Could the flocks of migrating birds we associate with the changing seasons disappear? It's a distinct possibility if they fail to adapt to changing weather patterns, as a result of climate change.
High winds and atmospheric instability could make it impossible for small birds to muster the energy needed to fly the long distances to and from their winter feeding grounds.
A study that tracked the heart rate of 15 Swainson's thrushes as they migrated the 4800 kilometres from Panama to Canada, which takes 42 days, found that avoiding high winds and turbulence during migration reduces the energy expenditure of the thrushes (PLoS One, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0002154). This means they could struggle if climate change made such conditions more frequent, says Melissa Bowlin of Princeton University, who led the study.
Worse flying conditions could mean "these birds are going to run out of energy sooner - and that's bad ...
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