Scientists issue warning after tracking rapid shift in behavior of iconic migratory species: 'I started to investigate what was going on'
Populations of the lesser goldfinch, native to the American Southwest, are traveling northward, likely because of the changing climate and landscape modification, according to a Cornell University writeup published by Phys.org.
While they have adapted well to their new habitats, their behavioral changes and invasions into ecosystems that are not native to them could be a cause for concern.
A team of researchers from Washington State University and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology studied data to track the lesser goldfinch's movement.
When lead writer Mason Maron visited Eastern Washington, Maron noticed flocks of 30-40 goldfinches fluttering around. Per Phys.org, he learned from locals that 10 years ago, there were no lesser goldfinches in the area.
"So," Maron said, "I started to investigate what was going on."
Maron and the team's study determined that lesser goldfinch populations increased by 110.5% in Washington, 66.3% in Idaho, and 16.9% in Oregon between 2012 and 2022, as stated in the journal Ornithology.
"Our results are suggestive of this species being able to pretty rapidly colonize new environments," said co-author Jordan Boersma, per Phys.org.
While the impressive way the lesser goldfinch has adapted to new habitats is indicative of its tenacity, it makes the species invasive. As the species eats the food available in their new environments, they disrupt the ecosystems they have invaded.
This phenomenon is damaging to other members of the invaded ecosystem while also changing the moving species' behaviors. According to a research article by Florian Ruland and Jonathan Jeschke in the Journal of Animal Ecology, invasive animals in new habitats have to change their behaviors to thrive.
The article said that when a species biologically invades an area, it must change its behavior to find food, evade predators, and adapt to new competition. The lesser goldfinch's adaptability is impressive, yet damaging, and the species should not have been left to make these life changes in the first place.
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The birds are moving toward areas with higher maximum temperatures and rainfall in response to rising global temperatures.
Controversially, some conservationists believe assisted migration, when humans intervene and relocate entire species to new areas, is a viable way to save them. Some states are on board with this belief, but many fear the consequences of introducing potential invaders to other habitats.
So, the lesser goldfinch's move north into Eastern Washington to survive is a positive to some, but it could be dangerous. Results from the study on the lesser goldfinch, however, should give researchers more insight to the potential impacts of assisted migration as well as reason to conduct further studies.
"Understanding how birds like the lesser goldfinch respond to climate change and urbanization helps us predict how other species might also be impacted," Boersma said.
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