233 (224)

7.5

160

3, 5 ± 2

60

10.8 (36)

0.48

Willow warbler, Phylloscopus trochilus yakutensis64

Siberia–Zambia

1000

Sep 1 ± 7 (~Jan 1)

13,200 (14,600)

311 (233)

10.5

300

5, 2 ± 2

215

40.2 (87)

0.48

Grey-cheeked thrush, Catharus minimus54,55

Yukon–Columbia

1000

Sep 10 ± 7 (~Jan 7)

9080 (9300)

108 (141)

11.5

330

5, 5 ± 2

165

24.4 (63)

0.54

Eurasian hoopoe, Upupa epops82

Switzerland –W Africa

800

Aug 10 ± 7 (~Oct 9)

3370 (3380)

204 (200)

12.0

345

5, 5 ± 2

170

7.4 (33)

0.65

  1. Routes and other parameters for each modelled species were based on tracking and other studies, including goal areas, initial departure dates ± standard deviation (and maximum arrival date), great-circle (followed by loxodrome) distances and headings, flight (ground) speed, travel (migration) speeds, and migration schedule, the latter modelled as a (fixed) sequence of consecutive flight-steps followed by an extended stopover (mean ± standard deviation). Species are listed in increasing order of expected migration performance in the normal planar limit, based on length-adjusted goal breadth, βadj (Eq. (3)). All migrants except the monarch butterfly are principally night-migratory.
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