Considerations of varied thermoregulatory expressions in migration theory

Optimal migration theory has been used for three decades to generate predictions of stopover behavior and understand ecology. Yet, date, there have no attempts the impacts thermoregulation on behavior. Though most migrants are homeothermic, a diverse group from bats hummingbirds warblers make use some degree heterothermy. We consider how influences fuel deposition rates, thus alters optimal using hypothetical migratory bat as model organism. update analytical models by considering scenarios fixed metabolic rate (the current assumption theory) different mass-specific rates including homeothermy, shallow torpor heterothermy deep Our results predict that heterotherms will shorter stopovers, decreased departure load, reduce overall time energy costs associated with stopovers relative homeotherms, highlighting can drastically influence ultimately play critical role in population level patterns migration.