Read the CBC article here:

Climate Change is impacting bird migration: here’s what we know

Our IWWR researchers weighed in on some of the challenges outlined in the CBC article, informed by their research into migration, habitats and climate change.

Migration timing

Stuart Slattery at DUC/IWWR has found that there will be winners and losers when it comes to climate change. More adaptable birds like mallards will probably have an easier time nesting and producing offspring than other species like scaups and scoters, whose nesting schedules seem to be more rigid and are therefore more vulnerable to abnormal temperatures that come with climate change.

Challenges beyond migration

Even once migration is over, climate change could prove challenging for waterfowl. Wetland habitat is particularly vulnerable to climate change, and with wider swings in temperature and precipitation, wetlands will likely be wet in the spring only to dry out later in the summer during droughts. https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1029/2020WR028727

Moving forward

Your iNaturalist observations in Migration Tracker help scientists better understand how birds are responding to climate change! Ducks Unlimited Fellowship winner Nick Masto used community science data to look at how waterfowl respond to extreme winter weather.

Posted on April 19, 2023 06:31 PM by ducksunlimitedcanada