Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2020 Mar;192(3):713-722.
doi: 10.1007/s00442-020-04618-8. Epub 2020 Feb 25.

Population decline in tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) linked to climate change and inclement weather on the breeding ground

Amelia R Cox  1 , Raleigh J Robertson  2 , Wallace B Rendell  3 , Frances Bonier  2
Affiliations

Population decline in tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) linked to climate change and inclement weather on the breeding ground

Amelia R Cox et al. Oecologia. 2020 Mar.

Abstract

Population decline and the threat of extinction are realities currently facing many species. Yet, in most cases, the detailed demographic data necessary to identify causes of population decline are unavailable. Using 43 years (1975-2017) of data from a box-nesting population of tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor), we identified reduced survival of offspring as a probable demographic cause of population decline. Poor fledging success was associated with increased predation and poor weather conditions during early nestling development. Low juvenile survival and subsequent recruitment was linked to poor weather conditions during the post-fledging period and may also be linked to conditions on the wintering grounds. Regional weather conditions during critical stages of breeding (early nestling and post-fledging) have become progressively worse over the 43-year study period. None of the other factors linked to offspring survival have similarly deteriorated. Overall, our results suggest tree swallows should be added to the growing list of species challenged by climate change, and that other species of aerial insect specialists may face similar impacts of climate change.

Keywords: Avian aerial insectivore; Fledging; Long-term monitoring; Population decline; Recruitment.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Barnosky AD, Matske N, Tomiya S et al (2011) Has the earth’s sixth mass extinction already arrived? Nature 471:51–57. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature09678 - DOI
    1. Benton TG, Bryant DM, Cole L, Crick HQP (2002) Linking agricultural practice to insect and bird populations: a historical study over three decades. J Appl Ecol 39:673–687. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2664.2002.00745.x - DOI
    1. Blyth M, Paine CWE, Paine CET (2019) The decline in nesting success of Tachycineta bicolor (Tree Swallow) over 38 years on Hardwood Island, Maine. Northeast Nat 26:236–250. https://doi.org/10.1656/045.026.0201 - DOI
    1. Cahill AE, Aiello-Lammens ME, Fisher-Reid MC et al (2012) How does climate change cause extinction? Proc R Soc B. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2012.1890 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Clark RG, Winkler DW, Dawson RD et al (2018) Geographical variation and environmental correlates of apparent survival rates in adult tree swallows Tachycineta bicolor. J Avian Biol. https://doi.org/10.1111/oik.02986 - DOI

LinkOut - more resources