Which factor contributed to Tule geese migration delays in 2020?

• A. Airborne pollutants
• B. Unusually warm temperatures
• C. Abundant food supply
• D. Calm winds

Answer: (A)

Migration timing hinges on energy needs, weather, and health conditions for the birds. Airborne pollutants from wildfires lower air quality, irritate respiratory systems, and make long flights more energetically costly and risky. When smoke-filled skies dominate, Tule geese are more likely to pause or extend stopovers to wait for clearer air and safer conditions, which explains the migration delays seen in twenty twenty.

Unusually warm temperatures can influence when birds start moving, but they don’t typically cause delays in the same way smoky, polluted air does. An abundant food supply would usually help birds move more quickly, and calm winds can hinder flight efficiency but don’t as directly drive broad delays from pollution.