Birds Facing Climate Change: Diverse Strategies for Survival

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All living organisms struggle to adapt to environmental changes, as evidenced by the evolutionary history of life on Earth.

Some species manage to survive, while others perish and disappear from the planet. Perhaps one day, paleontologists will discover and identify these lost species.

Living organisms employ fascinating adaptive strategies, which scientists strive to uncover day after day.

It is now well established that our planet is undergoing climate change, leading to environmental transformations at an accelerated pace.

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These changes push living beings to demonstrate their adaptive capacities, which often emerge only when they are subjected to environmental pressures.

Motivated by this, a research team from the University of Michigan conducted a study on the evolutionary strategies that non-migratory birds use to adapt to today’s environmental changes. The researchers analyzed the different tactics these birds adopt to ensure the survival of future generations—generations capable of enduring, adapting, and thriving. Their study was published in the journal Ecology Letters on February 24, 2025.

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A Large-Scale Study

To better understand the key factors driving evolutionary processes and biodiversity, the researchers compiled a global database encompassing nearly 7,500 bird species. Their goal was to explore the relationship between the strategies birds use to evolve, adapt, and sustain their future generations, and the diversity of their habitats.

This extensive dataset allowed for a comprehensive analysis of how non-migratory birds respond to temperature fluctuations within the same year and across different seasons.

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Diverse Adaptive Strategies

The study revealed a variety of adaptation strategies across bird species.

For instance, small passerine birds invest all their energy and resources in raising their young, even at the cost of their own longevity. For them, ensuring the survival and reproduction of their offspring takes priority.

Other species, such as the sulfur-crested cockatoo, which can live for several decades, adopt a different approach. When faced with a challenging year in terms of environmental conditions, these birds may choose not to reproduce, conserving their resources and delaying offspring production until conditions improve. Although long-lived bird species can better withstand difficult years, they tend to adapt more slowly than short-lived species.

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A Growing Challenge for Birds

Despite these strategies, scientists emphasize that birds—whether short- or long-lived—are facing increasing challenges due to the accelerating pace of climate change. Environmental pressures are mounting year after year, while evolutionary adaptation is a process that unfolds over many generations. This growing disparity raises critical concerns about whether species will be able to adapt quickly enough to survive.

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