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Updated: Aug 23, 2026

Visually Sexing Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius Ludovicianus) Using Plumage Coloration and Pattern
Published on: March 8, 2020
Large-scale geographical variation confirms that climate change causes birds to lay earlier
Christiaan Both1, Aleksandr V Artemyev, Bert Blaauw
1Netherlands Institute of Ecology, PO Box 40, 6666ZG Heteren, The Netherlands. c.both@biol.rug.nl
Abstract:
Advances in the phenology of organisms are often attributed to climate change, but alternatively, may reflect a publication bias towards advances and may be caused by environmental factors unrelated to climate change. Both factors are investigated using the breeding dates of 25 long-term studied populations of Ficedula flycatchers across Europe. Trends in spring temperature varied markedly between study sites, and across populations the advancement of laying date was stronger in areas where the spring temperatures increased more, giving support to the theory that climate change causally affects breeding date advancement.
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