Even bird enthusiasts will admit the southwestern willow flycatcher isn’t very flashy. But in studying the DNA of this brownish-olive songbird, scientists say they have found something remarkable: evidence that the endangered bird is adapting at the genetic level to climate change.
These genetic changes are not visible to the human eye — but the birds are now probably better equipped to weather increasingly wet and humid days in southern California, the researchers found.
The findings add to a body of research suggesting that climate change is forcing evolution in some animals at a rapid pace. Scientists say this work — accelerated by advances in genomic sequencing technology — helps understand how wildlife can cope and respond to the pressures of rising global temperatures...