Assessing the fatty acid profile of migratory birds with different fuelling strategies

A detailed analysis of fatty acid (FA) profiles and their properties relating to fuelling strategy can improve understanding of avian migration. The study aimed to understand whether and how FA composition differs among several passerine species which migrate using different fuelling strategies (constant fuelling, gradual fuelling, early fuelling or late fuelling). We found evidence for differential FA composition among migratory species according to their fuelling strategies: early fuellers presented higher n-3 polyunsaturated FA and gradual fuellers higher mono-unsaturated FA, which can be directly related to their differential migratory strategies to maximize energy use.