The Condor: Ornithological Applications
Embargoed until August 29, 2018 13:00 EDT (News release from the American Ornithological Society)
Tree swallows that live in cropland can still find their preferred prey, but they’re working harder to get it. Researchers examined how agriculture affects swallows’ diets, and found that birds living in croplands weighed less on average than their grassland-dwelling counterparts — a sign that they may be struggling. In wetland-dominated areas, agricultural land cover does not change swallows’ diets, suggesting wetlands may buffer against the negative effects of agriculture.
Corresponding author: Christy Morrissey, University of Saskatchewan – christy.morrissey@usask.ca