Pattern and predictability of potential wind assistance for waders and geese migrating from West Africa and the Wadden Sea to Siberia

Migrating waders and geese experience significant tailwind assistance when traveling from West Africa to the Wadden Sea and onward to Siberia, with optimal wind conditions varying by altitude and route. On the West Africa-to-Wadden Sea leg, birds benefit most from flying at high altitudes (up to 5.5 km), averaging a 15 km/h tailwind, though this varies annually—ranging from extreme tailwinds of 36 km/h to headwinds of 2 km/h. The best migration altitudes are higher over northwest Africa than Europe. For the Wadden Sea-to-Taymyr Peninsula (Siberia) route, winds are even more favorable, averaging 21 km/h tailwind at intermediate altitudes (1.5–3 km), with less interannual variability. These findings suggest that wind conditions can substantially influence migration patterns and predictability, though 'bad' years consistently affect the entire season. The study analyzed historical wind data (1979–1991) to assess these patterns, highlighting both current limitations and potential for future research.

Piersma, T., & Van de Sant, S. (2020). Pattern and predictability of potential wind assistance for waders and geese migrating from West Africa and the Wadden Sea to Siberia. Ornis Svecica, 2(2), 55–66. https://doi.org/10.34080/os.v2.21614