Table 1 Summary of the general information, migration schedule and flight performance of Northern Wheatears tagged with multi-sensor geolocators showing full annual cycle (n = 4) and fall migration (n = 8)

Sex

M

M

F

F

F

M

M

F

First data

14.07.20

14.07.20

07.07.20

01.08.18

01.07.17

01.08.19

31.07.20

20.07.19

Breeding site

CH

CH

CH

CH

CH

CH

IT

IT

Last data

28.05.21

30.06.21

23.06.21

08.11.18

28.01.17

16.10.20

05.06.20

31.10.19

Autumn migration

Departure breeding site

16.09.20

10.09.20

16.09.20

10.09.20

12.09.20

15.09.20

12.09.20

15.09.20

Duration (days)

23

26

48

32

25

-

37

-

Duration of stopover in N Africa

9

11

24

21

12

10

16

25

Arrival non-breeding site

09.10.20

06.10.20

03.11.20

12.10.18

07.10.16

-

19.10.20

-

Mediterranean stopover site

Spanish coast

Sardinia

Corsica, Sardinia

None

None

None

Sardinia

Baleares

Number of migratory flights

15

13

17

11

20

12

17

12

Total migration distance

4625

4055

4716

4032

4241

4296

4121

3733

Cumulative flight hours

87

69.5

103.5

79

90

85.5

73

79.5

Mean ground speed per flight

45.3

54.5

39.7

47.2

39.4

42.8

48.4

46.2

Mean flight altitude per flight

1287

1478

1270

1559

1276

1554

1229

1287

Max flight altitude

4120

4530

4157

4764

4250

4475

4600

3662

Spring migration

Departure from the NB site

01.04.21

04.04.21

04.04.21

-

-

-

05.04.21

-

Duration (days)

32

22

39

-

-

-

29

-

Duration of stopover in N Africa

18

13

13

-

-

-

16

-

Arrival at the B site

03.05.21

26.04.21

13.05.21

-

-

-

04.05.21

-

Mediterranean stopover site

None

Baleares

Sardinia

-

-

-

None

-

Number of migratory flights

11

15

14

-

-

-

13

-

Total migration distance

4581

4873

3736

-

-

-

4415

-

Cumulative flight hours

78.5

104.5

74

-

-

-

78

-

Mean ground speed per flight

46.4

42.8

42.4

-

-

-

52

-

Mean flight altitude per flight

1387

1667

1631

-

-

-

1454

-

Max flight altitude

4567

5148

3725

-

-

-

4306

-