Reduced Hybrid Survival in a Migratory Divide Between Songbirds

Migratory divides, hybrid zones between populations that use different seasonal migration routes, are hypothesised to contribute to speciation. Specifically, relative to parental species, hybrids at divides are predicted to exhibit (1) intermediate migratory behaviour and (2) reduced fitness as a result. We provide the first direct test of the second prediction here with one of the largest existing avian tracking datasets, leveraging a divide between Swainson's thrushes where the first prediction is supported. Using detection rates as a proxy for survival, our results supported the migratory divide hypothesis with lower survival rates for hybrids than parental forms. This finding was juvenile-specific (vs. adults), suggesting selection against hybrids is stronger earlier in life. Reduced hybrid survival was not explained by selection against intermediate phenotypes or negative interactions among phenotypes. Additional work connecting specific features of migration is needed, but these patterns provide strong support for migration as an ecological driver of speciation. Predicted survival of migrating Swainson's thrushes depends on their subspecies ancestry (coastal, inland or hybrid), with coastal backcrosses and intermediate hybrids showing reduced survival relative to parental subspecies. Survival was estimated in migrating juveniles using radio tags detected by across North America the Motus station network, with highest detection rates during fall and spring migration.image