How does the diet likely change when the Willow Flycatcher is migrating south?
Answer
Birds become less selective, consuming whatever arthropods are most readily available.
During the demanding period of migration and the non-breeding season, the critical pressure shifts from provisioning developing young to maintaining the solitary adult's high caloric needs for sustained flight. Because insect populations encountered during travel change drastically depending on the locale, the flycatchers become less selective in their foraging. While they still target flying insects for necessary energy, the strict preference for soft-bodied larvae seen during nesting is relaxed, allowing for a higher proportion of spiders or slower-moving insects that are most abundant at that time.
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