CLIMATE change has altered the nesting patterns of birds, resulting in earlier migrations, experts found.
It has long been suspected that birds are migrating earlier each year to cope with changes in their environment, but research by the University of East Anglia (UEA) found the phenomenon is far more complex.
The research team looked at a population of Icelandic black-tailed godwits over 20 years. During this time, the flock advanced their spring arrival date by two weeks.
Dr Jenny Gill at UEA said: "The arrival dates are advancing because the new youngsters are migrating earlier. Climate change is likely to be driving this."
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