Birds advancing lay dates with warming springs face greater risk of chick mortality.

ABSTRACT: In response to a warming planet with earlier springs, migratory animals are adjusting the timing of essential life stages. Although these adjustments may be essential for keeping pace with resource phenology, they may prove insufficient, as evidenced by population declines in many species. However, even when species can match the tempo of climate change, other consequences may emerge when exposed to novel conditions earlier in the year. Here, using three long-term datasets on bird reproduction, daily insect availability, and weather, we investigated the complex mechanisms affecting reproductive success in an aerial insectivore, the tree swallow (Tachycineta bicolor). By examining breeding records over nearly half a century, we discovered that tree swallows have continuously advanced

SUBMITTER: Shipley JR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7568286 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature