Female Cape rockjumper (Chaetops frenatus) | Cameryn Brock
Climate change can affect species in many ways. One way is that increased temperatures can have negative effects on reproductive success in birds. High temperatures can lead to less parental care and reduced nestling condition, leading to less success in these birds as adults.
In this study, led by Dr. Krista Oswald, we examined the rate in which adult birds provision food for their nestlings and the condition of the nestlings themselves in differing temperatures. Our focal species was the Cape rockjumper (Chaetops frentaus), a South African mountain endemic whose population declines correlate with warming habitat. Our work revealed that high temperatures harmfully influence the species' behavior, highlighting their vulnerability to climate change and the increasing urgency for their conservation.
See our full publication below.