Researchers Say Endangered , Birds May Hold the Secret to , Surviving Climate Change.<br />'Newsweek' reports that an endangered species of <br />seabird is changing its migratory pattern to reach more <br />hospitable climates, offering researchers new insights.<br />On January 29, researchers at Oxford University's <br />Biology Department and the University of Liverpool <br />released the results of a 14-year study.<br />The team's findings were published in the <br />'Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.'.<br />The long-running study examined the <br />migratory habits of the Balearic shearwater, <br />the most endangered bird in Europe. .<br />The study looked at how behavioral flexibility <br />can influence a shift in migratory patterns. .<br />Researchers observed that the birds were migrating farther <br />and farther north in the summer, moving from the Atlantic <br />coasts of Spain and France to the United Kingdom.<br />We found that the best predictor of <br />this change in migratory behavior <br />was the average sea surface temperature <br />in the summering-grounds, suggesting that <br />the birds may well be following changes <br />in underlying marine resources, Joe Wynn, study author, via 'Newsweek'.<br />The fact that individuals can be <br />this flexible in the face of rapid <br />climate change is encouraging, Joe Wynn, study author, via 'Newsweek'.<br />'Newsweek' reports that the migratory change means the birds <br />have a longer return trip to the Mediterranean every winter, <br />the long-term impacts of which remain unclear.<br />We don't know, for instance, <br />how the delayed return to the breeding <br />grounds is affecting their recovery from <br />migration and courtship behaviors, <br />which might have knock-on effects <br />on their breeding success or survival. , Patrick Lewin, study co-author, via 'Newsweek'.<br />In a species that's already <br />critically endangered, we really <br />need answers to those questions. , Patrick Lewin, study co-author, via 'Newsweek'
