Science briefs: Birds race to mating grounds because of global warming, arrive exhausted

Minneapolis Star-Tribune ^ | August 4, 2018 | by News Services

[Oldeconomybuyer]

Geese have a problem. Some are arriving at their Arctic mating grounds so exhausted they’re not in the mood anymore.

Shifting environmental signals are making the birds race northward on their spring migration, flying faster and skipping the stops they normally use to rest and refuel, said a study in the journal Current Biology.

The finding gives new insight into the way climate change is altering the calculus of animal migration. “This is the first one I know of where a long distance migrant is increasing its travel speed,” said Matthew Ayres, a biology professor at Dartmouth.

Barnacle geese spend their summers in the Arctic, where warmer temperatures transform the snowy landscape into an all-you-can-eat buffet of grasses, roots and mosses. As days grow longer in spring, the geese take sunlight as a cue to head north. The goal is to arrive early enough to take advantage of the tender spring greens that are especially beneficial for chicks.

But as human-caused climate change shifts weather patterns, spring arrives earlier some years. The birds don’t know that — only realizing that spring has arrived by seeing environmental cues along the way. They try to make up the ground, rebuilding their strength when they arrive. But that means nesting is delayed and chicks are born when the food supply is past its prime.

[Oldeconomybuyer]

[Skywise]

Bs.

[rktman]

Too tired to mate? The birds——the birds!

[From The Deer Stand]

“Not tonight honey, I’ve come a long way, I’m tired, and this dang global warming is wearing me out.”

[Grampa Dave]

Most creatures racing to their mating grounds are not concerned about Gorebull warming.

Their concerns are more personal and primal!

[Bob434]

all this because of a 10’th degree rise in temperature? My goodness what fragile creatures- one would think it had never gotten hot in the past. Birds have been arriving exhausted from long flights since the beginning of time- but by golly now it’s global warming?

[Archie Bunker on steroids]

Think of what will happen when we get a .15 rise in temperature...this is absolutely over the top nonsense....but it won’t stop.

[Archie Bunker on steroids]

HEre is the sole comment in the Tribune......it is awesome.

This is so void of facts and data it's actually comical. "..arriving so exhaused".... please show me the data from 50 years ago, 500 years ago, regarding the level of "exhaustedness" of the geese arriving in the Arctic. Let me save you time, it doesn't exist. "as human-caused climate change shifts weather patterns"... some springs/summers are warmer than others; how is one single summer causing the geese to alter their routes differently than a warm summer 100 years ago? Ridiculous lack of proof to their theories. "But as human-caused climate change shifts weather patterns, spring arrives earlier some years."... SOME YEARS? why not all years? how many is "some"? What about the "some years" 100 years ago that were particularly warm? The sad part is most people don't even question these made-up void of logic statements.

[Spok]

I wish they would elaborate on the “human-caused” aspect, but they never do. It’s always presumed without explanation.

[governsleastgovernsbest]

I just flew in from Chicago, and boy, are my arms tired!

Rim shot!

[Navy Patriot]

ROTFLOL, now that we know this, all we have to do is work the Leftists so hard they lose the desire to procreate, and in a few years all problems are solved.

[Bob434]

awesome response- but sadly many won’t even take the time to conciser everything he said because they are so brainwashed to believe man is causing the poor birds to be exhausted

[ml/nj]

I'm confused. What happened to the "pause" that was the excuse for why the predicted warming never happened?

ML/NJ

[hal ogen]

These so-called “scientists” are merely compromised eco-nut politicos who are more interesting in getting more grant money than th truth. Hang them.

[aquila48]

Bookmark

[oh8eleven]

"Birds race to mating grounds because of global warming, arrive exhausted"

Heathcliff: You know, I must flap my wings 40,000 times a day.
Gertrude: You’re putting me on!
Heathcliff: No! I flap 40,000 a day!
Gertrude: Well wouldn’t it just be easier to buy some deodorant?

[az_gila]

The good professor -

AREAS OF EXPERTISE
physiological ecology / population ecology / forest insects / forest ecology and management / ecology of climate change

[ifinnegan]

Thanks for posting that comment.

They are succeeding in politicizing science.

[IronJack]

If we could spread this stuff in our rose garden, they’d grow twice as fast.

[fella]

This years Winter in the Northern Hemisphere is working up to be a bad one.