Warmer springs create a
"mismatch" where hungry chicks hatch too late to feast on abundant
caterpillars, new research shows.
With continued spring warming
expected due to climate change, scientists say hatching of forest birds will be
"increasingly mismatched" with peaks in caterpillar numbers.
The researchers, from the RSPB
and the universities of Exeter and Edinburgh, used data collected across the
UK—largely by citizen scientists—to study spring emergence of oak tree leaves
and caterpillars, and timing of nesting by three bird species: blue tits, great tits and
pied flycatchers.
They also tested a theory that
some bird species in southern Britain may suffer most due to a greater mismatch
effect—but they found no evidence of this.
"Forests have a short peak
in caterpillar abundance, and some forest birds time
their breeding so this coincides with the time when their chicks are
hungriest," said Dr. Malcolm Burgess, of the University of Exeter and the
RSPB.
"With spring coming earlier
due to climate change, leaves and caterpillars emerge
earlier and birds need to breed earlier to avoid being mismatched.
"We found that the earlier
the spring, the less able birds are to do this.
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