Global climate change is one of the most challenging problems that humanity has to face in the current century. It will affect all environments, from polar terrestrial to tropical marine, with impacts on both flora and fauna at all levels from species to communities and ecosystems. Yet we still have insufficient evidence of its likely impacts and consequences for the natural world. Already global climate change has extended growing seasons, changed distribution patterns, and altered the phenology of flowering, breeding, and migration. Long-distance migration is one of the phenomena that best illustrates the deep links between climate and animal ecology and behaviour. For migratory birds, the timing of arrival on breeding territories and over-wintering grounds is a key determinant of reproductive success, survivorship, and fitness. Migratory birds can also contribute to the spread of emerging diseases affecting both animals and humans, and can interact in various new ways with non-migratory bird populations. An understanding of the processes driving these changes and their consequences are crucial for (1) effectively addressing likely scenarios; (2) providing a firm basis for adaptive management; and (3) developing effective conservation strategies for managing  rapidly changing animal populations.

In 2007 the Foundation MIGRES organized the First Conference on “Bird Migration and Global Change”, which aimed to analyse and debate topics such as migration and spread of diseases, behavioural changes in birds induced by climate, new tools for tracking migration, and conservation of populations and their habitats in a changing environment. Information resulting from this conference can be found at:

http://www.fundacionmigres.org/congresos.htm

In order to update our understanding of this important topic, the Foundation MIGRES is organizing the Second Conference on Bird Migration and Global Change for spring 2010.

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