Migrating

Over 65 million migrating birds stop in the same California town on their way south for the winter

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Tens of millions of birds in the western U.S. migrate along the same two corridors, according to a new study from the Audubon Society. California’s Central Valley and the Colorado River Delta along the US-Mexico border are major thoroughfares for dozens of species, including hummingbirds, swallows and goldfinches. The research indicates they host ‘major proportions … Read more

Nature: Migrating animals at greater risk from changes in habitats and the climate, study warns

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‘Live fast and die young’: Migratory animals are in decline because their fast-paced lifestyles mean they are less able to adapt to changing climates and habits, study claims Experts from the University of Exeter studied the ‘pace of life’ of 1,296 species They looked at metrics including longevity and the frequency of breeding The team found … Read more

Fin whales adopt songs from migrating individuals in ‘cultural transmissions’

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Fin whales can swap songs with other individuals migrating from all over the world in ‘cultural transmissions’ Researchers spent six years recording whale songs in waters around Hawaii  Found fin whales are able to sing multiple songs and adopt tunes of others Migrating whales have their own songs picked up and used by others   By … Read more

Blue whales start singing in the daytime rather than at night just before migrating, study finds 

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Blue whales – the largest animal on Earth – sing at different times of the day depending on the season, a new study says.  US experts recorded both individual whales and their greater populations in the Northeast Pacific, using tagging and underwater microphones called ‘hydrophones’.  During feeding season in the summer when feasting on krill, blue whales … Read more

Brexit referendum ‘sparked rise in Britons migrating to the EU’

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Brexit referendum sparked rise in Britons migrating to the EU and 500% increase in passport bids, study finds Study finds Brexit referendum result sparked rise in Britons emigrating to the EU  Number of Britons seeking EU passports increased five-fold, research suggests Official figures show net EU migration to the UK still well in positive territory   … Read more

Migrating in large groups is putting whooping cranes at risk

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Whooping cranes ‘could be wiped out’ by an outbreak of disease or extreme weather if they carry on migrating in large groups, study warns North America’s tallest bird, the 5ft whooping crane, is critically endangered There are 500 of the birds in the wild after nearly being wiped out in the 1940s  But a tendency … Read more