A new study has found that climate change has a more severe impact on larger and migratory bird species than on smaller and sedentary ones. The study was conducted by researchers across the globe who assessed changes in the annual production of young by female breeders in 201 populations of 104 bird species from all continents between 1970 and 2019. The researchers found that climatic changes affect offspring production through compounded effects on ecological and life history traits of species.
The study revealed that migratory and larger-bodied species experienced reduced offspring production with increasing temperatures during the chick-rearing period, whereas smaller-bodied, sedentary species tended to produce more offspring. The researchers also found that multi-brooded species showed increased breeding success with increasing temperatures, whereas rising temperatures were unrelated to reproductive success in single-brooded species.
Moreover, the study explained that the egg laying process has decreased with the preponing of egg laying mechanisms among bird species. The clutch size and success are positively influenced by various ecological factors. However, the offspring production, clutch size, nest success, date of first egg, and egg-laying process are examined towards various ecological factors in which the temperature influenced the offspring production, clutch size, and nest success.
J. Pandiyan, Assistant Professor at Anbanathapuram Vahaira Charities College, Tamil Nadu, said that the study suggested that body mass is one of the key factors for the adaptability towards climate change, and larger-bodied species are struggling to synchronize with weather anomalies compared to smaller and sedentary species. Pandiyan also added that the study did not deeply investigate the bird population in the Asiatic region, including those in India. Therefore, it is essential to study the life history of migratory birds in India to sustain their population.
The researchers emphasized the need to measure, monitor, and manage global warming and the elements causing climate change properly to save vulnerable species. Without appropriate measures, the existence of biodiversity, especially intolerable species, could be at risk of extinction. The findings of this study highlight the urgent need for greater action to tackle climate change and protect vulnerable bird species.