Study of the impacts of climate change using long-term bird ringing data
Abstract
Climate change may effect the large-scale spatial distribution, the breeding area, the timing and phenology of migration, the timing of breeding and moult, and certain demographic and biometric parameters of migrating birds. The influence of climate change may only be interpreted on species level, or in some cases on age and sex group level, since even closely related species may differ markedly in their migration strategies and therefore in the size and direction of changes. The consequences of climate change can also have distinct effects on different of the same species.
We used ringing data of 3 closely related species-pairs (Marsh and Reed Warbler, Garden Warbler and Blackcap, Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff). The northern breeding populations of four species migrate through the Carpathian-basin, while the local breeding populations of the Chiffchaff and the Reed Warbler can be considered as isolated populations.
Our results show that changes in the timing of spring migration can be observed in both directions. The changes in the timing of age groups of the same species can be different during the autumn migration.
We found that average body mass has decreased, while average wing length has increased during the studied 24 years in the case of certain species with trans-migrant populations. Within-species average wing length of northern populations is longer than that of southern populations, and birds migrating from further north use more fat during their migration. The shift in both average wing length and average body mass indicate that the ratio of ringed birds from northern populations has increased meaning that climate change alters the breeding areas of certain birds.
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