Some songbirds now migrate east to west. Climate may play a role | Science News

[Posted by Chuck Almdale]

Some songbirds now migrate east to west. Climate change may play a role
Science News Magazine | Jake Buehler | 9 Nov 2021 | 5 minute read
A dramatic shift in some Richard’s pipits’ winter plans might be linked to a warming Europe.

From the introduction:

As the chill of autumn encroaches on Siberia’s grasslands, Richard’s pipits usually begin their southward trek to warmer latitudes. But a growing number of the slender, larklike songbirds seem to be heading west instead, possibly establishing a new migratory route for the species. 

This would be the first new route known to emerge on an east-west axis in a long-distance migratory bird, researchers report October 22 in Current Biology. The finding could have implications for how scientists understand the evolution of bird migration routes over time and how the animals adapt to a shifting climate. 

Link to the original study paper in Current Biology.