Some nomadic birds look for social cues to stop migrating

A study of nomadic pine siskins, a type of finch often seen on backyard feeders, found that when male migratory siskins were paired with a settled male bird in captivity, they started exhibiting signs of ending migration too. They stopped restless flying and lost body mass, fat stores and muscle size, compared to a control group placed in solo enclosures. The apparent reliance on social cues for the end of migration has implications for other nomadic animals as well.

Source: sciencedaily.com

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