Migrating research included in HeraldNet article on new bird findings
University of Maine research on bird trade-offs during migratory flights was included in the HeraldNet article, “Five new findings about the bird world.” During migration, birds weigh the risk-reward of stopping to refuel versus threats of predators, according to the article. After two years of study, UMaine graduate student Jennifer McCabe and professor Brian Olsen concluded that fruit-eating migratory birds prefer to stop in habitat with plenty of dense vegetation that helps protect them from predators, the article states. Published in the journal, The Auk: Ornithological Advances, the researchers concluded that the longer the migration, the more likely birds are to take risks in more open areas to eat high-energy fruit, the article states.