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Migration

Migration

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 11, 2026

Visually Sexing Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius Ludovicianus) Using Plumage Coloration and Pattern

Visually Sexing Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius Ludovicianus) Using Plumage Coloration and Pattern

Published on: March 8, 2020

Morphological constraints on changing avian migration phenology.

A P Møller^1,2, D Rubolini^1,2, N Saino²

¹Ecologie Systématique Evolution, Université Paris-Sud, CNRS, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, Orsay Cedex, France.

Journal of Evolutionary Biology

|April 8, 2017

Summary

Wing shape influences how migratory birds respond to climate change. Birds with longer, narrower wings (high aspect ratio) advanced their spring migration timing less than those with shorter, wider wings, suggesting flight efficiency adaptations may limit phenological responses.

Keywords:

aspect ratio bird migration climate change response ecomorphology phenology

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Area of Science:

Ornithology
Climate Change Biology
Ecomorphology

Background:

Organisms at northern latitudes are advancing spring phenology due to climate warming.
Birds exhibit earlier spring migration and reproduction, but responses vary significantly between species.
Heterogeneous phenological responses, particularly delayed or absent migration timing shifts, are linked to population declines.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate if wing aspect ratio, a trait related to flight efficiency and migratory behavior, influences the advancement of spring migration timing in European migratory birds.
To explore factors contributing to interspecies differences in responsiveness to climate warming.

Main Methods:

A comparative study of 80 European migratory bird species.
Analysis of phenological data from 1960-2006.
Statistical control for phylogeny, migration distance, and other life-history traits.

Main Results:

Species with higher wing aspect ratios (longer, narrower wings) showed significantly less advancement in spring migration timing compared to species with lower aspect ratios.
Migration distance was positively correlated with wing aspect ratio.
Species better adapted for efficient migration appear more constrained in adjusting their phenology to climate warming.

Conclusions:

Wing aspect ratio is a significant evolutionary correlate of migration.
Selection for energetically efficient flight, indicated by high aspect ratio, may impede phenological plasticity in response to climate change.
This suggests a potential trade-off between migratory adaptation and the ability to adjust to rapid environmental changes.