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Science 30 June 2006:
Vol. 312. no. 5782, pp. 1959 - 1961
DOI: 10.1126/science.1126119
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Reports

Rapid Advance of Spring Arrival Dates in Long-Distance Migratory Birds

Niclas Jonzén,1 Andreas Lindén,2 Torbjørn Ergon,4 Endre Knudsen,4 Jon Olav Vik,4 Diego Rubolini,5 Dario Piacentini,6 Christian Brinch,4 Fernando Spina,6 Lennart Karlsson,7 Martin Stervander,8 Arne Andersson,8 Jonas Waldenström,9 Aleksi Lehikoinen,3 Erik Edvardsen,10 Rune Solvang,10 Nils Chr. Stenseth4*

Several bird species have advanced the timing of their spring migration in response to recent climate change. European short-distance migrants, wintering in temperate areas, have been assumed to be more affected by change in the European climate than long-distance migrants wintering in the tropics. However, we show that long-distance migrants have advanced their spring arrival in Scandinavia more than short-distance migrants. By analyzing a long-term data set from southern Italy, we show that long-distance migrants also pass through the Mediterranean region earlier. We argue that this may reflect a climate-driven evolutionary change in the timing of spring migration.

1 Department of Theoretical Ecology, Ecology Building, Lund University, SE-22362 Lund, Sweden.
2 Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Integrative Ecology Unit; Post Office Box 65 (Viikinkaari 1), FIN-00014, Helsinki University, Finland.
3 Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Bird Ecology Unit; Post Office Box 65 (Viikinkaari 1), FIN-00014, Helsinki University, Finland.
4 Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis, Department of Biology, University of Oslo, Post Office Box 1066, Blindern, N-0316 Oslo, Norway.
5 Dipartimento di Biologia Animale, Università degli Studi di Pavia, Piazza Botta 9, I-27100 Pavia, Italy.
6 Istituto Nazionale per la Fauna Selvatica, via Ca' Fornacetta 9, I-40064 Ozzano Emilia (BO), Italy.
7 Falsterbo Bird Observatory, Fyren, SE-23940 Falsterbo, Sweden.
8 Ottenby Bird Observatory, Post Office Box 1500, SE-38065 Degerhamn, Sweden.
9 Section for Zoonotic Ecology and Epidemiology, Department of Biology and Environmental Sciences, Kalmar University, SE-39182 Kalmar, Sweden.
10 Jomfruland Bird Observatory, Post Office Box 1076, N-3704 Skien, Norway.

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: n.c.stenseth{at}bio.uio.no

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Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)