Â鶹Éç

« Previous | Main | Next »

Climate change takes a tern for the worse

Post categories: ,Ìý

Shanta Barley | 13:26 UK time, Friday, 17 April 2009

as a large flock of them swept through Britain on their way up north. The Red Barons of the bird world, these altitude addicts commute 24,000 miles from the Arctic to Antarctica and back every year. (I'll never rant about having to change trains at Tottenham Court Road ever again, honest.)

Given that these '' have to fly so far in the first place, it seems a bit unfair that climate change is now making that journey even harder - and less fruitful.

According to research published in the journal Global Change Biology, today's terns travel further to reproduce and give birth later in the year than they did in the 1930s due to 'changing climate conditions'. In fact, in the last 80 years the breeding date of the tern has advanced by over 18 days.

Did I just hear you say, 'they'll get over it'? Eighteen days may not seem like long to you and I but apparently it makes a big difference to the chicks' chances of growing up into big, healthy birds in the following year.

Comments

Â鶹Éç iD

Â鶹Éç navigation

Â鶹Éç © 2014 The Â鶹Éç is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more.

This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets (CSS) enabled. While you will be able to view the content of this page in your current browser, you will not be able to get the full visual experience. Please consider upgrading your browser software or enabling style sheets (CSS) if you are able to do so.