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Why migrate? A test of the evolutionary precursor hypothesis.

W Alice Boyle1, Courtney J Conway

  • 1Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721, USA. alboyle@email.arizona.edu

The American Naturalist
|February 13, 2007
PubMed
Summary

Bird migration remains a mystery. This study reveals that habitat, diet, and foraging group size are key evolutionary precursors to bird migration, particularly in the Tyranni suborder.

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Area of Science:

  • Ornithology
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Ecology

Background:

  • The evolutionary drivers of bird migration are not fully understood.
  • Previous research suggested habitat and diet as migration precursors in Neotropical birds, but lacked phylogenetic control and comprehensive ecological analysis.
  • Understanding the ecological correlates of migration is crucial for evolutionary insights.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To test the evolutionary precursor hypothesis for bird migration.
  • To investigate the association between habitat, diet, and migratory behavior in the Tyranni suborder.
  • To identify ecological factors influencing the evolution of migratory behavior in birds.

Main Methods:

  • A species-level comparative analysis of the Tyranni suborder was conducted.

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  • Migratory distance and migratory behavior (sedentary vs. migratory) were used as response variables.
  • Phylogenetically independent contrast analyses were employed to control for evolutionary relationships.

    • Main Results:

    • Phylogenetic analyses revealed a significant interaction between habitat and diet as precursors to migration.
    • Foraging group size was consistently associated with migratory behavior across both raw species and phylogenetic analyses.
    • Elevational range and body mass showed less consistent associations with migratory behavior.

    Conclusions:

    • The study refines the evolutionary precursor hypothesis with a new resource variability hypothesis.
    • Habitat and diet interact to influence the evolution of bird migration.
    • Foraging group size is a significant predictor of migratory behavior in birds.