Everything about Vagrancy Biology totally explained
» See also vagrancy (people) for an alternative use of the term
Vagrancy is a phenomenon in
biology whereby individual animals appear well outside their normal
range; individual animals which exhibit vagrancy are known as
vagrants. The term
accidental is sometimes also used. There are a number of factors which might cause an individual to become a vagrant — genetic factors and weather conditions are two — but the causes are overall poorly understood.
Vagrancy can be a precursor to
colonisation if individuals survive.
Vagrancy is known to occur in
birds,
insects,
mammals and
turtles.
Vagrancy in birds
In the northern hemisphere, adult birds (possibly inexperienced younger adults) of many species are known to continue past their normal breeding range during their spring migration and end up in areas further north (such birds are termed
spring overshoots.)
In autumn, some young birds, instead of heading to their usual wintering grounds, take "incorrect" courses and migrate through areas which are not on their normal migration path. For example Siberian
passerines which normally winter in
Southeast Asia are commonly found in
Northwest Europe, as are
North American birds which have been blown across the
Atlantic Ocean by storms.
Vagrancy in insects
Vagrancy in insects is recorded from many groups — it's particularly well-studied in
butterflies and
moths, and
dragonflies.
Vagrancy in mammals
In mammals, vagrancy has been recorded for
bats,
seals, and
kangaroos.
Vagrancy in reptiles
Vagrancy has been recorded for
turtles, snakes (for example
Pelamis platurus ), crocodilians, and probably also occurs in lizards. It therefore seems to be a fairly widespread phenomenon in reptiles.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Vagrancy Biology'.
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