Experience, site fidelity and energetic consequences of wintering decisions in European white storks

The wintering period is a significant component of a migratory bird’s annual cycle, yet the factors influencing decision-making during wintering are understudied compared to migration and breeding. For long-lived, long-distance migrants, decision-making can also be influenced by the experience they gain over repeated migrations. In this talk, I will discuss whether the European white stork (Ciconia ciconia) makes decisions about wintering site selection and habitat use based on accumulated experience and examine the energetic consequences of these decisions.