What major hurdle do Tanagers face if wild berries are wiped out early in autumn?
Answer
Catching enough high-fat insects proves too labor-intensive before a major migratory push
The body's metabolism is finely tuned to switch from the slow-burn power of insect protein required for growth to the quick-burn power of fruit sugars needed for sustained travel. If an early autumn frost eliminates the local wild berries, the necessary supply of fast carbohydrates is lost. Attempting to compensate by finding enough high-fat insects to provide the equivalent energetic fuel for a long migratory push becomes too labor-intensive and unsustainable before they must depart south.
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