Riding the Breeze: Strategic Use of Wind by Magnificent Frigatebirds

Animal movement in aerial environments is shaped by wind and topography, creatin energy landscapes that influence flight efficiency. For seabirds, exploiting these conditions is key to successful foraging and energy conservation. Magnificent Frigatebirds ( Fregata magnificens ) are extreme flight specialists, ideal for investigating how animals use atmospheric conditions to minimize energetic costs. We assessed how wind dynamics, diel cycles, and topographical shape flight behavior states (low-altitude foraging, commuting, and high-altitude searching) and movement efficiency in frigatebirds across the Baja California Peninsula, Mexico. Using high-resolution GPS tracking and aerodynamic modelling, we identified behavioral states and quantified their environmental drivers. Results show frigatebirds display pronounced behavioral plasticity, modulating flight parameters to meet ecological demands. Their flight dynamics are finely adapted to local wind patterns and topographic corridors, which provide efficient pathways to marine feeding zones. Individuals act as strategic navigators, adjusting paths based on current and predictable wind. Resting behavior occurred in two contexts: low altitudes in calm conditions and through high-altitude soaring in steady wind zones for energy conservation. Commuting and high-altitude searching involved specialized gliding, enabling long-distance travel with minimal energy expenditure by aligning with favorable winds. Understanding how species adapt their behavior to the specific areas they inhabit is crucial for predicting their resilience to environmental change. Our study provides a scalable framework for mapping such behavioral adaptations in dynamic aerial environments, with important implications for conserving energy-dependent fliers under global change.