Changes in the Migration Phenology of Massachusetts Birds 1940–2013 in Relation to Temperatures along the Atlantic Flyway

Climate variables affect the phenology of bird migration, and anthropogenic climate change has likely resulted in shifts in these phenological patterns. Warmer springtime temperatures could lead to birds arriving earlier to northerly latitudes in North America. We modeled the effect of temperature w...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inNortheastern naturalist Vol. 27; no. 3; pp. 448 - 468
Main Authors Cunningham, Caitlin M, Luscier, Jason D, Mackey, Erica A, Palmer, Corey A, Bolster, Daniel R, Valentine, Anna L, McCrimmon, Donald A
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Steuben Humboldt Field Research Institute 01.07.2020
Eagle Hill Institute
Northeastern Naturalist
Subjects
Anthropogenic factors
Bird migration
Birds
Climate change
Environmental impact
Human influences
Migratory birds
Migratory species
Phenology
Resource availability
Temperature
Temperature effects
Trends
United States > US
North America
Massachusetts
Baltimore Maryland
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Summary:Climate variables affect the phenology of bird migration, and anthropogenic climate change has likely resulted in shifts in these phenological patterns. Warmer springtime temperatures could lead to birds arriving earlier to northerly latitudes in North America. We modeled the effect of temperature with 74 years of data on first arrival for 84 bird species in Worcester County, MA. We found migratory bird species have shifted their arrival to Worcester County an average of 0.11 days per year earlier, with short-distance migrants having stronger shifts (an average of 0.18 days earlier per year) than long-distance migrants (an average of 0.06 days earlier per year). Our results add to a body of literature regarding the potential impacts of climate change on bird migration phenology. We supply support for the notion that some species are temporally shifting their migration in response to warming springtime temperatures. These shifts may be mismatched with resource availability and thus could negatively affect populations and communities. Consequently, it is important to understand patterns in bird migration phenology in order to inform adequate conservation strategies.
ISSN:1092-6194
1938-5307
DOI:10.1656/045.027.0312