Breaking up of swan families in winter disrupts spring migration
©
Hans Joachim Augst
Breaking up of swan families in winter disrupts spring migration
Young Bewick's swans only survive their first spring migration if they stay with their parents long enough. If they lose their parents in winter, they leave later and are unable to keep up with the rest of the population. As a result, there is a greater chance that they will die in their first year of life. This is shown in new research by biologists from the Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW) and the UvA, together with American and German colleagues, which was published on 20 August 20 in the journal Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology.
Read more about Breaking up of swan families in winter disrupts spring migration