Another interesting theory about how tropical-temperate migrants
adjust their migratory schedules is the idea that climate and weather
are correlated between the tropics and temperate zone, such that birds
can make appropriate decisions on when to depart based on local
conditions in wintering or staging areas. Nicola Saino and others have
found some very interesting support for this idea, comparing annual
temperature variation in the Sahel of Africa and parts of Europe, and
had some arrival data from Barn Swallows that backed up the idea. To
my knowledge, no one has looked at this closely in this hemisphere
though.
SAINO, N. and AMBROSINI, R.(2008), Climatic connectivity between
Africa and Europe may
serve as a basis for phenotypic adjustment of migration schedules of
trans-Saharan
migratory birds. Global Change Biology, 14: 250–263. doi: 10.1111/j.
1365-2486.2007.
On Fri, Mar 23, 2012 at 12:12 PM, Daniel Rauch <> wrote:
> There are likely a number of factors, some species specific for determine migration times. At a lecture a few years ago by Pete Mara of the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center, he spoke of a competitive advantage of adult male American Redstarts of arriving to breeding and wintering ground earlier to gain higher quality territory. This may account for smaller, incremental shifts. Last year, his article was published about drought in wintering grounds and migration. As weather patterns shift during El Nino, La Nina, and increase climate change pressures, I would seem likely that traditional migratory windows would be altered.
>
> http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-03-declining-rainfall-major-migrating-birds.html
>
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