Drier winters may reduce survival for migrating birds

Climate change is causing drier winters in some parts of the world. This could be a problem for migrating birds, as researchers have found that winter conditions could affect their ability to survive spring migration and breeding seasons. A new study published in Current Biology examines telemetry data for Kirtland’s warblers (Setophaga kirtlandii) and mark-recapture data for black-throated blue warblers (S. caerulescens). Analysis revealed that fewer birds of both species survived the spring migration when there was reduced rainfall and lower plant productivity in the Caribbean where the birds spend the winter. Survival of Kirtland’s warblers even dropped in the following breeding season. “If winter habitat quality continues to degrade over the next half-century due to climate change, we can now say that it will reduce birds’ ability to survive spring migration,” said Nathan Cooper, the study’s lead author and research ecologist at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute in a press release. “That knowledge can help us prioritize conservation measures on the most drought-resistant non-breeding grounds.”  

Read more at Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute.