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April 19, 2026BirdsOpen Access

Death Cause of Eastern Red-Rumped Swallows (Cecropis daurica) in a Mass-Mortality Event in Autumn Migration from Southern China

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Authors

XZXuemeng ZhouFFFang FangJHJunxiang Huang

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Overview

Observed mass mortality event reveals that fatigue and starvation resulted from extreme cold during migration.

Key Points

  • This research aims to investigate the causes of a mass mortality event in Eastern Red-rumped Swallows during their autumn migration.
  • Collected dead Eastern Red-rumped Swallows during a mass-mortality event in Southern China.
  • Measured mercury concentration in tail feathers.
  • Analyzed stable hydrogen isotopes in claws to determine geographic origins.
  • Mercury concentration was 0.57 ± 0.37 µg g−1, below toxicity thresholds for birds.
  • Stable hydrogen isotopes indicated broad origins of swallows from various regions.
  • Main cause of death attributed to fatigue or starvation due to long-distance flight during an extreme cold wave.

Cite This Study

Zhou et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/69e471ef010ef96374d8e225https://doi.org/10.3390/birds7020025
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