User:Doctree/sandbox/Aerial insectivore

Aerial insectivores are a guild of bats and birds that feed on flying insects that they capture while in flight themselves.

Populations of aerial insectivore birds in the north and east of North America have been in decline for several decades before 2010.

Bats

non-migratory hibernate when wx means no insects

Birds

mostly migratory

Obligate aerial insectivores

Obligate aerial insectivores are species such as the chimney swift and purple martin that feed exclusively on flying insects. Their dependence on insects in flight for their diet makes them subject to starvation when no flying insects are present due to weather conditions such as continuous precipitation or cold temperatures. Other species of the aerial insectivore guild such as the tree swallow and eastern kingbird supplement their diet with fruits when flying insects are scarce or unavailable.

In June 1972, the extra-tropical remnant of Hurricane Agnes caused continuous rain and drizzle over western Pennsylvania for a week. Unable to eat, all of the purple martins in the area starved. Over thirty years later, the population of purple martins had still not recovered.

Hawking species

mostly non-migratory or migrate short distances many (most?) survive on alternate diets when wx bad

Population declines

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