A researcher has recorded evidence of swallows adapting to have shorter wings over the past 30 years. Barn swallows are now one of the few songbirds that have a slightly increasing wild population why

1 answer

Shorter wings may provide a potential advantage for barn swallows by allowing them to increase their agility and maneuverability in flight. This could be beneficial for catching insects, avoiding predators, and navigating obstacles in their environment. As a result, barn swallows with shorter wings may have a higher likelihood of survival and reproduction, leading to an increase in their population over time.

Additionally, the changing environmental conditions due to factors such as climate change, habitat destruction, and pollution may have also played a role in shaping the evolution of barn swallows with shorter wings. These birds may have adapted to better cope with these changing conditions, further contributing to their increasing wild population.

Overall, the adaptation of barn swallows to have shorter wings is likely a result of a combination of evolutionary pressures and environmental factors, ultimately leading to their success and population growth in the wild.