What does 'flyaway population mean? (1 Viewer)

What does the phrase 'flyaway population' mean. Regarding grey plovers 'an estimated 26% of the East Atlantic flyaway population occurs in the UK' What does that mean?

I think it's 'flyway' rather than 'flyaway'. This refers to a population that migrates from the Arctic and through the east Atlantic, rather than other populations that normally use different migration routes to other wintering areas.

Why does the east Atlantic migration have this special name? Does it refer to the actual movement or the destination? and is it used for other species?

caroleanne said:

Why does the east Atlantic migration have this special name? Does it refer to the actual movement or the destination? and is it used for other species?

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I don't think it's the only area to be called a flyway, it's just that in the UK it's the one most relevant to us. There would also be a west Atlantic flyway, for birds migrating from the Arctic along the eastern seaboard of North America and down to eastern South America for example. I guess it refers to the route rather than the just the destination. They're sort of the bird equivalent of road names I suppose.

Many birds migrate along certain flyways, although I think that the term is most often associated with circumpolar breeders that have long migration routes that take them in a variety of directions. Grey Plover is a good example because there are populations breeding through much of the Arctic but these populations take a number of different migration routes e.g. some Russian breeders follow the east Atlantic flyway, others the west Pacific.

Thanks ever so much for that. I can now write my report knowing what I'm talking about. I'll inform our resident 'expert', who didn't know what it meant either (perhaps not so much of a expert as I first thought!) Your a star!!

Here's some information on flyways in North America:
http://www.birdnature.com/flyways.html

brilliant, a lot easier than the book Ive just been given on Bird Migration.

That's a shame, I quite liked the idea of a "flyaway population" - obviously a measure of how many depart the breeding grounds at the end of the season!

John