Lapland terns have adapted to cope with climate change during their long migratory trips, but they face challenges with food availability during the nesting season. Researchers from various countries used locators attached to the birds to track their journeys from Sweden, Iceland, and Greenland. By modeling different climate emission scenarios, they predict that Lapland terns may struggle with food depletion in the North Atlantic in the future. However, the terns still have the ability to adapt to some extent and continue thriving in the face of environmental changes.
The Lapland tern’s migration pattern involves traveling from Antarctic waters in March-April to refuel in the Atlantic, then nesting around the North Atlantic from May-August, and finally dining in Africa and the Indian Ocean from August-October before returning to Antarctica. While food availability in the North Atlantic during the nesting season may decrease due to changing sea currents, Antarctic waters still provide enough food for the terns during their feather harvest in the fall. The researchers predict that while headwinds may become stronger in the future, the Lapland tern will still be able to find sufficient food during its migration.
The vast distances covered by these birds make their journeys challenging as they face changing climates and food availability along
