Fall migration is happening earlier for a North American bird species that is already in rapid decline, adding pressure to its chances for survival.
The trip south each year from Alberta to Central America has, over the last 32 years, moved ahead by an average of 14 days for a small grey bird called the least flycatcher, according to a new University of Alberta study.
The least flycatcher so named because it's the tiniest of its group has already seen a 53 per cent drop in its numbers over the last 50 years, from the effects of pesticide use and changing habitat. Because of this decline, it's designated as a priority species according to the Bird Conservation Region Strategy.
