Natural History Wanderings

Planet Earth Online reported on study that helps explain the changes in migration patterns due to climate change. By monitoring individual Black-tailed Godwits it was found that although individual birds migrated at the same time each year, the population as a whole was migrating earlier. The explanation is that new birds are born earlier and migrate earlier.

Climate change is resulting in godwits nesting earlier in warmer years. Birds that are born earlier have more time to physically develop and to find good nesting places in the winter. The Black-tailed Godwits were monitored for over 20 years with the help of over 2,000 volunteer watching for the birds. Another example of the value of citizen science.

Read more at: Timekeeping birds unlock early migration mystery.