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.
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.
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