Movement Patterns Classification Scheme (Version 2.1)
The definitions in this classification scheme are based on Boyd et al. (2008) and Kirby et al. (2008) and modified based on usage in various assessment projects including the IUCN Climate Change Vulnerability Project (Foden et al. 2013).
Movement Type |
Description |
| Migratory | |
| Nomadic |
Moves in response to resources that are sporadic in time and distribution. Examples include Golden-plumed Parakeet (Leptosittaca branickii), Palm Lorikeet (Charmosyna palmarum), Grey Imperial-pigeon (Ducula pickeringii), Addax (Addax nasomaculatus) and Plains Mouse (Pseudomys australis). Nomadic species may congregate, but not predictably in terms of location and timing (e.g., Lesser Flamingo (Phoeniconaias minor)). Nomadic species have evolved to move. Nomadic species usually cannot be conserved at the site scale alone. |
| Full migrant |
A substantial proportion of the global or regional population makes regular or seasonal cyclical movements beyond the breeding range, with predictable timing and destinations. Examples include Siberian Crane (Leucogeranus leucogeranus), Bluefin Tuna (Thunnus spp.), Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae), Sockeye Salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka), Lake Sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens), European Eel (Anguilla anguilla), Mekong Giant Catfish (Pangasianodon gigas) and American Horseshoe Crab (Limulus polyphemus). This includes species that may be migratory only in part of their range (e.g., Common Wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus)) or part of their population (e.g., White-starred Robin (Pogonocichla stellata)), short-distance migrants (e.g., Black Crowned-Crane (Balearica pavonina)) and migrants that occasionally may respond to unusual conditions in a semi-nomadic way (e.g., Black Honeyeater (Sugomel nigrum) and Common Gull-billed Tern (Gelochelidon nilotica)). Migratory species may require conservation action (at specific sites, or beyond sites) along migration routes. |
|
Altitudinal migrant |
Regularly/seasonally makes cyclical movements to higher/ lower elevations with predictable timing and destinations. Examples include Three-wattled Bellbird (Procnias tricarunculatus). Partial altitudinal migrants might not be best conserved at the site scale alone, if individual sites do not encompass the full altitudinal range of the species. |
|
Not a migrant |
Not nomadic or migratory (full or altitudinal) as defined above. |
|
Unknown |
Not known if the taxon has any movement patterns. |
| Congregatory | |
|
Congregatory (and dispersive) |
Regularly or seasonally congregates at particular sites, and then usually disperses over a wide area. This includes species that breed colonially (e.g., Southern Royal Albatross (Diomedea epomophora), Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas)), species that congregate during migration (e.g., European Honey-buzzard (Pernis apivorus)) or during the non-breeding season (e.g., Snow Goose (Anser caerulescens)), and spawning aggregations (e.g., Marbled Grouper (Dermatolepis inermis), Bermuda Anchovy (Anchoa choerostoma), Western Leopard Toad (Sclerophrys pantherina). At least 1% of the global population must be found at one or more sites to qualify. Hence this excludes species that congregate to breed, feed or move in numbers that are small relative to the global population (e.g., Little Swift (Apus affinis)). Congregatory (and dispersive) species usually cannot be conserved at the site scale alone. |
|
Congregatory (year round) |
Usually found in congregations throughout the year (e.g., Andean Flamingo (Phoenicoparrus andinus) and Antarctic Krill (Euphausia superba)). At least 1% of the global population must be found at one or more sites to qualify. Hence this excludes species that habitually congregate in numbers that are small relative to the global population (e.g., Sociable Weaver (Philetairus socius)). Congregatory (year-round) species may require particular sites to be safeguarded for their conservation. |
Notes:
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The migratory definitions above exclude “environmental response migrants” i.e., species that are largely resident but move opportunistically in response to irregular environmental conditions such as fire, locust eruptions, etc.,“rains migrants/arid migrants” i.e., species which move with unpredictable timing and destination in response to irregular rainfall patterns, “nutrition migrants/post-roost dispersers” i.e., species that disperse daily from roosts to forage, and “post-breeding dispersers” which may not make cyclical movements i.e., dispersers that may not return to the same breeding area. All such species should not be coded as migrants or nomads.
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In using this classification scheme, nomadic, migratory and non-migratory are treated as mutually exclusive categories. Any of them can be also coded as one of the two congregatory types.
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Congregatory species are of relevance to conservation priority setting for different reasons. Sites at which they congregate need to be conserved, but those that disperse seasonally/regularly beyond such sites require additional broad-scale conservation. Both types of species may have elevated susceptibility to some threats e.g., climate change.
References
Boyd, C., Brooks, T.M., Butchart, S.H.M., Edgar, J.G., da Fonseca, G.A.B., Hawkins, F., Hoffmann, M., Sechrest, W., Stuart, S.N. and van Dijk, P.P. 2008. Spatial scale and the conservation of threatened species. Conservation Letters 1: 37–43. DOI: 10.1111/j.1755-263X.2008.00002.x
Dodman, T. and Diagana, C. 2007. Movements of waterbirds within Africa and their conservation implications. Ostrich 78: 149–154. DOI: 10.2989/OSTRICH.2007.78.2.7.87
Foden, W.B., Butchart, S.H.M., Stuart, S.N., Vié, J.-C., Akçakaya, H.R., Angulo, A., DeVantier, L.M., Gutsche, A., Turak, E., Cao, L., Donner, S.D., Kataroya, V., Bernard, R., Holland, R.A., Hughes, A.F., O’Hanlon, S.E., Garnett, S.T., Şekercioğlu, Ç. and Mace, G.M. 2013. Identifying the world's most climate change vulnerable species: A systematic trait-based assessment of all birds, amphibians and corals. PloS ONE 8(6): e65427. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0065427
Kirby, J.S., Stattersfield, A.J., Butchart, S.H.M., Evans, M.I., Grimmett, R.F.A., Jones, V., O’Sullivan, J., Tucker, G. and Newton, I. 2008. Key conservation issues for migratory land- and waterbird species on the world's major flyways. Bird Conservation International 18: S49–S73. DOI: 10.1017/S0959270908000439