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The first documentation of the Nearctic-Paleotropical migratory route of the Arctic Warbler
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  • Evan Adams,
  • Iain Stenhouse,
  • Andrew Gilbert,
  • Jill Boelsma,
  • George Gress,
  • C. Weidensaul,
  • Carol McIntyre
Evan Adams
Biodiversity Research Institute

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Iain Stenhouse
Biodiversity Research Institute
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Andrew Gilbert
Biodiversity Research Institute
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Jill Boelsma
Denali Education Center
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George Gress
National Park Service Alaska Region
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C. Weidensaul
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Carol McIntyre
Denali National Park and Preserve
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Abstract

The Arctic Warbler (Phylloscopus borealis) is a cryptic songbird with an uncommon Nearctic-Paleotropical migratory strategy. Using geolocators, we provide the first documentation of the migratory routes and wintering locations of two territorial adult male Arctic Warblers from Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska. After accounting for position estimation uncertainties and biases, we found that both individuals departed their breeding grounds in early September, stopped over in southeastern Russia and China during autumn migration, then wintered in the Philippines and the island of Palau. Our documentation of Arctic Warbler wintering on Palau suggests that additional study is needed to document their wintering range. Our results indicate that Arctic Warblers migrate further overwater than previously thought and provides hitherto unknown information on stopover and wintering locations.