Rapid advance of spring arrival dates in long-distance migratory birds

Jonzen, N Linden, A Ergon, T Knudsen, E Vik, JO Rubolini, D Piacentini, D Brinch, C Spina, F Karlsson, L Stervander, M Andersson, A Waldenstrom, J Lehikoinen, A Edvardsen, E Solvang, R Stenseth, NC

SCIENCE 312:5782 1959-1961

Several bird species have advanced the timing of their spring migration in response to recent climate change. European short-distance migrants, wintering in temperate areas, have been assumed to be more affected by change in the European climate than long-distance migrants wintering in the tropics. However, we show that tong-distance migrants have advanced their spring arrival in Scandinavia more than short-distance migrants. By analyzing a long-term data set from southern Italy, we show that long-distance migrants also pass through the Mediterranean region earlier. We argue that this may reflect a climate-driven evolutionary change in the timing of spring migration.

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