The Effect of Drought on Avian Migratory Patterns and Stopover Through Texas and Louisiana

Author

• Ian Becker, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

Date of Award

5-1-2026

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Biology

First Advisor

Andrea Contina

Second Advisor

Karl Berg

Third Advisor

Bradley Christoffersen

Abstract

Extreme weather events pose a massive threat for native ecosystems. As precipitation and temperature patterns are altered due to climate change, drought may become an incredibly severe event on the landscape. Drought directly impacts resources that migratory birds need during stopover en route to breeding and non-breeding grounds. Here, I quantify the impacts of drought on migration through Texas and Louisiana using 26 years of weather surveillance radar data. To understand how drought interacts with the local environment to impact migration, I tested 4 hypotheses displaying drought’s ability to impact migrants in conjunction with climatic and habitat level characteristics. Fall migrants were more sensitive to drought relative to spring migrants. While I observed temporal variation in drought response, I observed no regional variation across my study area. My findings highlight the seasonal impacts of drought on migrants and emphasize the necessity for understanding climate change across the full annual cycle.

Comments

Copyright 2026 Ian Becker. All Rights Reserved. https://proquest.com/docview/3371131626

Recommended Citation

Becker, I.(2026). The Effect of Drought on Avian Migratory Patterns and Stopover Through Texas and Louisiana [Master's thesis, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley]. ScholarWorks @ UTRGV. https://scholarworks.utrgv.edu/etd/1905