Break-ups are more common in bird species with longer migrations, probably because partners return home at different times and don’t wait for each other to breed
The 30,000-kilometre migratory round trips of Arctic terns can play havoc with relationships
Philip Pilosian/Shutterstock
Birds that migrate long distances tend to be more likely than others to break up with their partner, according to an analysis of 232 species.
About 90 per cent of bird species are socially monogamous, meaning they form couples that primarily breed with each other and raise offspring together. Some of these couples stay together for life, while others end up getting “divorced” and moving onto new partners.
To identify factors that lead to bird break-ups, …