The annual cycle of a long-distance migrant, the American redstart. Figure by Megan Gnekow © 2010 Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology.
A news story just out today in Climate Central discusses the challenges associated with conserving migratory animals in a changing climate:
In general, governments have ignored everything but the condition of breeding grounds when trying to determine what threats a migrating species faces. “For many animals, that means you’re missing nine months of their year,” says Dr. Marra from the Smithsonian’s Migratory Bird Center.
The story highlights a commentary published this week by Small-Lorenz and colleagues in Nature Climate Change. Our understanding of migratory connectivity and climate change have made huge advances in recent years. Yet, managing animals throughout the annual cycle and considering both breeding and non-breeding factors remain key concerns.
