Himalaya’s birds grapple with a seasonal drop in insect prey
Researchers from the Indian Institute of Science have found that climate change is causing a mismatch between the migration timing of Himalayan birds and the peak availability of their insect prey. Because birds often use day-length as a migration cue rather than temperature, they may arrive at higher elevations after the peak insect population has passed.
Why it matters
This study illustrates the cascading ecological impacts of climate change on biodiversity and the survival of migratory species.
As spring approaches in the hyper-biodiverse Himalayas, birds that are accustomed to cooler climes migrate to the north. This is driven not just by temperature or precipitation alone, but also the availability of prey: arthropods (insects and spiders). But climate change is altering the rhythm of this dynamic.
Scientists at the Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, set out to study the phenomenon in Arunachal Pradesh’s Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary and understand the changing patterns in insect availability and avian migration through seasons.
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